[Wikimedia-l] Re: WMF Board of Trustees: Board Selection Process Update

-- Owen Blacker, Cardiff GB @owen.blacker.me.uk https://bsky.app/profile/owen.blacker.me.uk, he/him @owenblacker@dataare.cool https://dataare.cool/@owenblacker User:OwenBlacker (meta https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User%3AOwenBlacker , enwiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:OwenBlacker, frwiki https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utilisateur:OwenBlacker) Chair, Wikimedia LGBT+ User Group (meta https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_LGBT%2B/Portal ) Recognised on the Pinc List 2026 https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/gallery/pinc-list-2026-wales-most-33907108 On Wed, 29 Jul 2026 at 20:07, William Chan william@wchan.hk wrote: > I would want to add a bit discussion about the English requirements. > > English is needed not because it is a working language, but also as it > being needed to read and understand documents of legal consequences, e.g. > legal communications, contracts, reports, etc. The movement is very large > and it means that movement governance decisions now have serious legal (and > sometimes political) consequences when communications are misinterpreted > (particularly not in English). > > Issues arising from within the community due to misunderstanding or > miscommunication has far fewer consequences than misinterpreting legal > duties, requirements, documents, which is very hard to solve even with a > translator as they're are always the issue of "lost in translation". > > Contributing or being a regional advocate to the movement is different > from being a trustee for a large US-based nonprofit that operates > throughout the world. > > In short, I do believe a minimum level of CEFR B1/2 level of English is > needed as being a trustee is different from being a member of the Wikimedia > movement to meaningfully participate in board discussions. > > Regards, > William > > On Thu, 30 Jul 2026, 02:48 Owen Blacker, Wikimedia LGBT+ via Wikimedia-l, < > wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org> wrote: > >> Hi Victoria, >> >> I'm only going to comment on 1 aspect here, as others are handling other >> aspects already. >> >> I have to object to the idea that all candidates must be able to >> communicate in good English. >> >> As an international movement that values Knowledge Equity, it feels >> bizarre that we would exclude what I presume is the majority of the >> movement who might lack the confidence to contribute in high-detail >> conversations and understand high-detail documents in English. >> >> Given the size of the Movement, I find it mildly offensive that we would >> privilege English so highly, merely to avoid the expense of translation and >> interpretation of Board documents and at Board meetings. >> >> I would urge the Board to reconsider on this specific point, as well as >> on the points that have been raised by other wikimedians. >> >> Thank you. >> >> In pride and solidarity, >> >> Owen >> -- >> Owen Blacker, Cardiff GB >> @owen.blacker.me.uk https://bsky.app/profile/owen.blacker.me.uk, he/him >> @owenblacker@dataare.cool https://dataare.cool/@owenblacker >> User:OwenBlacker (meta >> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User%3AOwenBlacker, enwiki >> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:OwenBlacker, frwiki >> https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utilisateur:OwenBlacker) >> Chair, Wikimedia LGBT+ User Group (meta >> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_LGBT%2B/Portal >> ) >> Recognised on the Pinc List 2026 >> https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/gallery/pinc-list-2026-wales-most-33907108 >> >> >> On Sun, 19 Jul 2026 at 22:09, Victoria Doronina via Wikimedia-l < >> wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org> wrote: >> >>> Hello Sam, >>> >>> You say bureaucracy, I say governance. Please forgive me for stating the >>> obvious, but WMF is a very large international organisation. It's much >>> easier to scale up the experience from a smaller Wikimedia organisation >>> than to start from scratch. >>> >>> And people who have Wikimedia governance experience usually have >>> experience with outreach campaigns and education in some form. >>> >>> I also agree that knowing several languages is valuable, but I don't >>> think we should discriminate against "English as a native and only >>> language" speakers - it's our working language. >>> >>> Lastly, while I don't have time to gather the statistics about the >>> current and past candidates, I know that I would've qualified when I first >>> ran - as a former member of the Russian Wikipedia ArbCom and a former >>> member of the Funds Dissemination Committee - note that I've never been on >>> a board of an affiliate. >>> >>> And lastly, I hope that the current criteria will encourage people to >>> serve on the global committees such as AffCom, U4C etc, and people who >>> serve on them to participate in the Board elections as candidates - we need >>> all the talent we can get. >>> >>> >>> >>> On Sat, Jul 18, 2026 at 1:06 PM Samuel Klein via Wikimedia-l < >>> wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org> wrote: >>> >>>> Thanks so much Margo. The base requirements seem good. >>>> >>>> The Categories of Governance or Community Experience seem to trend >>>> mostly towards bureacratic experience, not related to experience with >>>> knowledge work (like education or contribution), or