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

Tue Apr 1 13:17:01 UTC 2008

Hoi,
Why Wikiversity ? Why not Wiktionary ?
Thanks,
     GerardM

On Tue, Apr 1, 2008 at 3:11 PM, Dan Rosenthal <swatjester at gmail.com> wrote:

> Could I make one more suggestion then? Please try to get someone from
> Wikiversity on that council?
>
> -Dan
> On Apr 1, 2008, at 9:07 AM, effe iets anders wrote:
>
> > Hi Dan, all,
> >
> > thanks for the feedback. First of all, let me make clear that this is
> > for me not the *final* list or something, the Board still has to
> > decide over the resolution at all, including the list of candidates.
> > After that, the PVC has the opportunity to fill some gaps, such as
> > South America, Africa, Asia and developers, to improve the spectrum of
> > volunteers.
> >
> > I never claimed, and will not claim that this is a perfect
> > representation, nor that it is ideal with respect to size. This
> > because this is a matter of opinion, and people disagree on sizes etc.
> > Please note that it is much easier to increase the size afterwards
> > (especially if you believe all those emails you get all the time) then
> > to decrease. I think the current list ensures a workable provisional
> > council, that can come up with a broad carried advice. Not because
> > every language or continent is represented, but because many opinions
> > on this respect are represented. The mentioned main projects are, as
> > michael mentioned correctly, intended to show from which corner people
> > are coming. How they were "raised" in the community, so to speak.
> >
> > With kind regards,
> >
> > Lodewijk
> >
> > 2008/4/1, Dan Rosenthal <swatjester at gmail.com>:
> >> I disagree, I think that this council (the provisional one) should be
> >> larger, regardless of whether the final council's size is adjusted or
> >> not.
> >>
> >>
> >> -Dan
> >>
> >> On Apr 1, 2008, at 3:57 AM, Gerard Meijssen wrote:
> >>
> >>> Hoi,
> >>> Our dear friend Danny Wool pontificated that I would oppose this
> >>> proposal (
> >>>
> http://allswool.blogspot.com/2008/03/it-seems-that-effeietsanders-has.html
> )
> >>> .
> >>> It is for this reason only that I do not want to disappoint him and
> >>> give
> >>> a reaction.
> >>>
> >>> What is on the table is that a group of self appointed bosses are
> >>> going to
> >>> investigate if and how a wiki coucil can be started. This group is
> >>> likely to
> >>> come to the conclusion that it would be a good thing. As long as
> >>> there is
> >>> nothing to see, there is not much for me to comment on. The fact
> >>> that they
> >>> take the initiative is the best reason why they may succeed.
> >>>
> >>> I have not been invited in this group of self appointed bosses, this
> >>> is a
> >>> good thing as I am busy enough as it is. I have written in the past
> >>> extensively on the subject, I spoke with some of the bosses so my
> >>> view is
> >>> known. With Milos and Pathoschild part of this effort, I am sure
> >>> that the
> >>> relevance of linguistic and cultural diversity will get some
> >>> attention (one
> >>> of my hot buttons)
> >>>
> >>> From my perspective, this group is large enough to still be
> >>> effective, a
> >>> shame that they are likely to come with the suggestion to have a
> >>> council
> >>> that is many times this size and destroying its effectiveness in the
> >>> process.
> >>> Thanks,
> >>>     GerardM
> >>>
> >>> On Tue, Apr 1, 2008 at 1:46 AM, effe iets anders <
> effeietsanders at gmail.com
> >>>>
> >>> 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.
> >>>>
> >>>> _______________________________________________
> >>>> foundation-l mailing list
> >>>> foundation-l at lists.wikimedia.org
> >>>> Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/
> >>>> foundation-l
> >>>>
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> >>
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