Issues
Workgroup to consider amendments to Open Community Governance Policy
A Community Workgroup convened by WikiEducator Council
Issue Tracker for the second draft of the Open Community Governance Policy. For lengthy discussions use the "discussion" tab.
Heading prefixes:
- "@@": unresolved issues therein
- ">>": all issues therein are resolved
- none: no issues identified.
- See Colour Key - for issue and examples of headers (priority, effort required and status/progress).
[▼] Key to colours of issue headers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Top left cell (priority): high (orangered), medium (orange), low (yellow) |
Contents
[hide]- 1 >>Background
- 2 >>Statement of purpose
- 3 Defining governance
- 4 WikiEducator Community Council
- 5 >>Officers of the WikiEducator Council
- 6 WikiEducator Executive Committee
- 7 >>WikiEducator Patron
- 8 Miscellaneous
- 9 References
- 10 Attribution and License
- 11 Just in Time Issues
>>Background
Title: | Typo | [▼] |
---|---|---|
Submitted by: | Kim Tucker 02:22, 1 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Status: | Closed (done) - Kim Tucker 17:59, 7 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Comments: | 3rd paragraph - insert 'of' in last sentence.
| |
(high priority, trivial, done) |
Title: | Articulating values | [▼] | ||||
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Submitted by: | Kim Tucker 01:04, 17 December 2009 (UTC) | |||||
Status: | Closed (done) - Kim Tucker 17:59, 7 March 2010 (UTC) | |||||
Comments: | Under Selection, issue "Reference to Commonwealth" (below) is a suggestion to articulate values.
The above list of one-word values was derived from the 1991 Harare Commonwealth Declaration (Zimbabwe) as follows:
Comments? - Kim Tucker 01:04, 17 December 2009 (UTC)
| |||||
(medium priority, medium, done) |
>>Statement of purpose
Title: | Distinguish WikiEducator's purpose from that of the OER Foundation | [▼] |
---|---|---|
Submitted by: | Kim Tucker 02:22, 1 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Status: | Closed (done) - Kim Tucker 17:17, 7 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Comments: | To distinguish WikiEducator's purpose from that of the OER Foundation, reword the statement of purpose as follows (or something similar):
First, change the first sentence under Background from
to
Then, reword the statement of purpose to something like:
Objections?
| |
(high priority, easy, done) |
Title: | Minor wording changes for bullets | [▼] |
---|---|---|
Submitted by: | Kim Tucker 02:22, 1 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Status: | Closed (done) - Kim Tucker 17:20, 7 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Comments: | Change the first and third bullets from:
to
and from
to
Objections?
| |
(high priority, easy, done) |
Defining governance
WikiEducator Community Council
>>General responsibilities
Title: | Detail not appropriate here | [▼] |
---|---|---|
Submitted by: | Kim Tucker 02:22, 1 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Status: | Closed (done) - Kim Tucker 17:28, 7 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Comments: | The following sentence is a detail not appropriate here:
"Agendas of meetings must be posted on WikiEducator at least two (2) days prior to the date of scheduled meetings and corresponding minutes must be posted within fourteen (14) days of a scheduled meeting." Suggest: move the first part to the section "Meetings" / "Notice":
The rest is covered under "Minutes" (a new section to be inserted). Note that the '14 days' will become '30 days' as suggested in the discussion. Objections
| |
(high priority, trivial, done) |
Title: | Consistent punctuation in bullets | [▼] |
---|---|---|
Submitted by: | Kim Tucker 02:22, 1 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Status: | Closed (done) - Kim Tucker 17:39, 7 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Comments: | Use semi-colons in the bullets which consist of incomplete sentences (except for the last bullet). Full sentence bullets end with a full stop and start capitalised. Check consistency throughout.
Objections
| |
(high priority, trivial, done) |
refer to "WikiEducator Community Council"
Title: | refer to "WikiEducator Community Council" | [▼] |
---|---|---|
Submitted by: | KTucker 11:37, 28 September 2009 (UTC) | |
Status: | Closed (done) - Kim Tucker 17:59, 7 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Comments: | 1st line: refer to "WikiEducator Community Council" (not just "WikiEducator Council").
| |
(low priority, trivial, done) |
Powers
>>Note
Title: | Reference to previous process - reword to past tense | [▼] |
---|---|---|
Submitted by: | Kim Tucker 02:22, 1 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Status: | Closed (done) - Kim Tucker 17:42, 7 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Comments: | Reword to past tense, i.e.
