[Wikimedia-l] Your support is wanted: The WMF Board of Trustees is looking for a new Board member

[Thomas Dalton]

On 22 February 2013 17:42, cyrano <cyrano.fawkes at gmail.com> wrote:
> Le 18/02/2013 20:35, Nathan a écrit :
>
>> Cyrano - I think you have a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature
>> of the Board. It is self-perpetuating in every respect; the elections
>> are advisory only, and the actual appointment of Board members is
>> executed by the existing Board. The organization has no members, and
>> no one who is not on the Board has any power or authority to exercise
>> over the Board or the WMF. This merely describes the legal reality of
>> the WMF and the Board.
>>
> Nathan, you misunderstood me. We agree on the legal reality that you
> describe. I'm discussing two points: 1) community's majority is not
> guaranteed in the Board of Trustees, and 2) relying on paid third parties
> for the process of appointing one of the five "expert" seats is not neutral.
> Handling and filtering the candidates, and thus the list to choose from is a
> form of influence. Allowing such influence when you don't have the majority
> is a risk for the community.

I really don't follow that argument... you're talking about a
professional recruitment firm. They're only interest is in getting
more business from us, which they achieve primarily by doing a good
job. They have no bias we need to be worried about.

> They won't give up their two seats to the
> community because "they're one with the community".

They won't give up the seats because it isn't their decision - the WMF
board decided on their own structure. I don't recall the chapters even
being consulted on it at the time. The board decided the foundation
would be best served by having the chapters select two board members,
and the chapters have complied with that request. I suppose they could
just refuse to select anyone, but there is no guarantee the WMF would
put those seats up for election rather than just filling them
themselves.