Hi all,
The WMF published its Form 990 for the 2020 calendar year a week ago[1],
along with an FAQ on Meta[2].
Some salient points:
1. In 2020, the number of Wikimedia employees whose total compensation and
benefits exceeded $300,000 went up to eight. They were:[3]
Katherine Maher, ED ($423,318)
Grant Ingersoll, CTO ($355,523)
Amanda Keton, GC ($350,292)
Jaime Villagomez, CFO ($347,642)
Janeen Uzzell, COO ($336,068)
Anthony Negrin, CPO ($324,916)
Lisa Seitz, CAO ($323,293)
Robyn Arville, CT/CO ($306,579)
In part this reflected salary increases of existing executives, in part it
was due to three new hires filling C-level vacancies (CTO, COO, CT/CO) at
significantly higher compensation levels than their predecessors.
All three of those new hires are no longer with the WMF today, each staying
only around two years.
Of the existing executives' salary increases, a couple seem reasonable
compared to the previous year's figures,[4] but in one case total
compensation went up by over 25% year on year, in another by 14%, without a
change in job title. (US inflation was at around 2% from 2010 to 2020.[5])
Note that present-day compensation levels are likely to be 10–15% higher
than the 2020 figures above.
2. Overall salary costs rose by $12 million on the year prior (we knew this
already from the audited financial statements released in December). The
FAQ now clarifies that the number of employees (320 in 2020, vs. 291 in
2019) on page 1 of the Form 990 refers to US employees only, while the
salary costs figure given on the same page ($67.9M in 2020 vs. $55.6M in
2019) also includes an unspecified number of non-US employees. I have asked
for more detailed information on Meta.
Andreas
[1]
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/e/e4/Wikimedia_Foundation…
[2]
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/IRS_tax_related_information/2020_Wikimedia_…
[3]
https://foundation.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3AWikimedia_Foundat…
[4]
https://foundation.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3AWikimedia_Foundat…
[5]
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/12F13/production/_118478577_opt…
Hi,
Queering Wikipedia is the Wikimedia LGBTQ community global conference
planned for late October this year.[1]
Over the next few weeks we are recruiting for a paid project manager
to drive and deliver the conference with skills to plan and coordinate
a large virtual event and preferably with experience of Wikimedia
projects and the LGBTQ community.[2]
Please get in touch if you would like to discuss the role or apply, or
please forward to contacts that could enjoy working with us.
1. The open call is on meta
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/QW2022/call_for_project_management
2. Please retweet the call and watch the video explanation
https://twitter.com/wikilgbt/status/1529795517856854022
QW planning team
--
Wikimedia LGBT+ User Group
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_LGBT
Hello all,
We'd like to provide an update on the work on the Enforcement Guidelines
for the Universal Code of Conduct. After the conclusion of the community
vote on the guidelines in March, the Community Affairs committee (CAC)
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Community_Affairs_Committee> of the
Board asked
that several areas of the guidelines be reviewed for improvements
<https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org…>before
the Board does its final review. These areas were identified based on
community discussions and comments provided during the vote. The CAC also
requested review of the controversial Note in 3.1 of the UCoC itself.
Once more, a big thank you to all who voted, especially to all who left
constructive feedback and comments! The project team is working with the
Board to establish a timeline for this work, and will communicate this next
month.
Members of the two prior UCoC Drafting Committees
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Universal_Code_of_Conduc…>
have
generously offered their time to help shape improvements to the Guidelines.
You can read more about them and their work here
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Universal_Code_of_Conduc…>,
as well as read summaries of their weekly meetings in 2022
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Universal_Code_of_Conduc…>
.
Wikimedians have provided many valuable comments together with the vote and
in other conversations. Given the size and diversity of the Wikimedia
community, there are even more voices out there who can give ideas on how
to improve the enforcement guidelines and add even more valuable ideas to
the process. To help the Revisions committee identify improvements, input
on several questions for the committee’s review is requested. Visit the
Meta-wiki pages (Enforcement Guidelines revision discussions
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Universal_Code_of_Conduc…>
, Policy text revision discussions
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Universal_Code_of_Conduc…>)
to get your ideas to the Committee - it is very important that viewpoints
are heard from different communities before the Committee begins drafting
revision proposals.
