Dear all
Our excellent Chair of Trustees, Nick Poole, will be stepping down at the AGM in July after six years as a trustee (which is the maximum term) and just over a year as Chair. We are therefore recruiting for a new Chair, and are advertising the role externally as well as promoting the opportunity amongst our existing trustees, committee members, volunteers and wider networks.
*Please do consider whether this might be the right opportunity for you*. If so, do feel free to contact our Communications and Governance Co-ordinator Katie on katie.crampton@wikimedia.org.uk to arrange an informal conversation about the role. If not, we would be very grateful if you could help us to promote the role by circulating it amongst your own networks. Katie will be promoting the opportunity on social media so if you follow us there, please do share/retweet etc.
The ideal candidate might come from a wide range of professional backgrounds but will have a good understanding of charity governance, the skills and experience to run productive meetings, and a collegiate, collaborative approach in keeping with the ethos of the Wikimedia movement. They will also bring a strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and understand how important this is to an organisation like Wikimedia UK. It goes without saying that they will need to be passionate about open knowledge and understand the importance and value of Wikipedia and the other Wikimedia projects. To see the role description and/or download the recruitment pack, please go here:
https://wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/Chair_of_the_Board_of_Trustees
The deadline is Sunday 6th June and interviews are likely to be on 14th June.
Thanks and best wishes Lucy
Could you confirm this is the first time that the Chair of Wikimedia UK has been externally recruited rather than the role filled after being elected by the charity members as a trustee?
Has the process for searching for "role" trustees and electing them changed, and the charity's articles been amended and published accordingly?
Thanks, Fae
On Tue, 25 May 2021 at 16:52, Lucy Crompton-Reid < lucy.crompton-reid@wikimedia.org.uk> wrote:
Dear all
Our excellent Chair of Trustees, Nick Poole, will be stepping down at the AGM in July after six years as a trustee (which is the maximum term) and just over a year as Chair. We are therefore recruiting for a new Chair, and are advertising the role externally as well as promoting the opportunity amongst our existing trustees, committee members, volunteers and wider networks.
*Please do consider whether this might be the right opportunity for you*. If so, do feel free to contact our Communications and Governance Co-ordinator Katie on katie.crampton@wikimedia.org.uk to arrange an informal conversation about the role. If not, we would be very grateful if you could help us to promote the role by circulating it amongst your own networks. Katie will be promoting the opportunity on social media so if you follow us there, please do share/retweet etc.
The ideal candidate might come from a wide range of professional backgrounds but will have a good understanding of charity governance, the skills and experience to run productive meetings, and a collegiate, collaborative approach in keeping with the ethos of the Wikimedia movement. They will also bring a strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and understand how important this is to an organisation like Wikimedia UK. It goes without saying that they will need to be passionate about open knowledge and understand the importance and value of Wikipedia and the other Wikimedia projects. To see the role description and/or download the recruitment pack, please go here:
https://wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/Chair_of_the_Board_of_Trustees
The deadline is Sunday 6th June and interviews are likely to be on 14th June.
Thanks and best wishes Lucy
--
Lucy Crompton-Reid
Chief Executive
https://donate.wikimedia.org.uk/
Wikimedia UK https://beta.wikimedia.org.uk/ is the national chapter for the global Wikimedia open knowledge movement.
Wikimedia UK is a Registered Charity No.1144513.Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales, Registered No. 6741827.
Registered Office Ground Floor, Europoint, 5 - 11 Lavington Street, London SE1 0NZ https://maps.google.com/?q=5+-+11+Lavington+Street,+London+SE1+0NZ&entry=gmail&source=g .
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
This does not require any amendment.
Thanks, Seddon
On Tue, May 25, 2021 at 6:14 PM Fæ faewik@gmail.com wrote:
Could you confirm this is the first time that the Chair of Wikimedia UK has been externally recruited rather than the role filled after being elected by the charity members as a trustee?
Has the process for searching for "role" trustees and electing them changed, and the charity's articles been amended and published accordingly?
Thanks, Fae
On Tue, 25 May 2021 at 16:52, Lucy Crompton-Reid < lucy.crompton-reid@wikimedia.org.uk> wrote:
Dear all
Our excellent Chair of Trustees, Nick Poole, will be stepping down at the AGM in July after six years as a trustee (which is the maximum term) and just over a year as Chair. We are therefore recruiting for a new Chair, and are advertising the role externally as well as promoting the opportunity amongst our existing trustees, committee members, volunteers and wider networks.
*Please do consider whether this might be the right opportunity for you*. If so, do feel free to contact our Communications and Governance Co-ordinator Katie on katie.crampton@wikimedia.org.uk to arrange an informal conversation about the role. If not, we would be very grateful if you could help us to promote the role by circulating it amongst your own networks. Katie will be promoting the opportunity on social media so if you follow us there, please do share/retweet etc.
The ideal candidate might come from a wide range of professional backgrounds but will have a good understanding of charity governance, the skills and experience to run productive meetings, and a collegiate, collaborative approach in keeping with the ethos of the Wikimedia movement. They will also bring a strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and understand how important this is to an organisation like Wikimedia UK. It goes without saying that they will need to be passionate about open knowledge and understand the importance and value of Wikipedia and the other Wikimedia projects. To see the role description and/or download the recruitment pack, please go here:
https://wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/Chair_of_the_Board_of_Trustees
The deadline is Sunday 6th June and interviews are likely to be on 14th June.
