Talk:Ohio Wikimedians User Group/Archive 3
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WikiConference North America 2021
@Ohio Wikimedians User Group members: I'm guessing many of you have seen the CentralNotice, but in case not: WikiConference North America 2021 is taking place virtually Oct 8-10! If you're interested in attending, register by the end of today (Oct 5). Here is the schedule for your reference. Cheers, ~SuperHamster Talk Contribs 20:32, 5 October 2021 (UTC)
Following two workshop with North America affiliates, a selector to help choose the Movement Charter/Drafting Committee is being sought. If you wish to volunteer for this role, please post to Movement Charter/Affiliates by Region/North America#Users willing to be a selector. Affiliate representatives can support selectors in the table. The selector will work with selectors from other regions to develop a preferential list from which 6 candidates will be appointed. Feel free to let me know if you have any questions. Xeno (WMF) (talk) 02:42, 11 October 2021 (UTC)
Wikimedia Movement Charter vote and informational meetings
- group vote by 13 October
- personal vote by 24 October
Our Wikimedia community organizations are invited to vote in a process relating to future Wikimedia Movement governance. We are inviting you to informational meetings on the evenings of Tuesday and Wednesday this week, Oct 12 and 13, which you can access through our event page. Your group's vote is due by 11:59 p.m. PST on Wednesday 13 October, which is tomorrow. The voting details are at m:Movement Charter/Affiliates by Region/North America (or https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Movement_Charter/Affiliates_by_Region/North_America) Additionally, all individual members have a personal opportunity to vote in the another arm of this selection process from 12-24 October at m:Movement Charter/Drafting Committee/Elections.
We welcome your group to nominate candidates, discuss, or vote, or otherwise participate in a governance process. We are not advocating for any specific candidate or cause, other than for increasing community engagement. The matter at hand is that Wikimedia volunteers have negotiated a right to draft the Wikimedia Movement Charter, which will serve as a constitution or governance document for the movement. A small group of Wikimedia community drafters will form a Movement Charter Drafting Committee to produce that document. A group of 9 selectors chosen by affiliates will help complete the selection of the Drafting Committee. The negotiated arrangement is that the North America affiliates get to choose 1 of the 9 selectors. We are making that choice by polling all North American Wikimedia community affiliates to nominate and/or vote for selectors.
The process is complicated and we regret the late notice here, but we did not choose this situation. As volunteer organizers, we can help advocate that our values are built into the Movement Charter.
The page m:Movement_Charter/Affiliates_by_Region/North_America is the central coordination page for North American affiliates to their vote/preference for a selector. You are free to use whatever process makes sense for your group to make a determination, whether it is informally by email, online chat, or video call. To record your decision, please have an official representative note your affiliate's decision in the table.
For more information, contact any of us. Wikimedia Foundation staff User:Xeno (WMF) and User:JKoerner (WMF) are supporting the process. For general discussion about the issues at stake or development process, please post to Talk:Movement Charter. For future discussion about Wikimedia governance with the volunteer community, please join Wikimedia community organizations such as WALRUS for discussing United States issues, or Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) for global issues. The notes of the meeting which produced this message are available at WALRUS/October 2021.
This process is rushed, but we are acting in good faith here to encourage participation in Wikimedia movement governance.
-Thanks user:econterms and Blue Rasberry (talk) 13:06, 12 October 2021 (UTC)
@Ohio Wikimedians User Group members: Hi all! As a follow-up to the above message, Ohio's vote for North America's selector as part of the Movement Charter Drafting Committee Set Up Process is due by end of day. This is a rushed process, so unfortunately we don't have much time for discussion. As of writing, there are two eligible candidates: LiAnnadavis and North8000. I propose voting for LiAnnadavis due to her active participation in the Movement Strategy process; being a former Wikimedia Foundation staff member; her current role as Chief Programs Officer of WikiEdu; and her regular activity and engagement at WikiConference North America. Ultimately I believe she has a great understanding of our region's needs and would be an effective selector. Feel free to respond with any support, opposition, questions, and comments—and if there are no objections, I shall cast Ohio's vote for LiAnnadavid by end of day. Thanks, ~SuperHamster Talk Contribs 19:45, 13 October 2021 (UTC)
Voting to elect members to the Movement Charter drafting committee is now open. In total, 70 Wikimedians are running for 7 seats in these elections.
Voting is open from October 12 to October 24, 2021.
We are piloting a voting advice application for this election. It helps show which candidates hold positions similar to the choices entered.
According to the set up process, the committee will initially consist of 15 members in total. 7 members elected in this process, 6 members selected by Wikimedia affiliates, and 2 members appointed by the Wikimedia Foundation. Up to 3 additional members may be appointed by the committee, and steps may be taken to replace members as needed.
More details and the voting link is here.
Please feel free to let me know if you have any questions about this process.
Xeno (WMF) (talk) 02:40, 15 October 2021 (UTC) (Movement Strategy & Governance Team, Wikimedia Foundation)
Learn how the Implementation Grants can support your Movement Strategy plans
We are excited to announce the reopening of the Movement Strategy Implementation Grants. This program funds projects that advance a specific Movement Strategy initiative. The projects can be big or small, but they must all make a case for advancing one initiative. Affiliates that have received funding from the Simple/Annual Plan Grants are welcome to apply.
Read more about the criteria, what to apply for, and how to apply.
Best regards,
Movement Strategy and Governance Team
Wikimedia Foundation
15:31, 21 October 2021 (UTC)
Movement Charter Drafting Committee election Call to Action: Vote now!
Your participation is needed. Community elections for the Movement Charter Drafting Committee last until October 24 (23:59 AoE). We have gathered just over 700 votes. It would be great to increase community participation. Let’s try to double that number! Please vote before October 24. Best, JKoerner (WMF) (talk) 17:01, 22 October 2021 (UTC)
Sunday October 31 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting
The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
Following up on the August, September, October, November, January, February, March, April, and June, July, and September SWAN meetings, as well as last June's All-Affiliates Brand Meeting, as well as strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates including Movement Charter Drafting Committee Set Up Process, Next Steps for Brand Work, 2021, Wikipedia Asian Month 2021, and other ongoing activities.
