On 8/18/06, Robert Scott Horning &lt;robert_horning(a)netzero.net&gt; wrote: I can hopefully clear up some of these doubts, since I have been privy to all relevant discussions (and not everyone here has been). In case you're wondering what that means, I'm on the Special projects committee <http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special_projects_committee> - which negotiated the decision that set up en.wikiversity.org and beta.wikiversity.org At the meeting in which the SPC decided to give Wikiversity the go ahead, we decided to provide for both a general beta site and an English site (since English was one project we were certain of the minimum number of participants in). The beta site was to develop new languages Wikiversities (a sort of local incubator), where, with a minimum number of participants (10), a new language Wikiversity (eg. fr.wikiversity.org) would be created. The other thing to mention about the beta *phase* was that we need to develop guidelines - particularly around research - that will be reviewed by the SPC after a six month period. These guidelines (around research) - were to be developed for the Wikiversity_project_as_a_whole (ie not simply the English one on its own), in order that smaller Wikiversities, when they start to spring up, don't become dumping grounds for any old thing, or develop into cliques of special interest groups who will dominate policy discussions on those wikis. We wanted to make sure that the guidelines (let's say, general principles) for research were in place before we can fully be sure that Wikiversity will thrive and evolve out of its beta phase. (Side note to Michael Irwin: this six-month evaluation is not a case of "pulling the plug" - it is simply checking to see that everything is ok, workable, and working - and if not working, recommending what we change). So, one reason for proposing the beta site was to develop these guidelines internationally (not all guidelines and policies, obviously - but simply those related to the project's *scope*). However, I will admit to still being confused about why the need for a beta for new languages - and not simply developing all new languages on the incubator. I went back to the meeting transcript and, FWIW, here's what Anthere said: "the benefit of a beta.wikiversity is that they get the right namespace or tool bar from the very beginning" It was also pointed out that this is (or is similar to) what Wikisource does, and has policy which governs its scope internationally - see: http://wikisource.org/wiki/Wikisource:Policies_and_guidelines (note: not an en: domain). I may have missed other justifications for setting it up like this. So, I'm not sure if this will alleviate your concerns, Robert - but, in case, I'd encourage you to work on finding the best solution to getting Wikiversity going. Remember, we, the participants of Wikiversity, are the people best-equipped to talk about Wikiversity - if you think that others don't understand, or are doing the wrong thing, please bring it up on this list, which we can move on to the foundation list, or pass on to people like the SPC. We're still figuring this whole thing out. Cheers, Cormac