Thanks and best wishes Lucy
--
Lucy Crompton-Reid
Chief Executive
https://donate.wikimedia.org.uk/
Wikimedia UK https://beta.wikimedia.org.uk/ is the national chapter for the global Wikimedia open knowledge movement.
Wikimedia UK is a Registered Charity No.1144513.Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales, Registered No. 6741827.
Registered Office Ground Floor, Europoint, 5 - 11 Lavington Street, London SE1 0NZ https://maps.google.com/?q=5+-+11+Lavington+Street,+London+SE1+0NZ&entry=gmail&source=g .
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
-- faewik@gmail.com https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Fae _______________________________________________ Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
Happy to accept your reading of the Articles*, which would mean that the Chair of the Charity would be a "co-opted trustee" under the current Article definitions.
Having an unelected Chair for the first time in the history of the charity does not seem likely to be perceived by the majority of members as the best way of giving members a meaningful vote on who represents them in their charity.
* https://wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/Articles_of_Association
Fae
On Tue, 25 May 2021 at 18:38, Joseph Seddon josephseddon@gmail.com wrote:
This does not require any amendment.
Thanks, Seddon
On Tue, May 25, 2021 at 6:14 PM Fæ faewik@gmail.com wrote:
Could you confirm this is the first time that the Chair of Wikimedia UK has been externally recruited rather than the role filled after being elected by the charity members as a trustee?
Has the process for searching for "role" trustees and electing them changed, and the charity's articles been amended and published accordingly?
Thanks, Fae
On Tue, 25 May 2021 at 16:52, Lucy Crompton-Reid < lucy.crompton-reid@wikimedia.org.uk> wrote:
Dear all
Our excellent Chair of Trustees, Nick Poole, will be stepping down at the AGM in July after six years as a trustee (which is the maximum term) and just over a year as Chair. We are therefore recruiting for a new Chair, and are advertising the role externally as well as promoting the opportunity amongst our existing trustees, committee members, volunteers and wider networks.
*Please do consider whether this might be the right opportunity for you*. If so, do feel free to contact our Communications and Governance Co-ordinator Katie on katie.crampton@wikimedia.org.uk to arrange an informal conversation about the role. If not, we would be very grateful if you could help us to promote the role by circulating it amongst your own networks. Katie will be promoting the opportunity on social media so if you follow us there, please do share/retweet etc.
The ideal candidate might come from a wide range of professional backgrounds but will have a good understanding of charity governance, the skills and experience to run productive meetings, and a collegiate, collaborative approach in keeping with the ethos of the Wikimedia movement. They will also bring a strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and understand how important this is to an organisation like Wikimedia UK. It goes without saying that they will need to be passionate about open knowledge and understand the importance and value of Wikipedia and the other Wikimedia projects. To see the role description and/or download the recruitment pack, please go here:
https://wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/Chair_of_the_Board_of_Trustees
The deadline is Sunday 6th June and interviews are likely to be on 14th June.
Thanks and best wishes Lucy
--
Lucy Crompton-Reid
Chief Executive
https://donate.wikimedia.org.uk/
Wikimedia UK https://beta.wikimedia.org.uk/ is the national chapter for the global Wikimedia open knowledge movement.
Wikimedia UK is a Registered Charity No.1144513.Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales, Registered No. 6741827.
Registered Office Ground Floor, Europoint, 5 - 11 Lavington Street, London SE1 0NZ https://maps.google.com/?q=5+-+11+Lavington+Street,+London+SE1+0NZ&entry=gmail&source=g .
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
-- faewik@gmail.com https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Fae _______________________________________________ Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
I think it's important to recognise the shift in emphasis that has occurred since the foundation of Wikimedia UK. It was, of course, created as a non-profit company and only later gained charity status. This is perhaps obvious in the way the the articles reflect the earlier - dare I say simpler? - view that members took of the the purpose of WMUK, and of the function of its Board of Directors.
The Articles of Association https://wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/Articles_of_Association contain important guidance on how WMUK is actually constituted. and in the current situation, three articles are particularly relevant:
15.3 Any meeting of Directors at which a quorum is present at the time the relevant decision is made may exercise all the powers exercisable by the Directors.
20.9 The Directors shall appoint a Director to chair their meetings and may at any time revoke such appointment
20.11 The person appointed to chair meetings of the Directors shall have no functions or powers except those conferred by these articles or delegated to him or her by the Directors.
Taken together, it should be clear that the Chair serves at the will of the Board, which of course includes both elected and co-opted directors. Personally, I don't think it makes any difference whether the Chair is elected or co-opted. The choice is wholly controlled by the directors, and they are responsible to the membership, either directly or indirectly (in the case of co-options or replacements).
It should be equally clear, I hope, that any functions that the Chair exercises can only be those that the Board choses to assign to them. Although custom and practice have devolved numerous extra functions to the Chair, these cannot be inherent in the officer of Chair, and could be recalled by the Board at any time.
Similarly, the appointment of Chair can be revoked at any time. Taken with the prior point, I feel that this gives sufficient safeguards against any appointment that turns out to be problematical.
My only concern at present is that the Chair traditionally has represented the Chapter to the wider Wikimedia Movement, and I do hope that whoever is appointed will be able to play an active part in the international networks that have evolved over the years since we first proposed a Chapters Association.
I would also like to see the membership have a greater voice in the direction of WMUK, but I feel that can only be done by long-serving members putting themselves forward for election to the Board, and I sincerely hope that some will feel able to do so. If not, we may find ourselves in the position of having only one regular, long-term Wikipedia editor on the Board after the AGM.