This month we are meeting on Sunday October 31, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
(UTC meeting times are and – *Note that we have shifted the second call a half-hour later in UTC time due to WikidataCon*.)--Pharos (talk) 02:00, 29 October 2021 (UTC)
Meet the new Movement Charter Drafting Committee members
The Movement Charter Drafting Committee election and selection processes are complete.
- The election results have been published. 1018 participants voted to elect seven members to the committee: Richard Knipel (Pharos),Anne Clin (Risker),Alice Wiegand (Lyzzy),Michał Buczyński (Aegis Maelstrom),Richard (Nosebagbear),Ravan J Al-Taie (Ravan),Ciell (Ciell).
- The affiliate process has selected six members: Anass Sedrati (Anass Sedrati),Érica Azzellini (EricaAzzellini), Jamie Li-Yun Lin (Li-Yun Lin),Georges Fodouop (Geugeor),Manavpreet Kaur (Manavpreet Kaur),Pepe Flores (Padaguan).
- The Wikimedia Foundation has appointed two members: Runa Bhattacharjee (Runab WMF) and Jorge Vargas (JVargas (WMF)).
The committee will convene soon to start its work. The committee can appoint up to three more members to bridge diversity and expertise gaps.
If you are interested in engaging with Movement Charter drafting process, follow the updates on Meta and join the Telegram group.
With thanks from the Movement Strategy and Governance team
JKoerner (WMF) (talk) 23:36, 11 November 2021 (UTC)
Sunday November 28 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting
The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
We'll focus on strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates including Hubs+Hubs Workshop, Movement Charter+Drafting Committee, WMDE's 'Future of Wikimedia Governance' proposal, Wikipedia Asian Month 2021, and other ongoing activities.
This month we are meeting on Sunday November 28, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
(UTC meeting times are and , note that some areas recently experienced daylight savings time changes).--Pharos (talk) 20:23, 24 November 2021 (UTC)
Statewide Wikipedia Edit-a-thon Being Planned for End of March 2022
@Ohio Wikimedians User Group members: I hope this is the spot to ask this: As part of my work, I serve as the Coordinator of the Ohio Center for the Book based at Cleveland Public Library. In collaboration with the State Library of Ohio, we're planning a Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon in March 2022 for Women's History Month in the US. I had planned to post tutorials and resources on the Ohio Center for the Book website and to hold the actual Edit-a-thon during March 26-April 2. One of the resources we planned to use was the list at Ohio Women's Hall of Fame in addition to other Ohio-related articles. I had also planned to create a project at the Wiki Edu Dashboard for participants to see each other's progress and edits. Questions for the Ohio Wikimedians: Is this a feasible/appropriate Ohio project? Any suggestions on logistics or how to promote the project? Any ideas/help would be appreciated! --Hamaxides (talk) 18:09, 14 December 2021 (UTC)
- @Hamaxides: I am not from Ohio but I organize wiki meetups. Yes, excellent idea to set up an instance of that tracking dashboard. About logistics: I recommend having an organizing team with the four roles described at Wikipedia:Meetup#Basics_for_beginners. I do not think anyone has a good answer for promotion or recruiting participants, except to partner with any existing community organization which will reliably bring some of their membership to the event. General online cold promotion is too unpredictable to ensure attendance. However, if you do want promotion support, then Art And Feminism runs a big push in March if your event can include their theme. You might check them out. Best wishes - Blue Rasberry (talk) 01:38, 17 December 2021 (UTC)
- @Bluerasberry: Thanks for the tips! I will check out those links, too. --Hamaxides (talk) 19:47, 20 December 2021 (UTC)
Affiliations Committee (AffCom) Call for candidates - January 2022
Translations are available.
The Affiliations Committee – the committee responsible for guiding volunteers in establishing Wikimedia chapters, thematic organizations, and user groups – is looking for new members!
The main role of the AffCom is to guide groups of volunteers that are interested in forming Wikimedia affiliates. We review applications from new groups, answer questions and provide advice about the different Wikimedia affiliation models and processes, review affiliate bylaws for compliance with requirements and best practices, and update the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees as well as advise them on issues connected to chapters, thematic organizations and Wikimedia user groups.
The committee consists of five to fifteen members, selected at least once every year, to serve two-year terms.
Being a part of the AffCom requires communication with volunteers all over the world, negotiating skills, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to understand legal texts. We look for a mix of different skill sets in our members.
- Responsibilities
- Availability of up to 5-8 hours per month
- Participate in monthly one and two-hour voice/video meetings
- Commitment to carry out assigned tasks in a given time.
- Facilitate and support communications
- Affiliate Support and growth
- Required and Recommended Abilities, Skills, Knowledge for Affiliations Committee Members
Strong interpersonal relationship among members of the committee and also with the Wikimedia community members. Across all committee members, there are additional relevant skills as well as requirements which help to support the committee and its sustainability which include both required and relevant general skills
- Required
- Fluency in English
- Availability of up to 5 hours per week, and the time to participate in a monthly one and two-hour voice/video meetings.
- Willingness to use one's real name in committee activities (including contacts with current and potential affiliates) when appropriate.
- Strong track record of effective collaboration
- International orientation
- Relevant for all members
- Public Communications (English writing and speaking skills)
- Skills in other languages are a major plus.
- Understanding of the structure and work of affiliates and the Wikimedia Foundation.
- Documentation practices
- Interviewing experience
- Experience with, or in, an active affiliate is a major plus.
- Teamwork: Project and people management skills to coordinate and collaborate with different parties on a shared plan and see it through to completion.
- Problem-Solving: Ability to evaluate various solutions, consider multiple interests and points of view, revisit unresolved issues, seek compromise and work and communicate across languages and cultures.
Given the expectations for maintaining the course in 2022 and preparing for potential 2022 transitions as part of the Movement Strategy implementation process, it is important that we are also clear about two different skill sets critical to committee support at this time. The first skillset is oriented to understanding affiliate dynamics and organizational development patterns to successfully process affiliate applications for recognition; the other is oriented to conflict prevention and intervention support for affiliates in conflict.
- Relevant to Affiliate Recognitions
- Administration & Attention to detail
- Readiness to participate in political discussions on the role and future of affiliates, models of affiliation, and similar topics.
