Functionaries (checkusers, oversighters, stewards, OTRS members, and people
with similar advanced permissions) have not been required to provide their
personal information - name, DOB, address - for years. They simply sign
off a type of confidentiality agreement with their username.
Risker/Anne
On Thu, 8 Oct 2020 at 13:52, Todd Allen <toddmallen(a)gmail.com> wrote:
Well, you could always do a nominal membership
contribution, like a penny,
or sponsorships for those who wish to join but don't have the money. Since
WMF makes its money primarily from donations, there's really no need for it
to actually sustain itself from membership fees.
So far as requiring non-pseudonymous membership, I don't think there's any
requirement that such member lists be made public. So it would work a lot
like functionaries giving their information for the private access policy;
they are required to verify their identity, but that will be held privately
and not available to the public. So for all intents and purposes,
pseudonymous membership would still be possible.
Todd
On Thu, Oct 8, 2020 at 11:46 AM Risker <risker.wp(a)gmail.com> wrote:
Without needing to go into further detail, it is
because to be a
membership
organization, pseudonyms aren't acceptable;
all members must provide
their
full legal names and addresses. I also cannot
think of a membership
organization that does not charge a membership fee, although I suppose it
is possible; but anything requiring a financial contribution would limit
the membership to those who have the money to pay to join, which is
antithetical to the movement's philosophy.
Risker/Anne
On Thu, 8 Oct 2020 at 13:41, Todd Allen <toddmallen(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> Why would we "not want it to be a membership organization"? In fact,
many
> of us want exactly that, since the WMF seems
to think it can lord it
over
the
communities instead of fulfilling its role of serving them.
The new Board rules basically say that the Board itself gets to say how
the
> community-based members are selected, instead of having actual bylaws
as
to
how it happens. I'd like to see it done very
simply: Those eight seats
(forming a majority) on the Board should be elected (not nominated,
elected) by the community, with the Board having no veto power over the
results of the election.
Todd
On Wed, Oct 7, 2020 at 12:45 PM Brad Patrick <bradp.wmf(a)gmail.com>
wrote:
>
> > This is a very, very old and tired argument. If you do not understand
> > United States non-profit corporations, go educate yourself about
those
> > first. If your perspective is non-US
based, you may have a different
> frame
> > of mind which is irreconcilable with the way WMF is. Take all the
time
> you
> > need to see the differences before attacking WMF for (a) what it is
and
> (b)
> > why it isn't what you want it to be.
> >
> > WMF exists legally, and has as its foundation organizational
principle,
> > authority vested in a Board. WMF is not
a membership organization.
You
> > would not want it to be a membership
organization (as a matter of
law).
> >
> > Please temper your criticism accordingly.
> >
> > Brad Patrick
> > Former WMF General Counsel
> >
> > On 10/7/20, 12:47 PM, "Wikimedia-l on behalf of Paulo Santos
Perneta"
<
> > wikimedia-l-bounces(a)lists.wikimedia.org on behalf of
> > paulosperneta(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > I knew they are theoretically self-appointed, but was under the
> > impression
> > that at least until now an appearance of democracy and legitimacy
> > towards
> > the community has been respected, which no longer seems to be the
> case.
> > I wonder what would be the legitimacy of a self-appointing body
in
the
> eyes
> of the Wikimedia Movement, and all the communities which are part
of
> > it?
> >
> > Regards,
> > Paulo
> >
> > Adam Wight <adam.wight(a)wikimedia.de> escreveu no dia quarta,
> > 7/10/2020 à(s)
> > 17:20:
> >
> > > Greetings, this is a semiautomated response pointing out that
the
> > > Wikimedia Foundation Board is
not elected, it's
self-appointing.
> The
> > > so-called "elections" are in fact nominations to be
considered
by
the
> > Board. Therefore, the Bylaws have not been broken.
