[Foundation-l] Reply to Mark

[Claudio Mastroianni]

Il giorno 26/feb/08, alle ore 17:45, Florence Devouard ha scritto:

> Meeting is saturday.
> But to avoid any disappointment Dan... I doubt very much that any sort
> of announcement will happen in the subsequent week. Here is why.
>
> As part of our growth, we must try to be careful to identify what is  
> the
> role of the board, and what is the role of the ED. And to convey the
> difference to the community.
>
>
> I'd say that it is within the role of the board to say
> "we want a Wikimania every year. This should be a meeting of roughly
> 300-400 people, mostly wikimedians; an opportunity to participants to
> meet face to face and share experiences, have fun, and bond. Also an
> opportunity to push certain agendas, meet with the press, expand the  
> fan
> circle, hear big leaders in the free movement, in the wiki world, in  
> the
> educational system etc... Should propose scholarship. Should be in
> various places around the world. As much as possible, should be a cost
> free even for the WMF."
>
> Then, the role of the ED is to make sure that this happens. It is her
> job to ensure that the event is successful, financially sound... and
> probably that security of participants is taken care of.
>
> Right now, two situations may happen.
> The ED herself might wonder if there might be problems because of
> hersay, mails on the list, press, private emails, whatever...
> Or the board might wonder if there might be problems.
>
> If the board thinks there might be problems, the wise thing to do is  
> for
> the board to ask the ED to conduct a study, analyze the risks given  
> the
> latest circonstances, evaluate which steps may be followed to balance
> the risk if there is one, do contingency planning, and estimate the
> consequences of cancelling or moving the event elsewhere. Naturally,  
> the
> analysis is not fully conducted by Sue, but done with the help of many
> parties.
>
> Then, the ED will present her conclusions to the board, and provide  
> some
> recommandations. Based on the ED recommandations, the board may either
> decide to delegate full authority to Sue to make the decision herself,
> or the board will take a decision *with* Sue.
>
> So, what I plan to do Saturday is to ask the board whether they  
> consider
> new circonstances are worth requesting a more straightforward study of
> the situation and steps to ensure security. The board can either  
> dismiss
> the issue I raise, or agree to ask for a recommandation from Sue.
>
> THEN, it will be up to Sue to act. And I doubt she will make any
> suggestion in 2-3 days.

A process ending in September?
Question: WHY didn't the Wikimania Grand Chooser Committee  considered  
all those problems _before_?
They were clearly foreseenable.
This is the same problem, every year: the choose in unexplicable.

GN