- Awareness of the affiliates ecosystem and models and understanding of community building, organizational development, and group dynamics
- Relevant to Conflict Prevention & Intervention
- Communication skills for active listening, clear instruction and turn-taking.
- Stress Management skills for maintaining patience and positivity
- Emotional intelligence to maintain awareness of emotions of oneself and others to practice empathy, impartiality, and mutual respect.
- Facilitation, negotiation, and mediation skills to guide diverse individuals and groups toward cooperation.
- Ability to work within a team
Do you have relevant skills and interest to support movement affiliates?
We are looking for people who are excited by the challenge of empowering volunteers to get organized and form communities that further our mission around the world. In exchange, committee members will gain the experience of supporting their world-wide colleagues to develop their communities as well as personal development in guiding organizational development, facilitating affiliate partnerships, and professional communications.
- Selection process
As a reflection of our commitment to openness, transparency, and bilateral engagement with the Wikimedia community, the 2022 member selection process will include a public review and comment period and a self-assessment survey for candidates to share their skills and their experience. This self-assessment information will help the committee to identify the skill sets relevant and supportive to our affiliate support processes. We invite you to apply for membership to the committee and join us in supporting the affiliates. The data shared in the self-assessment will only be made available to the committee and the relevant staff support. The nomination, candidate Q&A, and endorsements will still take place posted on Meta for public review at January 2022 page. Here the global community is welcome to provide comments and feedback about each candidate.
Once the nomination window closes 31 January 2022, the sitting members who are not candidates for re-election in this cycle will deliberate and then vote, taking into account all inputs from the meta page, self-assessment, advisors, Wikimedia Foundation staff and board liaisons, and committee member discussion.
A final decision will be made in late-February 2022, with new members to be notified for onboarding in February.
- How to apply
If you are interested in joining the committee, please:
Step 1. Post your application on the nomination page by 31 January 2022. Your application must include the following information:
- Your full name and Wikimedia username
- A statement describing your relevant education, experience, abilities, skills, knowledge, availability, and motivation for joining the committee.
Step 2. Complete the self-assessment survey between January 1, 2021 and January 31, 2021.
- The privacy statement that applies to the survey can be found here.
- NOTE: The survey will take 15 mins. Please do not close your browser. If you need a break, you are advised to keep the browser open. In case of losing the link, please reach out to mkaur-ctr
wikimedia.org - This survey must be completed before Steps 3 & 4, as it will provide more background as to the type of work and expectations of members of AffCom.
Step 3. Answers the following questions:
- NOTE: Questions 1-3 are required for all candidates.
- Question 4 & 5 should be answered by those interested in joining the Recognitions subcommittee.
- Question 6 & 7 should be answered by those interested in joining the Conflicts Intervention subcommittee.
- If you are willing to nominate yourself for both subcommittees, answer all questions.
- What roles have you served across any Wikimedia projects and affiliates that you think have prepared you for this role?
- AffCom members need to manage time, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, and diverse situations across the global movement. How do you envision managing these?
- Members of AffCom serve on one of two subcommittees: Recognitions OR Conflicts Intervention. Which one of these are you most interested in serving on?
- If you are interested in serving on the Recognitions subcommittee, what do you think makes a group of Wikimedians ready to function together as an affiliate?
- If you are interested in serving on the Recognitions subcommittee, what do you think are the benefits and responsibilities of functioning as formal affiliates?
- If you are interested in serving on the Conflicts Intervention subcommittee, please describe your experience working with conflicts resolution.
- If you are interested in serving on the Conflicts Intervention subcommittee, please describe how you have helped build consensus and support diversity.
Step 4. Once you have completed the above, send an email announcing your application to affcom
wikimedia.org before the application deadline.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me and/or the committee as a whole. We are happy to chat or have a webinar call with anyone about our work if this helps them decide to apply. Please distribute this call among your networks, and do apply if you are interested!
On behalf of the committee,
--FULBERT (talk) 13:18, 19 December 2021 (UTC)
Affiliations Committee (AffCom) Call for advisors - January 2022
Translations are available.
The Affiliations Committee – the committee responsible for guiding volunteers in establishing Wikimedia chapters, thematic organizations, and user groups – is looking for new members!
The Affiliations Committee – the committee responsible for guiding volunteers in establishing Wikimedia Chapters, Thematic Organizations, and User Groups – is looking for advisors!
The main role of the Affiliations Committee is to guide groups of volunteers that are interested in forming Wikimedia affiliates. We review applications from new groups, answer questions and provide advice about the different Wikimedia affiliation models and processes, review affiliate bylaws for compliance with requirements and best practices, and advise the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees on issues connected to chapters, thematic organizations and Wikimedia user groups.
We are looking for advisors who are excited by the challenge of empowering volunteers to get organized and form communities that further our mission around the world. In exchange, committee advisors selected will gain the experience of supporting their world-wide colleagues to develop their communities as well as personal development in guiding organizational development, facilitating affiliate partnerships, and professional communications.
AffCom advisors can engage with the committee in a variety of capacities:
- Consultant
Individuals with extensive movement experience can be engaged as Consultants for specific cases or initiatives by AffCom.
- Trainer
Individuals with specific expertise may be engaged for short-term projects for training AffCom or Affiliates. They might also lead the Capacity Building initiatives for AffCom or affiliates.
- Observer
AffCom can request specific or all advisors to act as an observer in different cases to ensure neutrality & compliance with guidelines.
- AffCom Support
Development of Policies: While advisors cannot create legally binding policies for the committee, they can help create policies that provide direction and support for the committee.
Planning and Implementing Community Relations: The advisors are long-term wikimedians & also include influential community leaders who can be effective at spreading the word about initiatives and services.
Supporting Subcommittees: The advisors can support subcommittees that have assigned tasks in specific areas.
Other Tasks: Advisors can be engaged to address a specific need. Such engagements are usually short-lived and are disbanded as soon as their specific goals are met.
- Key skills
We look for a healthy mix of different skill sets in our advisors, including the following key skills and experience:
- Strong understanding of the structure and work of Wikimedia affiliates and the Wikimedia Foundation.
- Readiness to participate in political discussions on the role and future of affiliates, models of affiliation, and similar topics.
