[Foundation-l] Wikiversity - feedback

Wed Jul 5 11:00:21 UTC 2006

On 7/5/06, Michael R. Irwin <michael_irwin at verizon.net> wrote:
> Cormac Lawler wrote:
>
> >snip
> >
> >
>
> >As an update, I'm still trying to move this process along within the
> >Special projects committee, and hopefully there will be something to
> >show for it soon. Meanwhile, however, I continue to invite comments,
> >suggestions, criticisms from anyone, however new or peripheral to the
> >discussion you may feel yourself to be.
> >
> >
> I could not find recent Wikiversity  proposal activity either in the
> special subcommittee's resolutions or on their agenda:
> http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special_projects_committee/Resolutions
> http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special_projects_committee
>
> The only documented suspense I could find required that you setup your
> Wikiversity subcommittee and report back by March 21, 2006.

You're right. We need to improve documentation of our activity on the
Special projects committee. We're currently working on that.

To clarify my update, I have raised Wikiversity at our last two
meetings (June 28th and June 14th) as well as on our mailing list, and
am awaiting feedback from the other committee members.

>
> What exactly are the tasks remaining before the Wikiversity proposal can
> be presented to the Wikimedia Board for a final go or nogo decision?

It is to be presented as is, unless the SPC have any specific
recommendations. Apart from that, cleaning up the interlinking pages
on Meta so that they fully complement each other seems like the best
thing we can do. But most importantly, have we addressed the questions
raised by the community at the last vote? This is the fundamental
question the board will ask.

>
> Are you aware that Jimbo has informed us directly a few months ago
> either here on this list or on the foundation list that the present
> Wikimedia Foundation board members all support the Wikiversity project?
>
> There is no guarantee this will be true of future Board members.
>
> lazyquasar

I think there is a difference between supporting the Wikiversity
project in principle and endorsing the current proposal in practice
(Jimbo's comments fall into the former - not necessarily the latter,
as far as I could make out). This is exactly what we have been doing
over the last few months - addresssing the last recommendations we
were given, as well as the concerns of the community (which the board
specifically asked for, and Jimbo re-affirmed). Believe me, I'm as
anxious to get Wikiversity set up as you are, and as frustrated it's
taken this long, but that doesn't change where we are or what we are
doing - which is to develop and realise as clear and realistic a
project as possible.

Cormac