Thread:Determining the shift from proposed to official workgroup (1)

Hi been doing a little thinking regarding recognition of official workgroups with reference to the current version of the guidlines.

Currently we are saying:

5. Submit the charter to the Council for evaluation and endorsement. (Council's role is to ...) 6. Post to the main WE list providing a concise summary of the Workgroup and requesting community review and comment on the Workgroup charter. Collect the comments and suggestions in a section of the charter. 7 Address each of the comments and suggestions and make amendments as needed to the Workgroup charter. Resubmit the charter to Council for its endorsement to begin work. (Council's role is to ensure that the amended charter adequately addresses the WE community's comments.) 8 With Council's endorsement, the Workgroup moves from a Proposed Workgroup to an Official WikiEducator Workgroup.

Thinking practically, assuming Council do not meet more than twice a year, the step to require Council endorsement of the Charter could delay progress and community ownership of community-wide initiatives. I see Council's role as the custodian of democratic and transparent process, and the vehicle for approving official policies. Therefore, I don't see the need for Council to approve the charter before the workgroup commences its work. Ultimately with regards to the approval of a policy -- Council will check to see that the guidelines have been followed -- if not then the policy proposal would be deferred back to the workgroup. So as long as we have clear criteria for an official workgroup -- then this step would not need Council approval.

So for example, the criteria for an official workgroup could be:


 * Procedures for proposing and constituting a work group have been followed.
 * Minimum of three WikiEducators required to from an Official Workgroup.
 * Minimum period of 10 working days from the date of the community announcement of the Workgroup charter required before final acceptance
 * Final acceptance of the Charter by majority approval of workgroup members listed on the date of acceptance
 * In the case of technology related Workgroups, the majority of the WikiEd Tech team must be participating members

Exceptions requiring Council approval of the charter prior to commencement of activities:


 * Workgroups which have legal implications for the WikiEducator community
 * Workgroups that require central funding for their operation or may impact on future funding requirements of the WikiEducator community
 * Workgroups relating to changes in the existing governance model of the Community.

I propose that we amend the draft for approving official workgroups along these lines.

Cheers W