Objections
| |
(high priority, trivial, done) |
>>Members
Title: | Adjust heading levels | [▼] |
---|---|---|
Submitted by: | Kim Tucker 02:22, 1 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Status: | Closed (done) - Kim Tucker 17:46, 7 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Comments: | Adjust heading levels, so that structure becomes:
Objections
| |
(high priority, trivial, done) |
>>Selection
Title: | "Community" - please clarify? | [▼] |
---|---|---|
Submitted by: | Kim Tucker 02:22, 1 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Status: | Closed (done) - Kim Tucker 17:59, 7 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Comments: | Change bullet:
5. "Community" as used in policy documentation, shall be defined by the Council, consistent with the values and strategic aims of WikiEducator. to 5. "Community" as used in policy documentation, shall be defined by the Council, to be consistent with the values and strategic aims of WikiEducator. Objections
| |
(high priority, trivial, done) |
Title: | Number, tenure and qualification: check consistency | [▼] |
---|---|---|
Submitted by: | Kim Tucker 23:30, 29 September 2009 (UTC) | |
Status: | Closed (done) - Kim Tucker 17:59, 7 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Comments: | See relevant Minor Point and comments below (same issue in successive sub-sections).
Accept:
Reject (because):
| |
(medium priority, medium, done) |
Title: | Appointed versus Nominated members | [▼] |
---|---|---|
Submitted by: | John Stampe 10:15, 6 November 2009 (UTC) | |
Status: | Closed (done) - Kim Tucker 17:59, 7 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Comments: | Use of the term appointed members in the last line should be changed to nominated members to avoid confusion, especially since below elected members are also said to be "appointed"
| |
(low priority, easy, done) |
Number, tenure and qualification
>>Elected members
Title: | Number, tenure and qualification: check consistency | [▼] |
---|---|---|
Submitted by: | Kim Tucker 23:31, 29 September 2009 (UTC) | |
Status: | Closed (done) - Kim Tucker 17:59, 7 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Comments: | See relevant Minor Point and comments under related issues above and below.
Accept:
Reject (because):
| |
(medium priority, medium, done) |
>>Nominated members
Title: | Number, tenure and qualification: check consistency | [▼] |
---|---|---|
Submitted by: | Kim Tucker 23:31, 29 September 2009 (UTC) | |
Status: | Closed (done) - Kim Tucker 17:59, 7 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Comments: | Issue merged with Number of nominated Members below. Marking this one as done. | |
(medium priority, medium, done) |
Title: | Omit "consecutive" for single year term? | [▼] |
---|---|---|
Submitted by: | Kim Tucker 23:34, 29 September 2009 (UTC) | |
Status: | Done - Kim Tucker 00:46, 5 November 2009 (UTC) | |
Comments: | Suggest: reword "one consecutive year" to just "one year" ("consecutive" seems superfluous).
| |
(medium priority, trivial, done) |
Title: | Number of nominated members | [▼] |
---|---|---|
Submitted by: | John Stampe 10:27, 6 November 2009 (UTC) | |
Status: | Closed (done) - Kim Tucker 17:59, 7 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Comments: |
N.B. Merging issue: "Number, tenure and qualification: check consistency" - Kim Tucker 02:51, 12 January 2010 (UTC) See relevant Minor Point and comments on related issues above. Under these bylaws it is possible that the number of nominated members could exceed the number of elected members. I feel this goes against the open nature of WE. Suggest adding wording to limit the number of nominated members not to exceed the number of elected members.
| |
(medium priority, medium, done) |
>>Selection
Title: | Reference to "Commonwealth" in item 4 of ordered list (last bullet). | [▼] |
---|---|---|
Submitted by: | Kim Tucker 23:38, 29 September 2009 (UTC) | |
Status: | Closed (done) - Kim Tucker 17:59, 7 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Comments: | First, I suggest removing the word "nominated" in the sentence introducing the set of bullets:
Any objections?