- Availability of up to 2 hours per week, and the time to participate in a monthly two-hour voice/video meeting
- International orientation and ability to work and communicate with other languages and cultures.
- Knowledge of different legal systems and experience in community building and organizing are a plus.
- Fluency in English is required; skills in other languages are a major plus.
- Experience with or in an active Wikimedia affiliate is a major plus.
- Strong track record of effective collaboration (such as evidenced skills at facilitation, mediation, negotiation, and so forth) is a major plus.
- Willingness to use one's real name in committee activities (including contacts with current and potential affiliates) when appropriate.
- Selection process
As a reflection of our commitment to openness, transparency, and bilateral engagement with the Wikimedia community, the 2022 advisors selection process will include a public review and comment period. All applications must be posted on Meta between January 01 and January 31, 2022 at Affiliations Committee/Advisors/2022, and the community will be invited to provide comments and feedback about each candidate. At the end of the nomination period, the applications will be voted on by the members of the committee, taking into account comments put forward by the committee's members, advisors, Wikimedia Foundation staff and board liaisons, and the community. A final decision will be made in February 2022, with new advisors expected to begin later that month.
- How to apply
If you are interested in advising the committee, please submit your candidacy on Affiliations Committee/Advisors/2022 between January 01 to January 31, 2022. Your application must include the following information:
- Your full name and Wikimedia username
- A statement describing your relevant experience, skills, and motivation for joining the committee as an advisor.
- The advisor role you would like to serve
- Answers to the following three questions:
- How do you think affiliates work best together to partner on effective projects and initiatives?
- What do you see as the role of affiliates in the Wikimedia movement in the next three years?
- What do you feel you will bring as an advisor to the committee that makes you a uniquely qualified candidate?
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact the committee. We are happy to chat or have a phone call with anyone about our work if this helps them decide to apply. Please distribute this call among your networks, and do apply if you are interested!
On behalf of the committee,
--FULBERT (talk) 13:17, 19 December 2021 (UTC)
Movement Strategy Implementation Grants
Hello, the Movement Strategy and Governance team wishes you a good start of the new 2022!
As we begin this year, we look forward to seeing more collaboration, increased support and connection between communities and affiliates. We would like to use this chance to share some information on the Movement Strategy Implementation Grants that aim to support volunteers and affiliates looking to help in implementing the Movement Strategy Initiatives within their communities.
These grants support big and small projects that aim to take the current state of an initiative and push it one step forward. Apply for a grant to implement a Movement Strategy initiative with a budget up to $25,000.
We understand that ideas flow at their own pace, so Movement Strategy Implementation Grants are designed to be flexible with no set deadline. Your applications are welcome at any time. Applications received after the 15th of each month will be reviewed in the following month.
Get in touch with us if you would like to discuss your project proposal or if you need more information about the program. The Movement Strategy and Governance team is happy to host conversations regarding these grants. Conversations may help answer your questions, develop your ideas, and connect with other communities with similar interests.
Please see Grants:MSIG and suggested examples, and you are welcome to join the "MS – Grants Community of Practice" group on Telegram!
Best regards,
Movement Strategy and Governance team
Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions. Xeno (WMF) (talk) 01:44, 6 January 2022 (UTC)
Call for Feedback about the Board of Trustees elections is now open
The Call for Feedback: Board of Trustees elections is now open and will close on 16 February 2022.
With this Call for Feedback, the Movement Strategy and Governance team is taking a different approach. This approach incorporates community feedback from 2021. Instead of leading with proposals, the Call is framed around key questions from the Board of Trustees. The key questions came from the feedback about the 2021 Board of Trustees election. The intention is to inspire collective conversation and collaborative proposal development about these key questions.
There are three questions that will be asked during this Call for Feedback:
- What is the best way to ensure more diverse representation among elected candidates? The Board of Trustees noted the importance of selecting candidates who represent the full diversity of the Wikimedia movement. The current processes have favored volunteers from North America and Europe.
- What are the expectations for the candidates during the election? Board candidates have traditionally completed applications and answered community questions. How can an election provide appropriate insight into candidates while also appreciating candidates’ status as volunteers?
- How should affiliates participate in elections? Affiliates are an important part of the Wikimedia movement. Two seats of the Board of Trustees due to be filled this year were filled in 2019 through the Affiliate-selected Board seats process. A change in the Bylaws removed the distinction between community and affiliate seats. This leaves the important question: How should affiliates be involved in the selection of new seats?
The third question is broad in the sense that the answers may refer not just to the two seats mentioned, but also to other, Community- and Affiliate-selected seats. The Board is hoping to find an approach that will both engage the affiliates and give them actual agency, and also optimize the outcomes in terms of selecting people with top skills, experience, diversity, and wide community’s support.
The Board of Trustees is seeking feedback about this question especially, although not solely, from the affiliate community. Everyone is invited to share proposals and join the conversation in the Call for Feedback channels. In addition to collecting online feedback, the Movement Strategy and Governance team will organize several video calls with affiliate members to collect feedback. These calls will be at different times and include Trustees.
Due to the late addition of this third question, the Call will be extended until 16 February.
Best regards,
Movement Strategy and Governance
Xeno (WMF) (talk) 02:02, 21 January 2022 (UTC)
Affiliations Committee (AffCom) Member & Advisor Elections - Final Reminder for January 2022
Translations are available.
This is a friendly reminder that the Affiliations Committee – which is responsible for guiding volunteers in establishing and sustaining Wikimedia chapters, thematic organizations, and user groups – is seeking new members and advisors! The deadline to post your application on the Member nomination page and Advisor nomination is 31 January 2022.
If you know somebody you think may be interested, please share and encourage them to consider applying. If you have any questions please email affcom@wikimedia.org before the application deadline or reach out to any of the current members. Good luck to all the candidates!
On behalf of the committee,
FULBERT (talk) 17:32, 25 January 2022 (UTC)
Sunday February 27 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting
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The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
We'll focus on strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates including Hubs+Dialogue, Movement Charter, Universal Code of Conduct+Enforcement Voting, Brand, International Women's Day+Gender Gap and WikiForHumanRights campaigns, and other ongoing activities.
