[Foundation-l] Questions about new Fellow

[Achal Prabhala]

On Friday 21 January 2011 07:26 AM, MZMcBride wrote:
> Achal Prabhala wrote:
>> Greetings,
>>
>> I'm happy to tell you a little more about myself and the scope of this
>> short-term research project I'm undertaking, and I'm as happy to assume
>> that you fully intended for your messages to come across as decorous and
>> rational.
> Hi. I appreciate you taking the time to reply to my post. However, you seem
> to have only replied, not responded.
>
>> I am, however, involved on a daily basis with all kinds of work that is
>> related to the movement, and I'm delighted to be of use to you.
> What kind of daily involvement? Is this work in your capacity as a
> volunteer, as a member of the Advisory Board, or as a Wikimedia Fellow?
>
In all these capacities and more.
>> Now to the project. I see that neither of you gentlemen has any thoughts
>> on it, and I welcome your engagement.
> I'll admit that I don't particularly care what you're working on. That's
> approximately my attitude toward what the other Wikimedia Fellows are
> working on as well.
That's the spirit. And I've always felt that a waste is a terrible thing 
to mind.
> I do care if you received the Fellowship for different
> reasons than the other Fellows, though. I do care if there's the appearance
> of impropriety or a conflict of interest (or worse, actual impropriety or
> conflicts of interest).
>
> I'll repeat the questions I feel you haven't answered. You're obviously free
> to not answer them ever, but I do want to make sure that your reply to the
> opening thread isn't viewed as a response to most of the questions asked
> about/to you.
>
> MZMcBride wrote:
>> More importantly, is there a concern about an Advisory Board member being
>> chosen as a Wikimedia Fellow? Is there a conflict of interest there? Is
>> there a concern about the appearance of impropriety?
>>
>> Achal has a growing influence on Wikimedia, particularly its new operations
>> in India. This has included being part of the hiring decisions, etc. This is
>> more of a consultant role, making his selection as a Wikimedia Fellow even
>> stranger. And his growing influence and power in such a big part of
>> Wikimedia's five-year strategy is making people wary.
> If you could answer some of these questions, particularly about what your
> specific role has been in hiring in India, I'd really appreciate it (as
> would many members of this list, I imagine). In your reply, you say that
> you're involved "on a daily basis with all kinds of work that is related to
> the movement," but also "that reports of my influence are greatly
> exaggerated" [in the context of the strategy report]. These statements don't
> seem to reconcile with me currently. And I never meant to suggest that you
> were deeply involved with the strategy _report_, but with the strategy
> _implementation_. There's a world of difference.
>
> If you've been involved with the hiring process in India, you should say so
> outright as someone who's committed to openness and transparency.
You're right. I should. But somehow, I assumed it was perfectly clear - 
not to mention open and transparent - after this report 
(http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Report,_November_2010#India_planning) 
and this one 
(http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Report,_December_2010#India_planning), 
as well as countless other conversations that were had on the subject.
>   If you've
> been involved with site selection in India or whatever else, you should say
> so. These are the things I'm hearing, but I've no idea what level of truth
> there is to them. That's why I started this thread and that's why I'm glad
> you've replied (though I'd be more glad if you responded). As E. Forrester
> noted, there is a wariness among some Wikimedia participants that an inner
> circle exists, but I think you might be able dispel some of this notion with
> more candid responses.
Settle down, my friend...going around in circles will make us all dizzy. 
Personally, I recommend half an hour of Pranayama 
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pranayama) every morning: it makes one 
feel calm and loving.
> MZMcBride
>
>
>
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