Point 4, bullet 5: change to "upholds the Commonwealth values and our Community values;" (to be consistent with the Background section earlier). If you don't want to refer to the Commonwealth explicitly, incorporate the Commonwealth values into the Community values on the WE front page (i.e. amend the WE Community values if nec.).
Accept:
Reject (because):
Comments? Links to earlier discussions on this issue (reference to Commonwealth values) are included under Background above. | |
(medium priority, medium, done) |
Resignation
>>Vacancies
Title: | Typo: "nomitated" should be "nominated" | [▼] |
---|---|---|
Submitted by: | Kim Tucker 00:03, 1 October 2009 (UTC) | |
Status: | Done - Kim Tucker | |
Comments: | ||
(low priority, none, done) |
>>Removal
Title: | Elaborate on process | [▼] | |
---|---|---|---|
Submitted by: | Kim Tucker 23:46, 29 September 2009 (UTC) | ||
Status: | Closed (done) - Kim Tucker 17:59, 7 March 2010 (UTC) | ||
Comments: | Resources:
The Wikimedia Foundation's bylaws allow a trustee to be removed simply by a majority vote of all the trustees. This strikes me as an easy way to chill dissent. I don't see any compelling reason to have a process to remove elected members. Obnoxious ones can always simply be outvoted. I hope this section is struck entirely. --SteveFoerster 01:54, 5 November 2009 (UTC) There should probably be an entry even if it says "The Member Removal process was given careful considered prior to being discarded. WE have elections to ensure appropriate representation." --Valerie Taylor 18:46, 5 November 2009 (UTC) I agree that simply removing a Council member by majority vote could be abused to chill a difference of opinion, and that should not be the intent of removal of a Council member or Officer. However, I do think that there are legitimate reasons where removal may be required. The box below contains a rough draft for this section which could appear in both members and officers sections of the WCC open governance policy wrt Removal (please comment):
Comments:
Not having a mechanism for discharge and/or removal of a member in serious/material cases like this could result in significant problems regarding the functioning of Council. In these specified and/or other specified cases we may agree -- I can see the necessity for a voting mechanism (given the seriousness of the removal of a member). It may be prudent to consider a higher threshold, for example 2/3rds majority in the case of removal. In the spirit of good governance and stewardship of community values -- I would argue that we do consider procedures for removal of members. However, we must be sure that removal is not invoked on trivial grounds like a significant difference of opinion. As an open community we should foster and encourage open and frank expression of opinion. --Wayne Mackintosh 02:39, 6 November 2009 (UTC) I'm a bit afraid we'll waste our energies in putting up a Civil Code Law for WE when considering all possible cases that may make it necessary to remove a council member from office. I'd keep it simple and take up the arrangement of the WikiMedia Foundation. But with a 75% majority quorum, in order to avoid the "difference in opinion" case.--GünOss 09:38, 23 November 2009 (UTC) From the discussion it seems that we must
Would the following work? - Kim Tucker 20:23, 7 December 2009 (UTC)
Please compare with the Removal clause for Officers of the WikiEducator Community Council below. Comments? Why does the Officer statement include the phrase "...or when Council considers it in the best interests of the WikiEducator Community..." and this Member version doesn't? --Alison Snieckus 02:06, 8 December 2009 (UTC)
| ||
(high priority, tricky, done) |
Voting Means
Reserved Powers
>>Meetings
>>Regular Meetings
Title: | Items 4 and 7 are the same | [▼] |
---|---|---|
Submitted by: | Kim Tucker 23:50, 29 September 2009 (UTC) | |
Status: | Closed (done) - Kim Tucker 17:59, 7 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Comments: | Could item 4 be worded so it is clearer instead of " A quorum shall consist of at least the majority of Council members." could it be reworded so it is not made up of words which are opposites - at least and majority -could we instead say that more than half the elected or nominated council members are required to be present to form a quorum. --bron 08:47, 18 September 2009 (UTC)
| |
(low priority, easy, done) |
Special Meetings
Notice
Manner of Acting
Presumption of Assent
Constructive Presence at a Meeting
>>Minutes
NB This section is not in the current version of the policy. It is proposed for the next.
Title: | Minutes | [▼] |
---|---|---|
Submitted by: | John Stampe 10:40, 6 November 2009 (UTC) | |
Status: | Closed (done) - Kim Tucker 17:59, 7 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Comments: | I see no section about minutes. Should be a section added requiring publication of the minutes within a time limit (say 30 days). Location and method of publication should also be stated.