Hi Fae
Thanks for your email. I think you are almost certainly right, and that this is the first time that the Chair has been recruited externally - although it's quite common practice in the voluntary sector more generally. It is very possible that one of the existing trustees may become the Chair. However we are casting the net wide in order to reach the biggest pool of potential candidates with the skills and experience outlined in the person specification, and bearing in mind advice regarding best practice in trustee recruitment to ensure a diverse board.
The charity's Articles allow for seven elected directors and three who are co-opted (with the provision to co-opt a fourth trustee if it is deemed necessary to get the right balance of skills and experience on the board). We currently have seven elected trustees and two co-opted trustees (the latter two being our Treasurer and the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee).
Although I have been working broadly on the basis that the board would co-opt the person recommended by the recruitment panel, this doesn't necessarily have to be the case. The timing of the recruitment process, with interviews scheduled for mid-June, means that if necessary the preferred candidate could stand for the trustee elections at this year's AGM. To clarify (for others reading this email, as I'm sure you're aware), the appointment of trustee roles such as the Chair, Treasurer etc is for the board to decide, rather than the full membership.
Your email implies that the charity's constitution specifies that officer roles on the board have to be elected trustees. I can't find anything to that effect although it's entirely possible that I've missed it! In which case, we will need to revise our process/plans accordingly.
As I said in my email, I would encourage all members and volunteers to think about applying, if you meet the criteria. Please don't be put off by the open recruitment process as I know that the panel, and other members of the board, highly value community experience.
Best wishes Lucy
On Tue, 25 May 2021 at 18:14, Fæ faewik@gmail.com wrote:
Could you confirm this is the first time that the Chair of Wikimedia UK has been externally recruited rather than the role filled after being elected by the charity members as a trustee?
Has the process for searching for "role" trustees and electing them changed, and the charity's articles been amended and published accordingly?
Thanks, Fae
On Tue, 25 May 2021 at 16:52, Lucy Crompton-Reid < lucy.crompton-reid@wikimedia.org.uk> wrote:
Dear all
Our excellent Chair of Trustees, Nick Poole, will be stepping down at the AGM in July after six years as a trustee (which is the maximum term) and just over a year as Chair. We are therefore recruiting for a new Chair, and are advertising the role externally as well as promoting the opportunity amongst our existing trustees, committee members, volunteers and wider networks.
*Please do consider whether this might be the right opportunity for you*. If so, do feel free to contact our Communications and Governance Co-ordinator Katie on katie.crampton@wikimedia.org.uk to arrange an informal conversation about the role. If not, we would be very grateful if you could help us to promote the role by circulating it amongst your own networks. Katie will be promoting the opportunity on social media so if you follow us there, please do share/retweet etc.
The ideal candidate might come from a wide range of professional backgrounds but will have a good understanding of charity governance, the skills and experience to run productive meetings, and a collegiate, collaborative approach in keeping with the ethos of the Wikimedia movement. They will also bring a strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and understand how important this is to an organisation like Wikimedia UK. It goes without saying that they will need to be passionate about open knowledge and understand the importance and value of Wikipedia and the other Wikimedia projects. To see the role description and/or download the recruitment pack, please go here:
https://wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/Chair_of_the_Board_of_Trustees
The deadline is Sunday 6th June and interviews are likely to be on 14th June.
Thanks and best wishes Lucy
--
Lucy Crompton-Reid
Chief Executive
https://donate.wikimedia.org.uk/
Wikimedia UK https://beta.wikimedia.org.uk/ is the national chapter for the global Wikimedia open knowledge movement.
Wikimedia UK is a Registered Charity No.1144513.Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales, Registered No. 6741827.
Registered Office Ground Floor, Europoint, 5 - 11 Lavington Street, London SE1 0NZ https://maps.google.com/?q=5+-+11+Lavington+Street,+London+SE1+0NZ&entry=gmail&source=g .
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
-- faewik@gmail.com https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Fae _______________________________________________ Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
Hi Lucy,
Thanks for sharing. I just wanted to take the time to thank Nick for his many years of service. His commitment to open knowledge is especially clear to anyone who follows him on Twitter, as I do. His passion and enthusiasm are admirable, his knowledge fearsome. Thank you, Mr Poole. Good luck on the next part of your journey.
Best wishes,
Stevie
On Tue, May 25, 2021 at 7:27 PM Lucy Crompton-Reid < lucy.crompton-reid@wikimedia.org.uk> wrote:
Hi Fae
Thanks for your email. I think you are almost certainly right, and that this is the first time that the Chair has been recruited externally - although it's quite common practice in the voluntary sector more generally. It is very possible that one of the existing trustees may become the Chair. However we are casting the net wide in order to reach the biggest pool of potential candidates with the skills and experience outlined in the person specification, and bearing in mind advice regarding best practice in trustee recruitment to ensure a diverse board.
The charity's Articles allow for seven elected directors and three who are co-opted (with the provision to co-opt a fourth trustee if it is deemed necessary to get the right balance of skills and experience on the board). We currently have seven elected trustees and two co-opted trustees (the latter two being our Treasurer and the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee).
Although I have been working broadly on the basis that the board would co-opt the person recommended by the recruitment panel, this doesn't necessarily have to be the case. The timing of the recruitment process, with interviews scheduled for mid-June, means that if necessary the preferred candidate could stand for the trustee elections at this year's AGM. To clarify (for others reading this email, as I'm sure you're aware), the appointment of trustee roles such as the Chair, Treasurer etc is for the board to decide, rather than the full membership.