> >
> > This is an unfortunate arrangement, please see [1] for some
> background
> > about the conversion from a membership organization to a
> non-membership
> > organization which is no longer legally required to hold
elections.
>
> Regards,
>
> Adam W.
> [[mw:User:Adamw]]
>
> [1]
>
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_membership_controversy
>
>
> > On 10/7/20 5:55 PM, Paulo Santos Perneta wrote:
> > > The terms of 3 BoT members expired last month, and the BoT
itself
> decided
> > > to extend them? What is the legitimacy of that? And why is a
BoT
which is
> > expected to be in a mere interim management waiting for
elections,
> > presenting profound changes to its
Bylaws [1]?
> >
> > [1] -
> >
>
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Board_noticeboard/Octo…
>
> >
> > > Best,
> > > Paulo
> > >
> > > Nataliia Tymkiv <ntymkiv(a)wikimedia.org> escreveu no dia
quarta,
> > > 7/10/2020
> > > > à(s) 16:49:
> > > >
> > > >> Hello,
> > > >>
> > > >> I can answer a few of the questions raised in this thread.
> > > >>
> > > >> When the Board postponed the community selection of
trustees,
we
> also
> > >> extended the terms of the trustees in the affected seats
(María
> > > Sefidari,
> > > >> Dariusz Jemielniak, and James Heilman)[1]. Their terms were
> > originally
> > > set
> > > >> to expire last month, but because of that term extension
they
> are
> > still
> > > >> serving as trustees, and as such María remains the Board
Chair
and
> > Dariusz
> > >> and James continue on as Committee Chairs[2].
> > >>
> > >> Raju Narisetti and Esra'a Al Shafei have been reappointed to
the
> > Board
> > > for
> > > >> an additional three-year term[3][4].
> > > >>
> > > >> The current members of the Board of Trustees are listed on
the
> > Wikimedia
> > > >> Foundation website[5].
> > > >>
> > > >> We do not currently have a shortage of trustees on the
Board,
and
> we
> > have
> > >> had a quorum for every decision we have made this year. We
have
> > published
> > >> some outstanding Board records, many of which were just
approved
> at our
> > >> recent meeting in September[6][7].
> > >>
> > >> I have just sent an email to this list, as well as posted an
> update to
> > >> Meta-Wiki, with a request for feedback on matters related to
the
> > >> Foundation’s Bylaws and
trustee selection[8]. That
announcement
contains
> >> more information about the postponed community selection of
trustees.
> >>
> >> Best regards,
> >>
> >> antanana / Nataliia Tymkiv
> >>
> >> Vice Chair, Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees
> >>
> >> [1]
> >>
> >>
>
https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Resolution:Postponement_of_Community_…
> >>
> >>
> >> [2]
> >>
> >>
>
https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Resolution:Board_Officers_and_Committ…
> >>
> >>
> >> [3]
> >>
> >>
>
https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Resolution:Renewing_Raju_Narisetti%27…
> >>
> >>
> >> [4]
> >>
> >>
>
https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Resolution:Renewing_Esra%27a_Al_Shafe…
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Board_noticeboard/Octo…
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Board_noticeboard/July…
> > > >>
> > > >> *NOTICE: You may have received this message outside of your
> normal
> > > working
> > > >> hours/days, as I usually can work more as a volunteer during
> > weekend.
> > > You
> > > >> should not feel obligated to answer it during your days off.
> > Thank you
> > > in
> > > >> advance!*
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> On Thu, Oct 1, 2020 at 9:52 PM Bill Takatoshi <
> > billtakatoshi(a)gmail.com>
> > > >> wrote:
> > > >>
> > > >>> After I asked my questions on September 4, I was sent
the
> message
> > > >>> below by some role account I've never heard of,
asking
about
>
claims
> > >>> that have used the names of five other people. I don't
edit
> under my
> > >>> real name, but I have never used the names in the linked
forum
> > > >>> postings.
