[Foundation-l] Provisional Volunteer Council - proposal sent to the Board

Tue Apr 1 13:07:15 UTC 2008

Hi Dan, all,

thanks for the feedback. First of all, let me make clear that this is
for me not the *final* list or something, the Board still has to
decide over the resolution at all, including the list of candidates.
After that, the PVC has the opportunity to fill some gaps, such as
South America, Africa, Asia and developers, to improve the spectrum of
volunteers.

I never claimed, and will not claim that this is a perfect
representation, nor that it is ideal with respect to size. This
because this is a matter of opinion, and people disagree on sizes etc.
Please note that it is much easier to increase the size afterwards
(especially if you believe all those emails you get all the time) then
to decrease. I think the current list ensures a workable provisional
council, that can come up with a broad carried advice. Not because
every language or continent is represented, but because many opinions
on this respect are represented. The mentioned main projects are, as
michael mentioned correctly, intended to show from which corner people
are coming. How they were "raised" in the community, so to speak.

With kind regards,

Lodewijk

2008/4/1, Dan Rosenthal <swatjester op gmail.com>:
> I disagree, I think that this council (the provisional one) should be
>  larger, regardless of whether the final council's size is adjusted or
>  not.
>
>
>  -Dan
>
> On Apr 1, 2008, at 3:57 AM, Gerard Meijssen wrote:
>
>  > Hoi,
>  > Our dear friend Danny Wool pontificated that I would oppose this
>  > proposal (
>  > http://allswool.blogspot.com/2008/03/it-seems-that-effeietsanders-has.html)
>  > .
>  > It is for this reason only that I do not want to disappoint him and
>  > give
>  > a reaction.
>  >
>  > What is on the table is that a group of self appointed bosses are
>  > going to
>  > investigate if and how a wiki coucil can be started. This group is
>  > likely to
>  > come to the conclusion that it would be a good thing. As long as
>  > there is
>  > nothing to see, there is not much for me to comment on. The fact
>  > that they
>  > take the initiative is the best reason why they may succeed.
>  >
>  > I have not been invited in this group of self appointed bosses, this
>  > is a
>  > good thing as I am busy enough as it is. I have written in the past
>  > extensively on the subject, I spoke with some of the bosses so my
>  > view is
>  > known. With Milos and Pathoschild part of this effort, I am sure
>  > that the
>  > relevance of linguistic and cultural diversity will get some
>  > attention (one
>  > of my hot buttons)
>  >
>  > From my perspective, this group is large enough to still be
>  > effective, a
>  > shame that they are likely to come with the suggestion to have a
>  > council
>  > that is many times this size and destroying its effectiveness in the
>  > process.
>  > Thanks,
>  >      GerardM
>  >
>  > On Tue, Apr 1, 2008 at 1:46 AM, effe iets anders <effeietsanders op gmail.com
>  > >
>  > wrote:
>  >
>  >> Dear all,
>  >>
>  >> I am very glad that the proposal for establishing a provisional
>  >> volunteer council received such a lot support both on this list as in
>  >> private conversations.
>  >>
>  >> Since the request for candidates for the Provisional Volunteer
>  >> Council, I received quite some nominations. However, unfortunately I
>  >> have to admit that there were no (willing) candidates from some
>  >> important regions amongst these. As I have to work with the
>  >> candidates
>  >> that were nominated, I was therefore unable to candidate someone from
>  >> these regions.
>  >>
>  >> I did try however, to get at least a few projects represented, and
>  >> also a more technical person (from the developers side of the
>  >> volunteer spectrum). Please find my final suggestion list below in
>  >> the
>  >> proposal (attached again for reference - only one minor spelling and
>  >> layout changes).
>  >>
>  >> Please note that this is a *proposed* resolution, and not yet
>  >> accepted.
>  >>
>  >> I know this list is not very long. And some area's are still missing
>  >> in representation. However, I trust this group wholehearely, and
>  >> suppose that they will make sure as a first thing to get at least one