Your email implies that the charity's constitution specifies that officer roles on the board have to be elected trustees. I can't find anything to that effect although it's entirely possible that I've missed it! In which case, we will need to revise our process/plans accordingly.
As I said in my email, I would encourage all members and volunteers to think about applying, if you meet the criteria. Please don't be put off by the open recruitment process as I know that the panel, and other members of the board, highly value community experience.
Best wishes Lucy
On Tue, 25 May 2021 at 18:14, Fæ faewik@gmail.com wrote:
Could you confirm this is the first time that the Chair of Wikimedia UK has been externally recruited rather than the role filled after being elected by the charity members as a trustee?
Has the process for searching for "role" trustees and electing them changed, and the charity's articles been amended and published accordingly?
Thanks, Fae
On Tue, 25 May 2021 at 16:52, Lucy Crompton-Reid < lucy.crompton-reid@wikimedia.org.uk> wrote:
Dear all
Our excellent Chair of Trustees, Nick Poole, will be stepping down at the AGM in July after six years as a trustee (which is the maximum term) and just over a year as Chair. We are therefore recruiting for a new Chair, and are advertising the role externally as well as promoting the opportunity amongst our existing trustees, committee members, volunteers and wider networks.
*Please do consider whether this might be the right opportunity for you*. If so, do feel free to contact our Communications and Governance Co-ordinator Katie on katie.crampton@wikimedia.org.uk to arrange an informal conversation about the role. If not, we would be very grateful if you could help us to promote the role by circulating it amongst your own networks. Katie will be promoting the opportunity on social media so if you follow us there, please do share/retweet etc.
The ideal candidate might come from a wide range of professional backgrounds but will have a good understanding of charity governance, the skills and experience to run productive meetings, and a collegiate, collaborative approach in keeping with the ethos of the Wikimedia movement. They will also bring a strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and understand how important this is to an organisation like Wikimedia UK. It goes without saying that they will need to be passionate about open knowledge and understand the importance and value of Wikipedia and the other Wikimedia projects. To see the role description and/or download the recruitment pack, please go here:
https://wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/Chair_of_the_Board_of_Trustees
The deadline is Sunday 6th June and interviews are likely to be on 14th June.
Thanks and best wishes Lucy
--
Lucy Crompton-Reid
Chief Executive
https://donate.wikimedia.org.uk/
Wikimedia UK https://beta.wikimedia.org.uk/ is the national chapter for the global Wikimedia open knowledge movement.
Wikimedia UK is a Registered Charity No.1144513.Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales, Registered No. 6741827.
Registered Office Ground Floor, Europoint, 5 - 11 Lavington Street, London SE1 0NZ https://maps.google.com/?q=5+-+11+Lavington+Street,+London+SE1+0NZ&entry=gmail&source=g .
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
-- faewik@gmail.com https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Fae _______________________________________________ Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
--
Lucy Crompton-Reid
Chief Executive
https://donate.wikimedia.org.uk/
Wikimedia UK https://beta.wikimedia.org.uk/ is the national chapter for the global Wikimedia open knowledge movement.
Wikimedia UK is a Registered Charity No.1144513.Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales, Registered No. 6741827.
Registered Office Ground Floor, Europoint, 5 - 11 Lavington Street, London SE1 0NZ https://maps.google.com/?q=5+-+11+Lavington+Street,+London+SE1+0NZ&entry=gmail&source=g .
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
It is legally correct, whether anyone on the board is elected is not mandated by the Charity Commission's guidelines, that's why it would be foolish for anyone to make such a claim.
It is astonishing the types of charity recently approved in the UK, such as a very notably transphobic lobbying group, which may indicate that the theoretical bar of the CC guidelines is not a high one.
Anyway, whether the Wikimedia UK board thinks it's more or less ethical to have an unelected Chair for the first time in the charity's history, is their call. Whether the members are allowed to have a voice in this decision, is also the call of the board of trustees. One might be concerned about how this would be perceived by the members, which only matters if members are important stakeholders or their votes are meaningful or timely enough to make a difference.
Thanks for your reply.
Fae
On Tue, 25 May 2021 at 19:27, Lucy Crompton-Reid < lucy.crompton-reid@wikimedia.org.uk> wrote:
Hi Fae
Thanks for your email. I think you are almost certainly right, and that this is the first time that the Chair has been recruited externally - although it's quite common practice in the voluntary sector more generally. It is very possible that one of the existing trustees may become the Chair. However we are casting the net wide in order to reach the biggest pool of potential candidates with the skills and experience outlined in the person specification, and bearing in mind advice regarding best practice in trustee recruitment to ensure a diverse board.
The charity's Articles allow for seven elected directors and three who are co-opted (with the provision to co-opt a fourth trustee if it is deemed necessary to get the right balance of skills and experience on the board). We currently have seven elected trustees and two co-opted trustees (the latter two being our Treasurer and the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee).
Although I have been working broadly on the basis that the board would co-opt the person recommended by the recruitment panel, this doesn't necessarily have to be the case. The timing of the recruitment process, with interviews scheduled for mid-June, means that if necessary the preferred candidate could stand for the trustee elections at this year's AGM. To clarify (for others reading this email, as I'm sure you're aware), the appointment of trustee roles such as the Chair, Treasurer etc is for the board to decide, rather than the full membership.