This month we are meeting on Sunday February 27, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
(UTC meeting times are and ).----Pharos (talk) 18:05, 23 February 2022 (UTC)
Upcoming vote 7 to 21 March 2022 about the Universal Code of Conduct (UCoC) Enforcement guidelines
Hello again,
I am sharing details about an upcoming SecurePoll vote from 7 to 21 March 2022 related to the Universal Code of Conduct project. Eligibility to vote is determined based on contributions, including as a staff member or contractor of Wikimedia movement affiliates.
See the voter information page for full details. During the poll, participants will be invited to include comments with their vote. The participation and valuable input from many movement participants and affiliates throughout this process is recognized and greatly appreciated.
Please let me know if you have any questions. Xeno (WMF) (talk) 02:20, 24 February 2022 (UTC)
A vote in SecurePoll from 7 to 21 March 2022 is scheduled as part of the ratification process for the Universal Code of Conduct (UCoC) Enforcement guidelines. Eligible voters are invited to answer a poll question and share comments. Read voter information and eligibility details. During the poll, voters will be asked if they support the enforcement of the Universal Code of Conduct based on the proposed guidelines.
The Universal Code of Conduct (UCoC) provides a baseline of acceptable behavior for the entire movement. The revised enforcement guidelines were published 24 January 2022 as a proposed way to apply the policy across the movement. A Wikimedia Foundation Board statement calls for a ratification process where eligible voters will have an opportunity to support or oppose the adoption of the UCoC Enforcement guidelines in a vote. Wikimedians are invited to translate and share important information. For more information about the UCoC, please see the project page and frequently asked questions on Meta-wiki.
The Movement Strategy and Governance (MSG) team is hosting Conversation Hours on 25 February 2022 at 12:00 UTC and 4 March 2022 at 15:00 UTC. Please sign-up for these conversation hours to interact with the project team and the drafting committee about the updated enforcement guidelines and the ratification process. See the Conversation Hour summaries for notes from 4 February 2022.
You can comment on Meta-wiki talk pages in any language. You may also contact either team by email: msgwikimedia.org or ucocprojectwikimedia.org
Sincerely,
Movement Strategy and Governance
Wikimedia Foundation
Xeno (WMF) (talk) 02:20, 24 February 2022 (UTC)
Voting on the Universal Code of Conduct Enforcement guidelines open until 21 March 2022
As a reminder, the ratification voting process for the revised enforcement guidelines of the Universal Code of Conduct (UCoC) is now open! Voting commenced on SecurePoll on 7 March 2022 and will conclude on 21 March 2022. Please read more on the voter information and eligibility details.
Staff and members may have the opportunity to vote. Anyone who meets the criteria but finds themselves unable to vote should email ucocprojectwikimedia.org at least four day before the end of voting to be manually added.
Let me know if you have questions. Xeno (WMF) (talk) 01:44, 10 March 2022 (UTC)
- @Ohio Wikimedians User Group members: Hey all - in case you haven't seen it yet, this significant ratification vote is going on. You're encouraged to review the revised enforcement guidelines and make your voice heard. Thank you! ~SuperHamster Talk Contribs 05:42, 12 March 2022 (UTC)
Invitation to Hubs event: Global Conversation on 2022-03-12 at 13:00 UTC
Hello everyone,
We hope you can join us this upcoming Saturday 12 March for a Global Conversation about Hubs. Please see more details below.
Hello!
The Movement Strategy and Governance team of the Wikimedia Foundation would like to invite you to the next event about "Regional and Thematic Hubs". The Wikimedia Movement is in the process of understanding what Regional and Thematic Hubs should be. Our workshop in November was a good start (read the report), but we're not finished yet.
Over the last weeks we conducted about 16 interviews with groups working on establishing a Hub in their context (see Hubs Dialogue). These interviews informed a report that will serve as a foundation for discussion on March 12. The report is planned to be published on March 9.
The event will take place on March 12, 13:00 to 16:00 UTC on Zoom. Interpretation will be provided in French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian, and Portuguese. Registration is open, and will close on March 10. Anyone interested in the topic is invited to join us. More information on the event on Meta-wiki.
Best regards,
Kaarel Vaidla
Movement Strategy
Feel free to let me know if you have any questions. Xeno (WMF) (talk) 17:05, 5 March 2022 (UTC)
- A report on the findings of the Hubs Dialogue has been published on Commons ahead of the Global Conversation later today. Xeno (WMF) (talk) 01:38, 12 March 2022 (UTC)
Maggie Dennis (CR&S) conversation hour 24 March 2022; apply to Leadership Development Working Group by 10 April; closing message about the Board Call for Feedback and UCoC enforcement guidelines vote
Hello all- I have a multipart announcement: feel free to let me know if you have questions about any of these topics (or bring them to the conversation hour!). Xeno (WMF) (talk) 01:47, 23 March 2022 (UTC)
- Join the Community Resilience and Sustainability Conversation Hour with Maggie Dennis
The Community Resilience and Sustainability team at the Wikimedia Foundation is hosting a conversation hour led by its Vice President Maggie Dennis.
Topics within scope for this call include Movement Strategy, Board Governance, Trust and Safety, the Universal Code of Conduct, Community Development, and Human Rights. Come with your questions and feedback, and let's talk! You can also send us your questions in advance.
The meeting will be on 24 March 2022 at 15:00 UTC (check your local time).
You can read details on Meta-wiki.
- Leadership Development Working Group - Apply to join by 10 April 2022
- You can find this message translated into additional languages on Meta-wiki.
The Community Development team at the Wikimedia Foundation is supporting the creation of a global, community-driven Leadership Development Working Group. The purpose of the working group is to advise leadership development work. Feedback was collected in February 2022 and a summary of the feedback is on Meta-wiki. The application period to join the Working Group is now open and is closing soon on April 10, 2022. Please review the information about the working group, share with community members who might be interested, and apply if you are interested.
Thank you,
From the Community Development team
- The Call for Feedback - Board of Trustees elections is now closed
- You can find this message translated into additional languages on Meta-wiki.
The Call for Feedback: Board of Trustees elections is now closed. This Call ran from 10 January and closed on 16 February 2022. The Call focused on three key questions and received broad discussion on Meta-wiki, during meetings with affiliates, and in various community conversations. The community and affiliates provided many proposals and discussion points. The reports are on Meta-wiki.