outreach (like >>>> partnerships or campaigns), or multilingualism (including translation and >>>> multinational initiatives). It also singles out incorporated affiliates >>>> with paid staff over all other forms of community organizing and project >>>> work, as demonstration of community experience; can you say more about >>>> that? >>>> >>>> Have you analyzed which current and past trustees / candidates would >>>> have fit these proposed criteria? That might be a useful appendix for the >>>> discussion. >>>> >>>> Sam >>>> >>>> >>>> On Fri, Jul 17, 2026 at 10:40 PM Margo Lee via Wikimedia-l < >>>> wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Hello everyone, >>>>> >>>>> Following the 2025 elections, the Wikimedia Foundation Board of >>>>> Trustees committed >>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Wikimedia_Foundation_Board_noticeboard/October_2025_update#c-LLosa_(WMF)-20251015213400-Additional_perspectives_on_current_and_future_board_selection_processes >>>>> to reviewing the selection process of new Trustees, soliciting and >>>>> receiving feedback and suggestions and proposing changes. The Board >>>>> received extensive comments posted on Meta >>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_elections/2025/Debrief, >>>>> which helped inform this approach. >>>>> >>>>> The Board has discussed the following goals for reforms: >>>>> >>>>> - >>>>> >>>>> Clarity and consistency of the electoral process >>>>> - >>>>> >>>>> Clarity of roles and responsibilities >>>>> - >>>>> >>>>> Transparent communications and timeline >>>>> - >>>>> >>>>> A slate of candidates who strengthen the board through the >>>>> experience they bring >>>>> - >>>>> >>>>> Reduced need for shortlisting >>>>> - >>>>> >>>>> Strong voter participation >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> The Board is now ready to publish its draft eligibility requirements >>>>> for feedback from the community. The requirements are more specific and >>>>> detailed than in years past, to both inform the community of what the Board >>>>> needs and to create multiple pathways to the Board for Wikimedians. They >>>>> are also presented as requirements for candidates, not desirable qualities. >>>>> >>>>> The Board is also emphasising the need for previous governance >>>>> experience, including these key elements of experience: >>>>> >>>>> - >>>>> >>>>> Understanding the role of oversight vs. governance vs. management >>>>> - >>>>> >>>>> Understanding Fiduciary Duties >>>>> https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Legal_and_Fiduciary_Duties_for_Wikimedia_Foundation_Trustees_Public_Version.pdf >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> - >>>>> >>>>> Understanding the "Group Dynamics" of a board or committee (and >>>>> other collective decision-making bodies): working well with others to ask >>>>> probing questions, voice different views and contribute to informed >>>>> decisions for the good of the whole, not an individual agenda >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> The Board is now looking for specific feedback on the proposed >>>>> eligibility criteria >>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_Foundation_elections/2027/Proposed_eligibility_criteria >>>>> . >>>>> >>>>> Regards, >>>>> >>>>> The Board Governance Committee >>>>> >>>>> Margo Lee on behalf of the Governance Committee >>>>> >>>>> *Margo Lee* (she/her) >>>>> Deputy Chief of Staff >>>>> Wikimedia Foundation https://wikimediafoundation.org/ >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org, >>>>> guidelines at: >>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and >>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l >>>>> Public archives at >>>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/... >>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-leave@lists.wikimedia.org >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Samuel Klein @metasj w:user:sj +1 617 529 >>>> 4266 >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org, >>>> guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines >>>> and https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l >>>> Public archives at >>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/... >>>> To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-leave@lists.wikimedia.org >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Kind regards, Victoria >>> Victoria Doronina >>> https://wikimediafoundation.org/profile/dr-victoria-doronina/ (she/her), >>> UTC >>> Wikimedia Foundation Trustee >>> Community and Affiliates Liaison >>> Human Rights Liaison >>> >>> Wikimedia Foundation https://wikimediafoundation.org/ >>> >>> "Imagine a world in which every single human being can freely share in >>> the sum of all knowledge. Please help us make it a reality." >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org, guidelines >>> at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and >>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l >>> Public archives at >>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/... >>> To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-leave@lists.wikimedia.org >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org, guidelines >> at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and >> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l >> Public archives at >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/... >> To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-leave@lists.wikimedia.org > >