Your email implies that the charity's constitution specifies that officer roles on the board have to be elected trustees. I can't find anything to that effect although it's entirely possible that I've missed it! In which case, we will need to revise our process/plans accordingly.
As I said in my email, I would encourage all members and volunteers to think about applying, if you meet the criteria. Please don't be put off by the open recruitment process as I know that the panel, and other members of the board, highly value community experience.
Best wishes Lucy
On Tue, 25 May 2021 at 18:14, Fæ faewik@gmail.com wrote:
Could you confirm this is the first time that the Chair of Wikimedia UK has been externally recruited rather than the role filled after being elected by the charity members as a trustee?
Has the process for searching for "role" trustees and electing them changed, and the charity's articles been amended and published accordingly?
Thanks, Fae
On Tue, 25 May 2021 at 16:52, Lucy Crompton-Reid < lucy.crompton-reid@wikimedia.org.uk> wrote:
Dear all
Our excellent Chair of Trustees, Nick Poole, will be stepping down at the AGM in July after six years as a trustee (which is the maximum term) and just over a year as Chair. We are therefore recruiting for a new Chair, and are advertising the role externally as well as promoting the opportunity amongst our existing trustees, committee members, volunteers and wider networks.
*Please do consider whether this might be the right opportunity for you*. If so, do feel free to contact our Communications and Governance Co-ordinator Katie on katie.crampton@wikimedia.org.uk to arrange an informal conversation about the role. If not, we would be very grateful if you could help us to promote the role by circulating it amongst your own networks. Katie will be promoting the opportunity on social media so if you follow us there, please do share/retweet etc.
The ideal candidate might come from a wide range of professional backgrounds but will have a good understanding of charity governance, the skills and experience to run productive meetings, and a collegiate, collaborative approach in keeping with the ethos of the Wikimedia movement. They will also bring a strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and understand how important this is to an organisation like Wikimedia UK. It goes without saying that they will need to be passionate about open knowledge and understand the importance and value of Wikipedia and the other Wikimedia projects. To see the role description and/or download the recruitment pack, please go here:
https://wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/Chair_of_the_Board_of_Trustees
The deadline is Sunday 6th June and interviews are likely to be on 14th June.
Thanks and best wishes Lucy
--
Lucy Crompton-Reid
Chief Executive
https://donate.wikimedia.org.uk/
Wikimedia UK https://beta.wikimedia.org.uk/ is the national chapter for the global Wikimedia open knowledge movement.
Wikimedia UK is a Registered Charity No.1144513.Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales, Registered No. 6741827.
Registered Office Ground Floor, Europoint, 5 - 11 Lavington Street, London SE1 0NZ https://maps.google.com/?q=5+-+11+Lavington+Street,+London+SE1+0NZ&entry=gmail&source=g .
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
-- faewik@gmail.com https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Fae _______________________________________________ Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
--
Lucy Crompton-Reid
Chief Executive
https://donate.wikimedia.org.uk/
Wikimedia UK https://beta.wikimedia.org.uk/ is the national chapter for the global Wikimedia open knowledge movement.
Wikimedia UK is a Registered Charity No.1144513.Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales, Registered No. 6741827.
Registered Office Ground Floor, Europoint, 5 - 11 Lavington Street, London SE1 0NZ https://maps.google.com/?q=5+-+11+Lavington+Street,+London+SE1+0NZ&entry=gmail&source=g .
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
I'm a member and if the board feels that currently they lack either someone with either the capacity, desire or expertise to become chair they it is ethically right they try to find someone interested and qualified.
Co-opted directors are not lesser, inferior, or less capable than elected board members or hold any less of a mandate, nor should they be perceived to be.
There are plenty of formal mechanisms through which the membership can express its opinion if it so desires and it would be foolish to make assumptions about the member body's perceptions.
On Tue, May 25, 2021 at 7:47 PM Fæ faewik@gmail.com wrote:
It is legally correct, whether anyone on the board is elected is not mandated by the Charity Commission's guidelines, that's why it would be foolish for anyone to make such a claim.
It is astonishing the types of charity recently approved in the UK, such as a very notably transphobic lobbying group, which may indicate that the theoretical bar of the CC guidelines is not a high one.
Anyway, whether the Wikimedia UK board thinks it's more or less ethical to have an unelected Chair for the first time in the charity's history, is their call. Whether the members are allowed to have a voice in this decision, is also the call of the board of trustees. One might be concerned about how this would be perceived by the members, which only matters if members are important stakeholders or their votes are meaningful or timely enough to make a difference.
Thanks for your reply.
Fae
On Tue, 25 May 2021 at 19:27, Lucy Crompton-Reid < lucy.crompton-reid@wikimedia.org.uk> wrote:
Hi Fae
Thanks for your email. I think you are almost certainly right, and that this is the first time that the Chair has been recruited externally - although it's quite common practice in the voluntary sector more generally. It is very possible that one of the existing trustees may become the Chair. However we are casting the net wide in order to reach the biggest pool of potential candidates with the skills and experience outlined in the person specification, and bearing in mind advice regarding best practice in trustee recruitment to ensure a diverse board.
The charity's Articles allow for seven elected directors and three who are co-opted (with the provision to co-opt a fourth trustee if it is deemed necessary to get the right balance of skills and experience on the board). We currently have seven elected trustees and two co-opted trustees (the latter two being our Treasurer and the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee).