This information will be shared with the Board of Trustees and Elections Committee so they can make informed decisions about the upcoming Board of Trustees election. The Board of Trustees will then follow with an announcement after they have discussed the information.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Call for Feedback to help improve Board election processes.
Best regards,
Movement Strategy and Governance
- Universal Code of Conduct Enforcement guidelines ratification voting is now closed
The ratification voting process for the revised enforcement guidelines of the Universal Code of Conduct (UCoC) came to a close on 21 March 2022. Over 2300 Wikimedians voted across different regions of our movement. Thank you to everyone who participated in this process! The scrutinizing group is now reviewing the vote for accuracy, so please allow up to two weeks for them to finish their work.
The final results from the voting process will be announced here, along with the relevant statistics and a summary of comments as soon as they are available. Please check out the voter information page to learn about the next steps. You can comment on the project talk page on Meta-wiki in any language. You may also contact the UCoC project team by email: ucocprojectwikimedia.org
Best regards,
Movement Strategy and Governance
Xeno (WMF) (talk) 01:47, 23 March 2022 (UTC)
Sunday April 3 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting
The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
We'll focus on strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates including UCoC Voting, Hubs Global Conversation held + CEE Hub update, Movement Charter + Leadership Development Working Group, Desktop Improvements, Celebrate Women in March + International Women's Day, Wikimania 2022 survey concluded + Wikimedia Hackathon 2022 May 20-22 + local events, and other ongoing activities.
This month we are meeting on Sunday April 3, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
(UTC meeting times are and , note that some areas recently experienced daylight savings time changes).--Pharos (talk) 17:36, 29 March 2022 (UTC)
Movement Strategy and Governance News – Issue 6
Movement Strategy and Governance News
Issue 6, April 2022Read the full newsletter
Welcome to the sixth issue of Movement Strategy and Governance News! This revamped newsletter distributes relevant news and events about the Movement Charter, Universal Code of Conduct, Movement Strategy Implementation grants, Board of trustees elections and other relevant MSG topics.
This Newsletter will be distributed quarterly, while the more frequent Updates will also be delivered weekly. Please remember to subscribe here if you would like to receive future issues of this newsletter.
- Leadership Development - A Working Group is Forming! - The application to join the Leadership Development Working Group closed on April 10th, 2022, and up to 12 community members will be selected to participate in the working group. (continue reading)
- Universal Code of Conduct Ratification Results are out! - The global decision process on the enforcement of the UCoC via SecurePoll was held from 7 to 21 March. Over 2,300 eligible voters from at least 128 different home projects submitted their opinions and comments. (continue reading)
- Movement Discussions on Hubs - The Global Conversation event on Regional and Thematic Hubs was held on Saturday, March 12, and was attended by 84 diverse Wikimedians from across the movement. (continue reading)
- Movement Strategy Grants Remain Open! - Since the start of the year, six proposals with a total value of about $80,000 USD have been approved. Do you have a movement strategy project idea? Reach out to us! (continue reading)
- The Movement Charter Drafting Committee is All Set! - The Committee of fifteen members which was elected in October 2021, has agreed on the essential values and methods for its work, and has started to create the outline of the Movement Charter draft. (continue reading)
- Introducing Movement Strategy Weekly - Contribute and Subscribe! - The MSG team have just launched the updates portal, which is connected to the various Movement Strategy pages on Meta-wiki. Subscriber to get up-to-date news about the various ongoing projects. (continue reading)
- Diff Blogs - Check out the most recent publications about the UCoC on Wikimedia Diff. (continue reading)
Please let me know if you have questions. Xeno (WMF) (talk) 02:02, 13 April 2022 (UTC)
Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees election 2022 Call for Candidates
There is an open Call for Candidates for the 2022 Board of Trustees election. Find out more on the Apply to be a Candidate page.
The Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees oversees the Wikimedia Foundation's operations. Community-and-affiliate selected trustees and Board-appointed trustees make up the Board of Trustees. Each trustee serves a three year term. The Wikimedia community has the opportunity to vote for community-and-affiliate selected trustees. The Wikimedia community will vote to fill two seats on the Board in 2022. This is an opportunity to improve the representation, diversity, and expertise of the Board as a team. Please consider submitting your candidacy to join the Board of Trustees.
–Movement Strategy and Governance on behalf of the Elections Committee and the Board of Trustees (see full announcement)
Xeno (WMF) (talk) 02:43, 26 April 2022 (UTC)
Sunday May 8 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting
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The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
We'll focus on strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates including 2022 Board of Trustees Call for Candidates, Movement Charter/Content preliminary narrative, Human Rights Policy Community Conversations, Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan Feedback, IP blocking and Open Proxies discussion, Wikimedia Hackathon 2022 May 20-22 + local events, and other ongoing activities.
This month we are meeting on Sunday May 8, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
(UTC meeting times are and , note that some areas recently experienced daylight savings time changes).--Pharos (talk) 18:08, 3 May 2022 (UTC)
2022 Wikimedia Hackathon - May 20th - 22nd
 Hello all, This is to invite you for this year's Wikimedia Hackathon from May 20-22. We hope to see you there! You can share the update with your community as well. The main event will be held online this year. We have an open call for sessions on our schedule page. If you'd like to host a session, you can simply pick an open slot in the category which best fits your topic. The developer advocacy team also put together some suggestions for how to create a fun session.
We will share more information soon about how to join the online space. You can also check through the list of local meetups holding around the world, you may find any closer to you. If you have any enquiry or translation requests, please contact hlepp@wikimedia.org
Best regards, James Popoola On behalf of the 2022 Wikimedia Hackathon Committee. |
James Moore200 (talk) 17:42, 5 May 2022 (UTC)
Sunday June 5 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting
The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
We'll focus on strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates including Movement Charter, Hubs Global Conversation this June, WMF Proposal for Movement Strategy Forum, New rounds of WMF Conference Funds including in-person events, WMF Proposal for Sound Logo Contest, WMF Elections Analysis Committee selection, wikimania:Program submissions due June 10 (scholarship and local event grants due June 3) and other ongoing activities.