On behalf of the UCoC project team,
Stella Ng
Greetings,
WIkimedia DC is assisting Hacks/Hackers with soliciting feedback from
Wikimedians on its Analysis and Response Toolkit for Trust
<https://artt.cs.washington.edu/> (ARTT). ARTT aims to provide motivated
citizens with tools and resources needed to talk about vaccine efficacy
online.
Over the next few months, we will be asking you, the Wikimedia community,
to share your input and ideas about how this tool could be used within
Wikipedia. We will also be asking how Wikipedia can be used within the tool.
We would love to hear from you! Please consider joining the
conversation on ARTT's Meta
page <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/ARTT>.
*Partners and funding:* The ARTT project is led by Hacks/Hackers and the UW
Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering, with external partners
such as Wikimedia DC and the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. It is
funded as a National Science Foundation Convergence Accelerator project.
Thank you!
Ariel Cetrone
Wikimedia DC
--
Ariel Cetrone
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Institutional Partnerships Manager
Wikimedia District of Columbia
215-828-4517
ariel.cetrone(a)wikimediadc.org <kirill.lokshin(a)wikimediadc.org>
wikimediadc.org
Wikipedia Username: Ariel Cetrone (WMDC)
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Ariel_Cetrone_(WMDC)>
LinkedIn: Ariel Cetrone
<https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariel-cetrone-604025a8/>
Dear friends,
The Global Advocacy team is expanding community engagement around the Human
Rights policy. *You now have the opportunity to participate via a short
survey* [1].
Your experiences will help us learn how the Foundation can better support
individuals. The survey is currently being translated into 10+ other
languages. You can find all updates, links, and additional information
about the Human Rights Policy community consultations on this Meta page [2].
*This survey will be conducted via a third-party service, which may subject
it to additional terms. For more information on privacy and data-handling,
see the survey privacy statement [3].
We hope to hear from you! Kind regards,
Ziski & the GA team
_____________
[1] https://wikimediafoundation.limesurvey.net/341899?lang=en
[2]
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Human_Rights_Policy_Community_Conversations
[3]
https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Human_Rights_Policy_Community_Feedbac…
Franziska Putz (she/her)
Movement Advocacy Manager, Global Advocacy
Wikimedia Foundation
Fputz(a)wikimedia.org
*UCT timezone
Dear Board (and all),
The growing complexity of governance efforts is defeating us. Process creep
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Avoid_instruction_creep> is an
existential threat for projects like ours – it is self-perpetuating if not
actively curtailed, as it filters out people who dislike excess process.
There's a reason 'bureaucrats' and 'stewards' have unglamorous titles.
Global governance in particular seems to be suffering from this now. Let's
try to scale it back! Recent developments, all at least somewhat confusing:
*Global Council*: A three-stage vote for the drafting committee. After 6
months of work in private, we know the charter will cover governance,
resourcing, & community
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Movement_Charter/Content>. A ratifiable
charter by 2023 should include Council scope, then *another* group may
draft an election process. Council elections would start mid-2024.
*Conduct*: Two years from first draft to realization. Custom review &
revision process for policy, set to change ~once a year. Enforcement by
*another* group (U4C), not yet defined, with an idea about annual elections
for it [starting in 2023?].
*WMF Board*: A *four*-stage election, with a new complex nomination
template. Nominees evaluated by *another* elected 9-person Analysis
Committee, followed by a two-stage vote.
Months of process, 16 staff facilitators.
Something has to give. We don't have time for all of these to be different,
complex affairs.
And this complexity feels self-imposed, like trying to push spaghetti
through a straw.
~ ~ ~
Four short proposals for your consideration:
1. Focus discussions on the decisions we need to resolve, not on process.
We need a foundation Board & global Council for specific practical reasons.
What challenges do they need to resolve this year? What major issues +
nuances are at play?
2. Make elections simple, flexible, consistent.
Build tools and frameworks that *conserve* rather than soak up community
time. Make longer processes capture proportionately detailed results.
Empower a standing election committee.
3. Highlight ways people can engage with governance + prioritization,
regionally + globally, beyond winning elections to procedural bodies.