Although I have been working broadly on the basis that the board would co-opt the person recommended by the recruitment panel, this doesn't necessarily have to be the case. The timing of the recruitment process, with interviews scheduled for mid-June, means that if necessary the preferred candidate could stand for the trustee elections at this year's AGM. To clarify (for others reading this email, as I'm sure you're aware), the appointment of trustee roles such as the Chair, Treasurer etc is for the board to decide, rather than the full membership.
Your email implies that the charity's constitution specifies that officer roles on the board have to be elected trustees. I can't find anything to that effect although it's entirely possible that I've missed it! In which case, we will need to revise our process/plans accordingly.
As I said in my email, I would encourage all members and volunteers to think about applying, if you meet the criteria. Please don't be put off by the open recruitment process as I know that the panel, and other members of the board, highly value community experience.
Best wishes Lucy
On Tue, 25 May 2021 at 18:14, Fæ faewik@gmail.com wrote:
Could you confirm this is the first time that the Chair of Wikimedia UK has been externally recruited rather than the role filled after being elected by the charity members as a trustee?
Has the process for searching for "role" trustees and electing them changed, and the charity's articles been amended and published accordingly?
Thanks, Fae
On Tue, 25 May 2021 at 16:52, Lucy Crompton-Reid < lucy.crompton-reid@wikimedia.org.uk> wrote:
Dear all
Our excellent Chair of Trustees, Nick Poole, will be stepping down at the AGM in July after six years as a trustee (which is the maximum term) and just over a year as Chair. We are therefore recruiting for a new Chair, and are advertising the role externally as well as promoting the opportunity amongst our existing trustees, committee members, volunteers and wider networks.
*Please do consider whether this might be the right opportunity for you*. If so, do feel free to contact our Communications and Governance Co-ordinator Katie on katie.crampton@wikimedia.org.uk to arrange an informal conversation about the role. If not, we would be very grateful if you could help us to promote the role by circulating it amongst your own networks. Katie will be promoting the opportunity on social media so if you follow us there, please do share/retweet etc.
The ideal candidate might come from a wide range of professional backgrounds but will have a good understanding of charity governance, the skills and experience to run productive meetings, and a collegiate, collaborative approach in keeping with the ethos of the Wikimedia movement. They will also bring a strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and understand how important this is to an organisation like Wikimedia UK. It goes without saying that they will need to be passionate about open knowledge and understand the importance and value of Wikipedia and the other Wikimedia projects. To see the role description and/or download the recruitment pack, please go here:
https://wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/Chair_of_the_Board_of_Trustees
The deadline is Sunday 6th June and interviews are likely to be on 14th June.
Thanks and best wishes Lucy
--
Lucy Crompton-Reid
Chief Executive
https://donate.wikimedia.org.uk/
Wikimedia UK https://beta.wikimedia.org.uk/ is the national chapter for the global Wikimedia open knowledge movement.
Wikimedia UK is a Registered Charity No.1144513.Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales, Registered No. 6741827.
Registered Office Ground Floor, Europoint, 5 - 11 Lavington Street, London SE1 0NZ https://maps.google.com/?q=5+-+11+Lavington+Street,+London+SE1+0NZ&entry=gmail&source=g .
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
-- faewik@gmail.com https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Fae _______________________________________________ Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
--
Lucy Crompton-Reid
Chief Executive
https://donate.wikimedia.org.uk/
Wikimedia UK https://beta.wikimedia.org.uk/ is the national chapter for the global Wikimedia open knowledge movement.
Wikimedia UK is a Registered Charity No.1144513.Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales, Registered No. 6741827.
Registered Office Ground Floor, Europoint, 5 - 11 Lavington Street, London SE1 0NZ https://maps.google.com/?q=5+-+11+Lavington+Street,+London+SE1+0NZ&entry=gmail&source=g .
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
Thanks for your views.
Just to note that "Co-opted directors are not lesser, inferior, or less capable than elected board members or hold any less of a mandate, nor should they be perceived to be" is an opinion rather than fact. Elections exist for the express purpose of providing a mandate. Nobody on this email thread can provide the perceptions of the majority of members on whether a Chair for the charity ought to always be an elected trustee, or whether they believe that an unelected Chair can be seen as 100% as "legitimate" as an elected one.
The role of Chair is special for the charity, so the change from elected to unelected is an important one, which can be challenged as reducing democratic accountability in a fundamental way, by co-opting the role to someone the members never voted for. The change is worthy of discussion among the trustees, presumably this is already available in published minutes, but probably could be usefully put to the membership to find out for sure how fitting with the published values this is perceived to be, rather than reading comments from the small number of people who write to this email list.
The board's published statements are interesting when compared with this strategic change, and might be the basis of useful discussions before making the change by default: "Our vision is of a more tolerant, informed and democratic society." "Ensure that Wikimedia UK’s own policies and practices support diversity and inclusion" "Develop Wikimedia UK’s community of contributors, volunteers and members" Ref: https://wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/Wikimedia_UK_Strategy_2019%E2%80%9322
Thanks again, Fae
On Tue, 25 May 2021 at 20:18, Joseph Seddon josephseddon@gmail.com wrote:
I'm a member and if the board feels that currently they lack either someone with either the capacity, desire or expertise to become chair they it is ethically right they try to find someone interested and qualified.
Co-opted directors are not lesser, inferior, or less capable than elected board members or hold any less of a mandate, nor should they be perceived to be.
There are plenty of formal mechanisms through which the membership can express its opinion if it so desires and it would be foolish to make assumptions about the member body's perceptions.