This month we are meeting on Sunday June 5, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
(UTC meeting times are and ).--Pharos (talk) 20:49, 31 May 2022 (UTC)
Movement Strategy and Governance Updates
Updates from Movement Strategy and Governance are posted here. You can subscribe to receive notifications. Xeno (WMF) (talk) 03:42, 1 June 2022 (UTC)
2022 June Movement Strategy and Governance Updates
- Community Resilience and Sustainability office hour
- Join Maggie Dennis (Vice-President of Community Resilience and Sustainability) on 2 June at 17:00 UTC (check other timezones) to talk about Movement Strategy coordination, Board Governance, Trust and Safety (and the Universal Code of Conduct), Community Development, and Human Rights. Xeno (WMF) (talk) 03:42, 1 June 2022 (UTC)
- Leadership Development Working Group
- The Community Development Team has completed the candidate selection process and is happy to announce the volunteers that are beginning work on this project. See here for details and future updates. Xeno (WMF) (talk) 03:42, 1 June 2022 (UTC)
- Hubs Global Conversations 2022 June 24-26
- The third in a series of global conversations, you are invited to attend one of three scheduled calls to talk about Hubs. Xeno (WMF) (talk) 03:42, 1 June 2022 (UTC)
Proposal for a Movement Strategy Forum: Join the live community review (24 May - 24 July)
The Movement Strategy and Governance team invites everyone to review this proposal for a new Movement Strategy Forum. The goal is to improve community collaboration on a multilingual platform that is welcoming and easy to use.
This review is open between May 24 and July 24. A functional forum is available for testing and discussion. If the community feedback is positive, the Forum will launch in August 2022 before Wikimania. If not, we will follow the feedback received, changing the proposal or closing it.
If you prefer to test first and read later, you can join the MS Forum using your Wikimedia login now. Xeno (WMF) (talk) 03:42, 1 June 2022 (UTC)
Your input is requested: next steps in the Universal Code of Conduct project (25 May - 25 June)
In 2022 May, the Universal Code of Conduct (UCoC) project team completed a report on the 2022 March ratification vote about the guidelines. Voters cast votes from at least 137 communities. At least 650 participants added comments with their vote. A report is available on Meta-Wiki. (See full announcement)
Following the vote, the Community Affairs committee (CAC) of the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees asked that several areas be reviewed for improvements. A Revision Drafting Committee will refine the enforcement guidelines based on community feedback.
To help the Revisions committee, input from the community is requested. Visit the Meta-wiki pages (Enforcement Guidelines revision discussions, Policy text revision discussions) to provide thoughts for the new drafting committee. (See full announcement)
Xeno (WMF) (talk) 03:42, 1 June 2022 (UTC)
Wikimedia Foundation Board Elections 2022: Affiliate voting period (1 - 15 July)
The call for candidates has closed. The analysis committee will begin meeting on Friday.
The process for North American affiliates to choose a member for this committee is ongoing. The committee will consider the candidates’ applications with the skills and criteria provided by the Board. The committee will provide ratings for information purposes only.
Each affiliate is also invited to vote on these candidates between 1 July and 15 July. In order to cast a vote, each affiliate should identify a designated voter to be added to the SecurePoll eligibility list. 
An email was sent to affiliate representatives to request this information; please email me if you did not receive it.
The designated voter may also pose question to the candidates on behalf of the affiliate. Following the affiliate vote, 6 candidates will move forward for a community vote in August to elect 2 trustees.
Let me know if you have questions. Xeno (WMF) (talk) 03:42, 1 June 2022 (UTC)
Wikimania 2022 meetup in Pittsburgh
@Ohio Wikimedians User Group members: Hi there! A discussion with a local from Pittsburgh and members of Wikimedia DC let to the idea of hosting a Wikimania 2022 in-person meetup in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh has a good community of Wikimedians and GLAM professionals, and can also attract participation from Ohio and other neighboring areas. I've drafted a grant proposal to fund this event -- and as the grant has to be made by an affiliate, I've done so under Ohio Wikimedians (I figure we'd be happy to support a neighboring state, and Pittsburgh is close enough for Ohioans to attend). Please let me know if you have any thoughts, are interested in attending, or want to help organize! Cheers, ~SuperHamster Talk Contribs 17:32, 3 June 2022 (UTC)
Sunday July 3 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting
The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
We'll focus on strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates including Movement Charter, Hubs Global Conversation last week, Affiliate voting period to shortlist WMF Board candidates (July 1-15), Wikimania updates, Desktop improvements, Wikimedia Enterprise first customers, Call for program submissions and updates for a global diversity of regional/linguistic Wiki-Conferences, Wikidata:Wiki Mentor Africa and other ongoing activities.
This month we are meeting on Sunday July 3, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
(UTC meeting times are and ).--Pharos via MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 12:55, 30 June 2022 (UTC)
Wikimedia Foundation Board Elections 2022: Propose statements for the Election Compass
Hi all,
Community members in the 2022 Board of Trustees election are invited to propose statements to use in the Election Compass.
An Election Compass is a tool to help voters select the candidates that best align with their beliefs and views. The community members will propose statements for the candidates to answer using a Lickert scale (agree/neutral/disagree). The candidates’ answers to the statements will be loaded into the Election Compass tool. Voters will use the tool by entering in their answer to the statements (agree/disagree/neutral). The results will show the candidates that best align with the voter’s beliefs and views.
| Timeline for the Election Compass | ||
|---|---|---|
|
July 8 - 20: Community members propose statements for the Election Compass July 21 - 22: Elections Committee reviews statements for clarity and removes off-topic statements July 23 - August 1: Volunteers vote on the statements August 2 - 4: Elections Committee selects the top 15 statements August 5 - 12: candidates align themselves with the statements August 15: The Election Compass opens for voters to use to help guide their voting decision | ||
The Elections Committee will select the top 15 statements at the beginning of August. The Elections Committee will oversee the process, supported by the Movement Strategy and Governance team. MSG will check that the questions are clear, there are no duplicates, no typos, and so on.
