[Foundation-l] Provisional Volunteer Council - proposal sent to the Board

[Dan Rosenthal]

I have serious concerns with Durova being considered as a  
representative of the en.wikipedia community. Perhaps you missed the  
massive drama over the past months that resulted in her losing her  
administrator status. I do not feel that anyone who has so recently  
felt one of the most significant backlashes the community has ever  
given as a unified body, should be selected to speak for that  
community. That's not just a slap in the face; it's a kick in the  
balls at the same time.

-Dan
On Mar 31, 2008, at 7:46 PM, effe iets anders wrote:

> Dear all,
>
> I am very glad that the proposal for establishing a provisional
> volunteer council received such a lot support both on this list as in
> private conversations.
>
> Since the request for candidates for the Provisional Volunteer
> Council, I received quite some nominations. However, unfortunately I
> have to admit that there were no (willing) candidates from some
> important regions amongst these. As I have to work with the candidates
> that were nominated, I was therefore unable to candidate someone from
> these regions.
>
> I did try however, to get at least a few projects represented, and
> also a more technical person (from the developers side of the
> volunteer spectrum). Please find my final suggestion list below in the
> proposal (attached again for reference - only one minor spelling and
> layout changes).
>
> Please note that this is a *proposed* resolution, and not yet  
> accepted.
>
> I know this list is not very long. And some area's are still missing
> in representation. However, I trust this group wholehearely, and
> suppose that they will make sure as a first thing to get at least one
> or more projects better represented (such as Wikinews or Wikiversity
> which have a very different character).
>
> If you have major concerns with respect to this list of candidates,
> please send them to this list or communicate them to the Board (I am
> not sure which route is the best for that though). I will make no
> changes any more myself, but the Board is of course able to determine
> the list as it likes.
>
>
> With kind regards,
>
> Lodewijk Gelauff
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Whereas the Board,
>
> * recognizes the value of volunteers in Wikimedia projects and that
> their work is the very reason of their success,
> * values the volunteers' opinions and takes them into serious
> consideration when discussing issues involving the volunteers,
> * is of the opinion that these volunteers should have a strong say in
> changes in the articles of incorporation and the bylaws of the
> Wikimedia Foundation,
> * considers a Volunteer Council a valuable intermediary between
> volunteers and the Foundation, and as a good instrument to hear the
> voice of the volunteers:
>
> it is hereby resolved that:
>
> 1. The Board of Trustees hereby creates a Volunteer Council, to serve
> as a valuable complement to the Staff, Advisory Board and Board of
> Trustees.
> 2. Without restricting the generality of this provision the purposes
> of the Volunteer Council shall include:
>
>  1) Offering advice and support on issues relevant to the Wikimedia  
> Volunteers,
>  2) Recommanding the opening or closure of Wikimedia projects,
>  3) Approving changes to the articles of incorporation or bylaws of
> the Wikimedia Foundation and
>  4) Assist in establishing a clear separation between the legal
> responsibilities of the Wikimedia Foundation as an Internet Service
> Provider and the community decisions for the Wikimedia Projects.
>
> 3. The members from the Volunteer Council must be volunteers within  
> Wikimedia.
> 4. The Provisional Volunteer Council shall report to the Board no
> later than September 1, 2008, which report shall include
> recommendations regarding the number and composition of the Volunteer
> Council, and how the members of the Council shall be chosen. Said
> report shall also include recommendations regarding the distribution
> of rights and responsibilities between the Board and Council, and any
> changes in the by-laws that may be necessary to implement this.
> 5. Except where it pertains to its own procedures, no decision of the
> Provisional Volunteer Council shall bind any person.
> 6. On receipt of the said report the Board shall take such steps as it
> deems necessary to confirm and empower the Volunteer Council, and
> provide for a transition of operations from the Provisional Volunteer
> Council.
> 7. Members of the Volunteer Council will not be financially
> compensated for their activity. On approval by the Board of Trustees
> expenses of the Provisional Volunteer Council and Volunteer Council in
> the fulfillment of their duties may be reimbursed.
> 8. The following people are hereby appointed as member of the
> Provisional Volunteer Council:
>
> Michael Bimmler, Mbimmler (Main project: de.wikipedia)
> Yaroslav Blanter, Yaroslav Blanter (Main project: ru.wikipedia)
> Lise Broer, Durova (Main projects: en.wikipedia and  
> commons.wikimedia )
> Jesse Plamondon-Willard, Pathoschild (Main projects: en.wikisource
> and meta.wikimedia )
> Sydney Poore, FloNight (Main project: en.wikipedia)
> Milos Rancic, Millosh (Main project: sr.wikipedia)
> Ray Saintonge, Eclecticology (Main project: en.wikisource,  
> en.wikipedia)
> Andrew Whitworth, Whiteknight (Main project: en.wikibooks)
> Michal Zlatkovsky, Timichal (Main project: cs.wikipedia)
>
> 9. The members of the Provisional Volunteer Council may on a 2/3 vote
> of all its members add such additional members as they may deem
> necessary and useful to their deliberations.
>
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