On Tue, May 25, 2021 at 7:47 PM Fæ faewik@gmail.com wrote:
It is legally correct, whether anyone on the board is elected is not mandated by the Charity Commission's guidelines, that's why it would be foolish for anyone to make such a claim.
It is astonishing the types of charity recently approved in the UK, such as a very notably transphobic lobbying group, which may indicate that the theoretical bar of the CC guidelines is not a high one.
Anyway, whether the Wikimedia UK board thinks it's more or less ethical to have an unelected Chair for the first time in the charity's history, is their call. Whether the members are allowed to have a voice in this decision, is also the call of the board of trustees. One might be concerned about how this would be perceived by the members, which only matters if members are important stakeholders or their votes are meaningful or timely enough to make a difference.
Thanks for your reply.
Fae
On Tue, 25 May 2021 at 19:27, Lucy Crompton-Reid < lucy.crompton-reid@wikimedia.org.uk> wrote:
Hi Fae
Thanks for your email. I think you are almost certainly right, and that this is the first time that the Chair has been recruited externally - although it's quite common practice in the voluntary sector more generally. It is very possible that one of the existing trustees may become the Chair. However we are casting the net wide in order to reach the biggest pool of potential candidates with the skills and experience outlined in the person specification, and bearing in mind advice regarding best practice in trustee recruitment to ensure a diverse board.
The charity's Articles allow for seven elected directors and three who are co-opted (with the provision to co-opt a fourth trustee if it is deemed necessary to get the right balance of skills and experience on the board). We currently have seven elected trustees and two co-opted trustees (the latter two being our Treasurer and the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee).
Although I have been working broadly on the basis that the board would co-opt the person recommended by the recruitment panel, this doesn't necessarily have to be the case. The timing of the recruitment process, with interviews scheduled for mid-June, means that if necessary the preferred candidate could stand for the trustee elections at this year's AGM. To clarify (for others reading this email, as I'm sure you're aware), the appointment of trustee roles such as the Chair, Treasurer etc is for the board to decide, rather than the full membership.
Your email implies that the charity's constitution specifies that officer roles on the board have to be elected trustees. I can't find anything to that effect although it's entirely possible that I've missed it! In which case, we will need to revise our process/plans accordingly.
As I said in my email, I would encourage all members and volunteers to think about applying, if you meet the criteria. Please don't be put off by the open recruitment process as I know that the panel, and other members of the board, highly value community experience.
Best wishes Lucy
On Tue, 25 May 2021 at 18:14, Fæ faewik@gmail.com wrote:
Could you confirm this is the first time that the Chair of Wikimedia UK has been externally recruited rather than the role filled after being elected by the charity members as a trustee?
Has the process for searching for "role" trustees and electing them changed, and the charity's articles been amended and published accordingly?
Thanks, Fae
On Tue, 25 May 2021 at 16:52, Lucy Crompton-Reid < lucy.crompton-reid@wikimedia.org.uk> wrote:
Dear all
Our excellent Chair of Trustees, Nick Poole, will be stepping down at the AGM in July after six years as a trustee (which is the maximum term) and just over a year as Chair. We are therefore recruiting for a new Chair, and are advertising the role externally as well as promoting the opportunity amongst our existing trustees, committee members, volunteers and wider networks.
*Please do consider whether this might be the right opportunity for you*. If so, do feel free to contact our Communications and Governance Co-ordinator Katie on katie.crampton@wikimedia.org.uk to arrange an informal conversation about the role. If not, we would be very grateful if you could help us to promote the role by circulating it amongst your own networks. Katie will be promoting the opportunity on social media so if you follow us there, please do share/retweet etc.
The ideal candidate might come from a wide range of professional backgrounds but will have a good understanding of charity governance, the skills and experience to run productive meetings, and a collegiate, collaborative approach in keeping with the ethos of the Wikimedia movement. They will also bring a strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and understand how important this is to an organisation like Wikimedia UK. It goes without saying that they will need to be passionate about open knowledge and understand the importance and value of Wikipedia and the other Wikimedia projects. To see the role description and/or download the recruitment pack, please go here:
https://wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/Chair_of_the_Board_of_Trustees
The deadline is Sunday 6th June and interviews are likely to be on 14th June.
Thanks and best wishes Lucy
--
Lucy Crompton-Reid
Chief Executive
https://donate.wikimedia.org.uk/
Wikimedia UK https://beta.wikimedia.org.uk/ is the national chapter for the global Wikimedia open knowledge movement.
Wikimedia UK is a Registered Charity No.1144513.Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales, Registered No. 6741827.
Registered Office Ground Floor, Europoint, 5 - 11 Lavington Street, London SE1 0NZ https://maps.google.com/?q=5+-+11+Lavington+Street,+London+SE1+0NZ&entry=gmail&source=g .
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
-- faewik@gmail.com https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Fae _______________________________________________ Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
--
Lucy Crompton-Reid
Chief Executive
https://donate.wikimedia.org.uk/
Wikimedia UK https://beta.wikimedia.org.uk/ is the national chapter for the global Wikimedia open knowledge movement.
Wikimedia UK is a Registered Charity No.1144513.Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales, Registered No. 6741827.
Registered Office Ground Floor, Europoint, 5 - 11 Lavington Street, London SE1 0NZ https://maps.google.com/?q=5+-+11+Lavington+Street,+London+SE1+0NZ&entry=gmail&source=g .
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
Just to note that "Co-opted directors are not lesser, inferior, or less capable than elected board members or hold any less of a mandate, nor should they be perceived to be" is an opinion rather than fact.