> > > >>>
> > > >>> The linked posts also claim that the Foundation's
nonprofit
> > status is
> > > >>> at risk. I am not a lawyer, but I am skeptical of that
claim
> even
> > > >>> though five Trustees whose three-year terms expired in
August
> > > >>> apparently voted
on a Resolution in a Board meeting on
> September
> > 24.
> > > >>> According to Section 4 of the Bylaws, "A quorum
shall
consist
> of
> > a
> > > >>> majority of Trustees then in office." Section 6
says, "the
> Board
> > may
> > > >>> continue doing business as a Board during the vacancy of
any
>
Trustee
> > >>> position." Therefore, since four of the five remaining
Trustees
> > all
> > > >>> voted in favor, the Resolution was properly carried, in
my
> > layperson's
> > > >>> view. I am less certain about the propriety of allowing
a
> Trustee
> > > >>> whose three year term expired to continue to serve as
Chair.
> >>>
> >>> The lack of any update or even ETA for an update on
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
>
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Wikimedia_Foundation_elections/2020#Po…
>
> >>> is baffling. Elections have never been held in person, only
> online,
> > >>> and so the excuse that they were postponed because of the
> pandemic
> > >>> crisis seems extremely suspicious. Indefinitely delaying
> elections for
> > >>> such a vacuous reason makes the Foundation look like the
worst
> of the
> > >>> bad actors in today's international political climate.
Doesn't
> > the
> > > >>> cancelled travel of the pandemic crisis give the
Foundation
> more
> > time
> > > >>> to hold elections, not less? Whether non-profit status is
at
> > risk or
> > > >>> not, I would hope that the Foundation, Board, and
Elections
> > Committee
> > > >>> would be more interested in upholding the principles of
good
>
> >>> governance than failing to even announce a new schedule or
even
> a date
> > >>> by which a new schedule will be announced.
> > >>>
> > >>> -Will
> > >>>
> > >>> On Mon, Sep 14, 2020 at 10:31 PM Gender Desk <
> genderscribe(a)gmail.com>
> > >>> wrote:
> > >>>> Mr. Takatoshi,
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Wikipediocracy has suggested that you have also used the
names
> > "Rogol
> > > >>> Domedonfors, Renée Bagslint, Jennifer Pryor-Summers,
Felicity
Braingut,
> >>> Thomas Townsend and others."
> >>>
http://wikipediocracy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=11567
> >>>> Can you comment on that?
> >>>>
> >>>> Regards,
> >>>> Genderdesk
> >>>>
> >>>>
genderdesk.wordpress.com
> >>>
> >>> On Mon, Sep 14, 2020 at 7:38 PM Samuel Klein <
meta.sj(a)gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> > >>>> Can anyone from the elections committee comment? What is
the
current
> >>>> plan? //S
> >>>> On Fri, Sep 4, 2020 at 8:05 PM Bill Takatoshi <
> billtakatoshi(a)gmail.com
> >>>> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>> How long can the Foundation legally postpone Board of
Trustees
> >>> elections?
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>
>
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Wikimedia_Foundation_elections/2020#Po…
> > > >>>>> has a
comment from April saying, "Once things get moving
> again,
> > > >>>>> appopriate [sic] date for the election will be
decided
and
an
>
>>>>> announcement will be made."
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>
>
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Board_of_Trustees#Curr…
> >>>>> suggests that five board
members terms end on "Wikimania
2020"
-- but
> >>>>> is that accurate?
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>
>
https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Resolution:Term_Limit_Proposal_for_By…
>
> >>>>> is clear that "All Board terms are three years" and
"the
term
> of each
> > >>>>> such appointment shall not exceed three years."
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> Who are the current members of the Board of Trustees?
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> Can the board achieve a quorum in its present state?
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> Who is the Chair currently?
> > >>>>>
> > >>>> --
> > >>>> Samuel Klein @metasj w:user:sj
+1
> > 617 529
> > > >>> 4266
> > > >>>
> > > >>> _______________________________________________
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