*Support* organizers + facilitators rather than *hiring* them out of their
communities to facilitate on behalf of a central org.
4. Delegate more. Delegate to community. Delegate *design* and
*implementation*.
Our communities excel at self-organization, and rebel against arbitrary
mandates. Avoid language or policies that remove agency or
exaggerate staff-community division.
𝒲♡, SJ
--
Samuel Klein @metasj w:user:sj +1 617 529 4266
Hello everyone,
This is a friendly reminder that The Community Development team
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Community_Calls> at the Wikimedia
Foundation is hosting our second community call
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Community_Development/Community_Calls#How_t…>on
Wednesday, May 25th, 2022 from 15:00 - 16:30 UTC on Zoom
<https://wikimedia.zoom.us/j/81408843170?pwd=OVcwblBrQjR6WXpNVFNmZHJYWEFadz09>
[meeting link]
In this call, we will have 2 speakers from the community talk about their
work within capacity building. At the end of their presentations, we will
secure time for questions and answers.
To join in the community call:
-
To attend the call, please find the link here
<https://wikimedia.zoom.us/j/81408843170?pwd=OVcwblBrQjR6WXpNVFNmZHJYWEFadz09>
.
-
Please ensure you have zoom downloaded <https://zoom.us/download> on
your personal device prior to the call.
We are excited to see and hear from you in our community call! If you have
any questions, please feel free to email the Community Development team at
comdevteam(a)wikimedia.org.
Thank you,
The Community Development team
Cassie Casares
Program Support Associate
Community Development
Wikimedia Foundation
ccasares(a)wikimedia.org
Dear fellow Wikimedians,
We would like to remind you of the open call for applications to join the
Wikimedia accelerator program – UNLOCK <https://www.wikimedia.de/unlock/>.
Applications are open until May 29th!
== What type of ideas are we looking for? ==
The program calls for ideas and projects that break down social and
technical barriers preventing people from both accessing and contributing
to free knowledge. The ideas could cover
-
new technologies or tools that support more diverse modes and formats of
knowledge (audio, visual, video, etc.). One example for this is an UNLOCK
2020 project Audiopedia – an open source platform for audio content that
addresses primarily non-readers in the Global South <
https://www.audiopedia.org/>; or
-
further development of existing Wikimedia projects to create new impact
projects, such as GovDirectory (participants in UNLOCK 2021) – a global
directory of government agencies and their online presence by utilizing
Wikidata. This project does not only use Wikidata, but also help improve
the data on Wikidata <
https://www.wikimedia.de/unlock/unlock-projects/government-online-presence-…>;
or
-
alternative practices and concepts that create more opportunities for
everyone to participate in free knowledge projects – your idea for a more
inclusive representation of the diverse knowledge of our world.
== Who can apply? ==
We are looking for Wikimedians as well as free knowledge enthusiasts,
developers, designers and activists from outside the Wikimedia movement.
UNLOCK 2022 has a geographical focus on Western Balkans and German-speaking
regions.
== Additional information and support ==
Please head over to the UNLOCK program page for details <
https://www.wikimedia.de/unlock/program/>.
If you require further assistance with your application or if you have an
idea but are not sure whether or not to apply, feel free to reach out to
the organizing team behind the program via email: unlock(a)wikimedia.de
All the best
Kannika (WMDE) and Ivana (WMRS)
--
Kannika Thaimai (she/her)Innovation Engine Strategy LeadWMDE
innovation engine strategy
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Deutschland/Innovation_Engine>
| UNLOCK Accelerator <https://www.wikimedia.de/unlock/>
LinkedIn <https://www.linkedin.com/company/unlock-acc> | Twitter
<https://twitter.com/UNLOCK_Acc>
Wikimedia Deutschland e. V. | Tempelhofer Ufer 23-24 | 10963 Berlin
Phone: +49 30 577 11 62 0
Wikimedia Deutschland – Gesellschaft zur Förderung Freien Wissens e.
V. Eingetragen im Vereinsregister des Amtsgerichts
Berlin-Charlottenburg unter der Nummer 23855 B. Als gemeinnützig
anerkannt durch das Finanzamt für Körperschaften I Berlin,
Steuernummer 27/029/42207.