Not really. It's a fact that nothing in the Wikimedia UK constitution, Charity Commission guidance, or the law differentiates the roles of trustees who are elected or appointed.
Elections exist for the express purpose of providing a mandate.
Again, according to the articles of association, elections exist for the express purpose of selecting trustees. There is no concept of a 'mandate' in charity law.
The change is worthy of discussion among the trustees
I imagine they have discussed the matter, though that is pure supposition on my part.
I really didn't want to get involved in this, but I'm impulsive. However, my impulsiveness and my prudence have agreed that all I will do is acknowledge that, yes, the Chair of any charity is a special role with special responsibilities.I encourage members to think about that.
On Tue, May 25, 2021 at 9:01 PM Chris Keating chriskeatingwiki@gmail.com wrote:
Just to note that "Co-opted directors are not lesser, inferior, or less
capable than elected board members or hold any less of a mandate, nor should they be perceived to be" is an opinion rather than fact.
Not really. It's a fact that nothing in the Wikimedia UK constitution, Charity Commission guidance, or the law differentiates the roles of trustees who are elected or appointed.
Elections exist for the express purpose of providing a mandate.
Again, according to the articles of association, elections exist for the express purpose of selecting trustees. There is no concept of a 'mandate' in charity law.
The change is worthy of discussion among the trustees
I imagine they have discussed the matter, though that is pure supposition on my part. _______________________________________________ Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
I really didn't want to get involved in this, but I'm impulsive. However, my impulsiveness and my prudence have agreed that all I will do is acknowledge that, yes, the Chair of any charity is a special role with special responsibilities.I encourage members to think about that.
Yes, that's true. Though so far in Wikimedia UK's history, we've always trusted the Board to appoint a Chair who's effective in the post. It's mainly worked pretty well, and I have a lot of confidence in the current Board to find someone good.
However, it is worth thinking about what happens if someone turns out to be a poor Chair. In which case, it's a simple matter for the Board to remove them - there only needs to be a majority vote in a board meeting. Or more likely, they'll quickly get the message and resign before they're sacked.
Chris
I agree. Experience cautions against expectations of perfection as our hopes and dreams often become victims of cold reality. I think it is our friend Katie who says that experience is a good school, but one for which the fees are high. She is proven to be correct, time and time again.
On Tue, May 25, 2021 at 9:36 PM Chris Keating chriskeatingwiki@gmail.com wrote:
I really didn't want to get involved in this, but I'm impulsive. However,
my impulsiveness and my prudence have agreed that all I will do is acknowledge that, yes, the Chair of any charity is a special role with special responsibilities.I encourage members to think about that.
Yes, that's true. Though so far in Wikimedia UK's history, we've always trusted the Board to appoint a Chair who's effective in the post. It's mainly worked pretty well, and I have a lot of confidence in the current Board to find someone good.
However, it is worth thinking about what happens if someone turns out to be a poor Chair. In which case, it's a simple matter for the Board to remove them - there only needs to be a majority vote in a board meeting. Or more likely, they'll quickly get the message and resign before they're sacked.
Chris _______________________________________________ Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
That's really helpful Chris.
So glad that we've all moved on and forgotten about events that happened so long ago that my grandparents, uncle, niece, and three relatives that did not have proper funerals last year were alive back then.
I guess there's more important things for us volunteers to worry about.
Cheers, Fae
On Tue, 25 May 2021 at 21:36, Chris Keating chriskeatingwiki@gmail.com wrote:
I really didn't want to get involved in this, but I'm impulsive. However, my impulsiveness and my prudence have agreed that all I will do is acknowledge that, yes, the Chair of any charity is a special role with special responsibilities.I encourage members to think about that.
Yes, that's true. Though so far in Wikimedia UK's history, we've always trusted the Board to appoint a Chair who's effective in the post. It's mainly worked pretty well, and I have a lot of confidence in the current Board to find someone good.
However, it is worth thinking about what happens if someone turns out to be a poor Chair. In which case, it's a simple matter for the Board to remove them - there only needs to be a majority vote in a board meeting. Or more likely, they'll quickly get the message and resign before they're sacked.
Chris
On Tue, 25 May 2021 at 21:01, Chris Keating chriskeatingwiki@gmail.com wrote:
Just to note that "Co-opted directors are not lesser, inferior, or less capable than elected board members or hold any less of a mandate, nor should they be perceived to be" is an opinion rather than fact.
Not really. It's a fact that nothing in the Wikimedia UK constitution, Charity Commission guidance, or the law differentiates the roles of trustees who are elected or appointed.
Yes, nobody can make a clear statement about the *perceptions* of the members unless they are asked.
Elections exist for the express purpose of providing a mandate.
Again, according to the articles of association, elections exist for the express purpose of selecting trustees. There is no concept of a 'mandate' in charity law.
This seems very tangential considering that the CC was not being quoted. The dictionary definition of mandate puts it in the context of elections, the concept of elections and votes is about creating a mandate. "Mandate" is not charity law but as was pointed out, there is no requirement to have elections anyway, so no mandate and no democratic process, if this is about what the *minimum* in law is. Again discussing CC guidelines is a tangent.
Though trustees might be elected, the basic point of this thread is that they are also co-opted, so the statement about "express purpose of selecting trustees" is incomplete without adding "except for co-opted trustees".
The change is worthy of discussion among the trustees
I imagine they have discussed the matter, though that is pure supposition on my part. _______________________________________________ Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
wikimediauk-l@lists.wikimedia.org