>  >> or more projects better represented (such as Wikinews or Wikiversity
>  >> which have a very different character).
>  >>
>  >> If you have major concerns with respect to this list of candidates,
>  >> please send them to this list or communicate them to the Board (I am
>  >> not sure which route is the best for that though). I will make no
>  >> changes any more myself, but the Board is of course able to determine
>  >> the list as it likes.
>  >>
>  >>
>  >> With kind regards,
>  >>
>  >> Lodewijk Gelauff
>  >>
>  >>
>  >> --------------------------------------------------------------
>  >>
>  >> Whereas the Board,
>  >>
>  >> * recognizes the value of volunteers in Wikimedia projects and that
>  >> their work is the very reason of their success,
>  >> * values the volunteers' opinions and takes them into serious
>  >> consideration when discussing issues involving the volunteers,
>  >> * is of the opinion that these volunteers should have a strong say in
>  >> changes in the articles of incorporation and the bylaws of the
>  >> Wikimedia Foundation,
>  >> * considers a Volunteer Council a valuable intermediary between
>  >> volunteers and the Foundation, and as a good instrument to hear the
>  >> voice of the volunteers:
>  >>
>  >> it is hereby resolved that:
>  >>
>  >> 1. The Board of Trustees hereby creates a Volunteer Council, to serve
>  >> as a valuable complement to the Staff, Advisory Board and Board of
>  >> Trustees.
>  >> 2. Without restricting the generality of this provision the purposes
>  >> of the Volunteer Council shall include:
>  >>
>  >> 1) Offering advice and support on issues relevant to the Wikimedia
>  >> Volunteers,
>  >> 2) Recommanding the opening or closure of Wikimedia projects,
>  >> 3) Approving changes to the articles of incorporation or bylaws of
>  >> the Wikimedia Foundation and
>  >> 4) Assist in establishing a clear separation between the legal
>  >> responsibilities of the Wikimedia Foundation as an Internet Service
>  >> Provider and the community decisions for the Wikimedia Projects.
>  >>
>  >> 3. The members from the Volunteer Council must be volunteers within
>  >> Wikimedia.
>  >> 4. The Provisional Volunteer Council shall report to the Board no
>  >> later than September 1, 2008, which report shall include
>  >> recommendations regarding the number and composition of the Volunteer
>  >> Council, and how the members of the Council shall be chosen. Said
>  >> report shall also include recommendations regarding the distribution
>  >> of rights and responsibilities between the Board and Council, and any
>  >> changes in the by-laws that may be necessary to implement this.
>  >> 5. Except where it pertains to its own procedures, no decision of the
>  >> Provisional Volunteer Council shall bind any person.
>  >> 6. On receipt of the said report the Board shall take such steps as
>  >> it
>  >> deems necessary to confirm and empower the Volunteer Council, and
>  >> provide for a transition of operations from the Provisional Volunteer
>  >> Council.
>  >> 7. Members of the Volunteer Council will not be financially
>  >> compensated for their activity. On approval by the Board of Trustees
>  >> expenses of the Provisional Volunteer Council and Volunteer Council
>  >> in
>  >> the fulfillment of their duties may be reimbursed.
>  >> 8. The following people are hereby appointed as member of the
>  >> Provisional Volunteer Council:
>  >>
>  >> Michael Bimmler, Mbimmler (Main project: de.wikipedia)
>  >> Yaroslav Blanter, Yaroslav Blanter (Main project: ru.wikipedia)
>  >> Lise Broer, Durova (Main projects: en.wikipedia and
>  >> commons.wikimedia )
>  >> Jesse Plamondon-Willard, Pathoschild (Main projects: en.wikisource
>  >> and meta.wikimedia )
>  >> Sydney Poore, FloNight (Main project: en.wikipedia)
>  >> Milos Rancic, Millosh (Main project: sr.wikipedia)
>  >> Ray Saintonge, Eclecticology (Main project: en.wikisource,
>  >> en.wikipedia)
>  >> Andrew Whitworth, Whiteknight (Main project: en.wikibooks)
>  >> Michal Zlatkovsky, Timichal (Main project: cs.wikipedia)
>  >>
>  >> 9. The members of the Provisional Volunteer Council may on a 2/3 vote
>  >> of all its members add such additional members as they may deem
>  >> necessary and useful to their deliberations.
>  >>
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