Dear Foundation-istas,
It looks like sometime this summer the composition of the Advisory Board changed, with several of the original members becoming former members: http://wikimediafoundation.org/w/index.php?title=Advisory_Board&diff=396...
I don't remember an announcement about this. Did I miss it? Is this an annual sort of advisory board restructuring, or something else? Was it discussed somewhere? It's helpful to know who the advisory board members are, and I didn't think they had any specific 'terms of office' -- do they?
thanks! -- phoebe
phoebe ayers wrote:
Dear Foundation-istas,
It looks like sometime this summer the composition of the Advisory Board changed, with several of the original members becoming former members: http://wikimediafoundation.org/w/index.php?title=Advisory_Board&diff=396...
I don't remember an announcement about this. Did I miss it? Is this an annual sort of advisory board restructuring, or something else? Was it discussed somewhere? It's helpful to know who the advisory board members are, and I didn't think they had any specific 'terms of office' -- do they?
Actually, the resolution creating the advisory board (back in 2006) had them being appointed for one year. http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Resolution:Advisory_board By the time we reviewed the situation, the initial term of service had long passed. In the meantime, a few more members had been added, and we recently invited many of the original advisory board to renew their membership, so that's what the change reflects. It's possible that we didn't get a public announcement out; our first priority was contacting the advisory board individually, and we also still have some points to wrap up at the board level as we try to establish a better overall procedure for appointing them and making use of their advice. I do know that Bridgespan has been interviewing a number of the advisory board as an important part of the strategic planning process.
--Michael Snow
On Mon, Sep 21, 2009 at 2:27 PM, Michael Snow wikipedia@verizon.net wrote:
phoebe ayers wrote:
Dear Foundation-istas,
It looks like sometime this summer the composition of the Advisory Board changed, with several of the original members becoming former members: http://wikimediafoundation.org/w/index.php?title=Advisory_Board&diff=396...
I don't remember an announcement about this. Did I miss it? Is this an annual sort of advisory board restructuring, or something else? Was it discussed somewhere? It's helpful to know who the advisory board members are, and I didn't think they had any specific 'terms of office' -- do they?
Actually, the resolution creating the advisory board (back in 2006) had them being appointed for one year. http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Resolution:Advisory_board By the time we reviewed the situation, the initial term of service had long passed. In the meantime, a few more members had been added, and we recently invited many of the original advisory board to renew their membership, so that's what the change reflects. It's possible that we didn't get a public announcement out; our first priority was contacting the advisory board individually, and we also still have some points to wrap up at the board level as we try to establish a better overall procedure for appointing them and making use of their advice.
Michael & Angela -- thanks for the information & quick replies. I'd forgotten that terms were only supposed to be a year... it would be great to have more public information about the composition/role/appointments of the advisory board (e.g., what are we looking for in advisors?), when those Board discussions do get wrapped up. Since strategic planning is also now actively looking for expert advisors, it seems like this may overlap with and complement the role of the advisory board, at least in the short term.
-- phoebe
On Tue, Sep 22, 2009 at 9:20 AM, phoebe ayers phoebe.wiki@gmail.com wrote:
Michael & Angela -- thanks for the information & quick replies. I'd forgotten that terms were only supposed to be a year... it would be great to have more public information about the composition/role/appointments of the advisory board (e.g., what are we looking for in advisors?), when those Board discussions do get wrapped up. Since strategic planning is also now actively looking for expert advisors, it seems like this may overlap with and complement the role of the advisory board, at least in the short term.
Bridgespan has been interviewing advisory board members and is in the process of putting some notes up on the strategy wiki. I've talked to several individually. And I hope we can get them even more engaged than that, especially in the public process! (Advisory board members, can you hear me? :-) )
=Eugene
On Tue, Sep 22, 2009 at 7:05 AM, phoebe ayers phoebe.wiki@gmail.com wrote:
It looks like sometime this summer the composition of the Advisory Board changed, with several of the original members becoming former members: http://wikimediafoundation.org/w/index.php?title=Advisory_Board&diff=396...
I don't remember an announcement about this. Did I miss it? Is this an annual sort of advisory board restructuring, or something else? Was it discussed somewhere? It's helpful to know who the advisory board members are, and I didn't think they had any specific 'terms of office' -- do they?
Originally people were asked to stay for terms of one year. That lasted rather longer for some as the first expiries happened on June 30, 2009 based on decisions made at the April board of trustees meeting. http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Minutes/April_3-5,_2009#Advisory_Board_Update:
Michael Snow sent a letter to all members thanking them for their service, and then some were asked to extend their term on the advisory board until December 31, 2010. The board of trustees will review the list before 2011 and invite some to complete an additional term. Also, others may be added to the list before that time. Sorry that there was not more of an announcement about this. I should probably have made one.
There have been two additions to the advisory board in the past year, and there were press releases about these: http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Press_releases/Roger_McNamee_to_Become_Wikimedia_Advisor_January_2009 http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Press_releases/Neeru_Khosla_to_Become_Wikimedia_Advisor_Dec_2008
Angela
wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org