[Foundation-l] elections

[Robert Horning]

daniwo59 at aol.com wrote:
>  
> I would be very saddened to see smaller projects join together as caucuses,  
> as this would promote the kind of factionalism that should not exist in any  
> board, let alone our board.  Furthermore, it ignores the real role of the  
> Board, which is to "keep the lights on" and ensure that the Foundation is  
> financially sustainable. It is not to decide how any particular project or  projects 
> are run. 
>  
> Danny
>  
>   

I don't see how this is something that can be avoided as the projects 
grow more diverse and some clear policy philosophies are emerging.  
While I would hope that these elections would remain "non-partisan", it 
does seem like a natural reaction for people to try and organize 
themselves with other like-minded individuals, however you want to 
define the term.  Even this attitude that the board should not have any 
factionalism is a philosophical concept that by itself may be a faction 
(self-contradictory, but a real example).

As can be seen with the fair use, check user, and privacy policies, 
board actions are having a very direct impact on day to day operations 
and individual project policies that go far beyond just fundraising and 
"keeping the lights on".  And plenty of disputes over individual project 
conflicts also end up somehow becoming a foundation issue as well, like 
trying to deal with the Moldovan Wikipedia and the personalities 
involved with that project.

-- Robert Horning