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.org
Year: 2007 Week: 24 Number: 74 Extra
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An independent internal news bulletin
for the members of the Wikimedia community
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=== Board election ===
The procedure for the elections for the 3 open places on the board of trustees
of the Wikimedia Foundation has started. Candidates can present them self until
2007-06-23 23:59 UTC on Meta. At time of this writing there are 7 candidates.
Wikizine sends an invitation to all candidates to submit a statement for
publication. Those statements will be published in this and similar extra
editions of Wikizine.
New in this board election is the concept of endorsement. This means that a
candidate will only be a candidate in the actual voting procedure if at least
12 users support the candidacy of the candidate. The idea is to try to exclude
candidates who make totally no change in getting elected. This endorsement
procedure takes place on Meta and is now open until 2007-06-23 23:59UTC.
Because of this it is theoretical possible that a candidate presented in
Wikizine before 2007-06-24 will not appear as a candidate when voting.
The endorsement procedure means also that (very) late new entry's of candidates
also will need to manage to find fast 12 users to support there candidacy.
Potential candidates need to apply soon now to have a change.
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Board_elections/2007/Candidates/en
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Board_elections/2007/Endorsements
=== Statement by candidate Michael Snow ===
In the media, certain people have tried to pit professionals against amateurs,
usually to establish the superiority of one over the other. Wikipedia is often
cited as an example of amateurism in this context.
The reality of the Wikimedia Foundation is much more complex. For one thing,
although its projects are based on the work of amateurs, it strives for
“professional” quality. Furthermore, many of the “amateurs” who
contribute are professionals in other contexts. As an organization, the
Wikimedia Foundation must balance these and similar considerations:
professional and amateur, paid and unpaid, expert and student.
The Wikimedia Foundation is slowly integrating more professionalism into its
operations. The Board of Trustees, which needs some people with professional
experience but depends on them to provide volunteer service, is a focal point
for integrating the two sides. As we bring in new professional staff, we must
ensure that they understand our culture and values. Meanwhile, it’s important
to encourage the volunteers to match them in the standard of their work.
I have extensive experience with Wikimedia as a volunteer, but I also have
professional skills that can be of use here, and in all my work I try to
maintain a professional standard. I feel that my legal training as an attorney
would be particularly helpful on the board and add a dimension that is not
currently present. I believe my familiarity with both sides of the coin, so to
speak, makes me qualified to work with each. The professional and amateur sides
need to be brought together, since the emphasis on collaboration and neutrality
means we should try to maximize participation from each approach. Instead of
fostering division over issues like elitism and expertise, we should find the
value each side has to offer. For my part, I hope you will see what value I
could bring in serving on the Board of Trustees. Thank you for your interest in
improving Wikimedia.
--Michael Snow
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Board_elections/2007/Candidates/Michael_Snow
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Board_elections/2007/Candidates/Michael_Snow…
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Wikizine provides the candidates for the board election who are interested to do
so a forum to present there self to the community. This is not a sign of
support by Wikizine for those candidates. Publication of the exact text as
provided by the candidate is in the order of receiving it.
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Editor(s): Walter
Contact: reply or
http://report.wikizine.org
Website:
http://www.wikizine.org
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correct grammar and spelling.
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