Suggestion: add a last sub-section under "Meetings" called "Minutes" with the following paragraph: (Kim Tucker 23:27, 17 December 2009 (UTC)) Minutes will be recorded on WikiEducator during the meetings. Where this is not feasible (e.g. privacy law issues), minutes will be prepared and published on WikiEducator within 30 days.
| |
(low priority, easy, done) |
Action Without a Meeting
>>Officers of the WikiEducator Council
Title: | Change title to "Officers of the WikiEducator Community Council" | [▼] |
---|---|---|
Submitted by: | Kim Tucker 06:30, 20 November 2009 (UTC) | |
Status: | Closed (done) - Kim Tucker 17:59, 7 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Comments: | Change title from "Officers of the WikiEducator Council" to "Officers of the WikiEducator Community Council" to be consistent.
Done - Kim Tucker 20:55, 7 December 2009 (UTC) | |
(low priority, trivial, done) |
Chair
Deputy Chair
Executive Secretary
Term
>>Removal
Title: | Elaborate Removal process | [▼] |
---|---|---|
Submitted by: | Kim Tucker 23:52, 29 September 2009 (UTC) | |
Status: | Closed (done) - Kim Tucker 17:59, 7 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Comments: | See "WikiEducator Community Council" / "Removals" above.
Resources:
Whatever the outcome regarding our decisions on the removal of Members of Council -- I would recommend that the same applies for Officers of Council as equal members of Council. --Wayne Mackintosh 02:46, 6 November 2009 (UTC)
Please compare with the Removal clause for members of the WikiEducator Community Council above. Comments? - Kim Tucker 20:25, 7 December 2009 (UTC) ... | |
(high priority, tricky, done) |
Vacancies
>>Resignations
Title: | Extra word "Council," | [▼] |
---|---|---|
Submitted by: | Kim Tucker 23:57, 29 September 2009 (UTC) | |
Status: | Closed (done) - Kim Tucker 17:59, 7 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Comments: | ... | |
(low priority, none, done) |
WikiEducator Executive Committee
Purpose
Membership and Term
Replacement of Executive Members
Executive Committee Meetings
Notice of Meetings
Consent Procedures
>>WikiEducator Patron
Title: | WikiEducator Patron | [▼] |
---|---|---|
Submitted by: | Kim Tucker 00:02, 30 September 2009 (UTC) | |
Status: | Closed (done) - Kim Tucker 17:59, 7 March 2010 (UTC) | |
Comments: | Discuss and consider amendments with reference to the office of Patron of WikiEducator.
Role of <title>The <title>s are highly respected individuals in the world of free/libre and open education, who are well positioned to champion the cause in the upper echelons of society (including EU, UN, Congress, AU, ... please add) and at key events (e.g. eLearningAfrica, ... please add) where there is a need to raise awareness and influence policy/decision makers. <title>s are identified, selected and approached by the WE community to act in that capacity. The <title>s provide:
Pros
Cons
Possible Alternative Titles for the Person or Group
All in all it seems there is some consensus to remove this section and possibly bring out the benefits in other ways. - Kim Tucker 20:34, 7 December 2009 (UTC)
| |
(high priority, tricky, done) |
Appointment and Term
Resignation or Removal
Patron's Leadership During Exigent Circumstances
- Ideally this section will be struck along with all other references to a Patron. --SteveFoerster 01:56, 5 November 2009 (UTC)
- Steve, I agree with you on this one. --Wayne Mackintosh 02:57, 6 November 2009 (UTC)
Miscellaneous
Amendment
Delivery of Notice
References
- Jump up ↑ http://www.commonwealthfoundation.com/uploads/documents/Backgrounder_on_Commonwealth_values.pdf
- Jump up ↑ The WikiEducator community values are prominent on the home page, and the Commonwealth values are expressed in the Harare Declaration
- Jump up ↑ The WikiEducator community values are prominent on the home page, and the Commonwealth values are expressed in the Harare Declaration
Attribution and License
Just in Time Issues
Additional last minute issues (for early March 2010) to finalise Draft 2 are listed on the Just in Time Issues page.