[Foundation-l] Notice of the results of the WMF Board ofTrustees election

[Florence Devouard]

Brianna Laugher wrote:
> On 13/07/07, Philippe Beaudette <philippebeaudette at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Brianna,
>>
>> We BEGGED for translators.  Aphaia worked hard to find translators.  If the community doesn't step up, there's not a great deal we can do.
> 
> Philippe, my message was about the Board (WMF) and the not the
> Election Committee, which I think did a very good job in difficult
> circumstances.
> 
> cheers
> Brianna

So, if I read you well, you consider that the fact the notices were not 
translated in languages such as arabic and chinese, should be blamed on 
the board.

I do not agree with that in the least, but in the spirit of making 
things better next time, I would like to ask you to go beyond the 
criticism and the blame and tell us what we should do in the future to 
improve that.

The board delegated organizing the elections to a committee. The 
committee begged to have more translators, and the COMMUNITY (not the 
board) failed to provide appropriate translators. The elections are to 
populate the board, but these elections are to elect people from the 
community. Just how much is the community responsible to make sure 
everyone votes ? to make sure everyone is informed ?

I find it a little bit too easy here to blame it on the board. You are a 
responsible citizen yourself. Why did not you go yourself ask arabic 
wikipedians to translate the notice ? Why is it necessarily the job of 
the board ? Don't you think that ANY wikipedian who knows arabic editors 
is more appropriate and efficient to ask help locally ?

What do you suggest that the board does in the future ?

Delegate organization of the elections to another group of people, with 
better abililites to beg ?

That the board goes itself begging for more translators in Arabic (a job 
that has been delegated to the election committee) ?

That the board learns arabic and chinese before next elections in order 
to translate itself ?

That the board pays translators ?

Delegate translation to Brianna ?

Please, if you blame, provide suggestions of how things can be improved 
next time. As a board member, I would consider totally excluded that I 
learn arabic to provide translation. I would also consider totally 
excluded that I go to EACH language in turn to beg for translation. 
Already overworked, I am not sure it is making the best use of my time. 
I also think that if the board makes the decision to hire translators, 
there will be a HUGE uproar of complaints, because we indeed have the 
resources internally.

ant