[Foundation-l] Outsiders on the Board? (was Re: Poll for Wikistandards)

Sun Jan 29 19:11:32 UTC 2006

daniwo59 at aol.com wrote:

>Actually, as Wikipedia grows it requires help in oversight no less than it  
>does in operations. A large organization entails legal and  financial 
>responsibilities. If we are sued, for whatever reason, we cannot  simply throw another 
>server at the person suing us. 
>  
>
The problem is that nobody outside the community has the moral authority 
to provide such oversight.  Technical oversight and advice, sure---few 
people have issues with contracting outside lawyers where necessary to 
provide legal advice, and I doubt there would be too many objections to 
obtaining assistance with accounting, grantwriting, or anything else of 
that sort.  Strategic direction and decision-making though, of the sort 
that the board has the authority to make, cannot be put in the hands of 
non-Wikimedians.

-Mark