Best,
Movement Strategy and Governance
This message was sent on behalf of the Board Selection Task Force and the Elections Committee
Xeno (WMF) (talk) 17:17, 11 July 2022 (UTC)
Announcing the six candidates for the 2022 Board of Trustees election
Hi everyone,
The Affiliate voting process has concluded. Representatives from each Affiliate organization learned about the candidates by reading candidates’ statements, reviewing candidates’ answers to questions, and considering the candidates’ ratings provided by the Analysis Committee. The selected 2022 Board of Trustees candidates are:
- Tobechukwu Precious Friday (Tochiprecious)
- Farah Jack Mustaklem (Fjmustak)
- Shani Evenstein Sigalov (Esh77)
- Kunal Mehta (Legoktm)
- Michał Buczyński (Aegis Maelstrom)
- Mike Peel (Mike Peel)
You may see more information about the Results and Statistics of this Board election.
Please take a moment to appreciate the Affiliate Representatives and Analysis Committee members for taking part in this process and helping to grow the Board of Trustees in capacity and diversity. These hours of volunteer work connect us across understanding and perspective. Thank you for your participation.
Thank you to the community members who put themselves forward as candidates for the Board of Trustees. Considering joining the Board of Trustees is no small decision. The time and dedication candidates have shown to this point speaks to their commitment to this movement. Congratulations to those candidates who have been selected. A great amount of appreciation and gratitude for those candidates not selected. Please continue to share your leadership with Wikimedia.
Thank you to those who followed the Affiliate process for this Board election. You may review the results of the Affiliate selection process.
The next part of the Board election process is the community voting period. You may view the Board election timeline here. To prepare for the community voting period, there are several things community members can engage with in the following ways:
- Read candidates’ statements and read the candidates’ answers to the questions posed by the Affiliate Representatives.
- Propose and select the 6 questions for candidates to answer during their video Q&A.
- See the Analysis Committee’s ratings of candidates on each candidate’s statement.
- Propose statements for the Election Compass voters can use to find which candidates best fit their principles.
- Encourage others in your community to take part in the election.
Best,
Movement Strategy and Governance
This message was sent on behalf of the Board Selection Task Force and the Elections Committee
Mervat (WMF) (talk) 19:17, 20 July 2022 (UTC)
Vote for Election Compass Statements
Hi all,
Volunteers in the 2022 Board of Trustees election are invited to vote for the statements. You can vote for the statements you would like to see included in the Election Compass on Meta-wiki.
An Election Compass is a tool to help voters select the candidates that best align with their beliefs and views. The community members will propose statements for the candidates to answer using a Lickert scale (agree/neutral/disagree). The candidates’ answers to the statements will be loaded into the Election Compass tool. Voters will use the tool by entering in their answer to the statements (agree/disagree/neutral). The results will show the candidates that best align with the voter’s beliefs and views.
Here is the timeline for the Election Compass:
July 8 - 20: Volunteers propose statements for the Election CompassJuly 21 - 22: Elections Committee reviews statements for clarity and removes off-topic statements- July 23 - August 1: Volunteers vote on the statements
- August 2 - 4: Elections Committee selects the top 15 statements
- August 5 - 12: candidates align themselves with the statements
- August 15: The Election Compass opens for voters to use to help guide their voting decision
The Elections Committee will select the top 15 statements at the beginning of August
Best,
Movement Strategy and Governance
This message was sent on behalf of the Board Selection Task Force and the Elections Committee Mervat (WMF) (talk) 21:43, 25 July 2022 (UTC)
Wikimania 2022 Meetup in Pittsburgh
@Ohio Wikimedians User Group members: Hey all! There is a Wikimania 2022 Pittsburgh meetup happening August 11-14. This will be a small gathering of Wikimedians and friends to meet each other and participate in the global Wikimania online event. We'll have a social Thursday evening, followed by participating in the online programming Friday - Sunday. We'll also have some local sessions and programming. If you're interested in attending, check out the details on our event page and register here. Also be sure to register for the global online event as well. We also have a Telegram group for participants if you would like to join and chat with others before the event.
A note on travel reimbursement: We have $1,500 budgeted for reimbursements, which will be split between participants who request it. As a result, we will likely only be able to reimburse a portion of everyone's costs, especially those who are traveling out of town.
Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks, ~SuperHamster Talk Contribs 14:28, 5 August 2022 (UTC)
Delay of the 2022 Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees election
Hi all,
I am reaching out to you today with an update about the timing of the voting for the Board of Trustees election.
As many of you are already aware, this year we are offering an Election Compass to help voters identify the alignment of candidates on some key topics. Several candidates requested an extension of the character limitation on their responses expanding on their positions, and the Elections Committee felt their reasoning was consistent with the goals of a fair and equitable election process.
To ensure that the longer statements can be translated in time for the election, the Elections Committee and Board Selection Task Force decided to delay the opening of the Board of Trustees election by one week - a time proposed as ideal by staff working to support the election.
Although it is not expected that everyone will want to use the Election Compass to inform their voting decision, the Elections Committee felt it was more appropriate to open the voting period with essential translations for community members across languages to use if they wish to make this important decision.
The voting will open on August 23 at 00:00 UTC and close on September 6 at 23:59 UTC.
Best regards,
Matanya, on behalf of the Elections Committee
Mervat (WMF) (talk) 11:30, 18 August 2022 (UTC)
[Invitation] Join the Movement Strategy Forum
Hello everyone,
The Movement Strategy Forum (MS Forum) is a multilingual collaborative space for all conversations about Movement Strategy implementation.
We are inviting all Movement participants to collaborate on the MS Forum. The goal of the forum is to build community collaboration, using an inclusive multilingual platform.
The Movement Strategy is a collaborative effort to imagine and build the future of the Wikimedia Movement. Anyone can contribute to the Movement Strategy, from a comment to a full-time project.
Join this forum with your Wikimedia account, engage in conversations, and ask questions in your language.
The Movement Strategy and Governance team (MSG) launched the proposal for the MS Forum in May 2022. There was a 2-month community review period, which ended on 24 July 2022. The community review process included several questions that resulted in interesting conversations. You can read the Community Review Report.
We look forward to seeing you at the MS Forum!
Best regards,
Movement Strategy and Governance team Mervat (WMF) (talk) 15:54, 22 August 2022 (UTC)
The 2022 Board of Trustees election Community Voting period is now open
Hi everyone,
The Community Voting period for the 2022 Board of Trustees election is now open. Here are some helpful links to get you the information you need to vote:
- Try the Election Compass, showing how candidates stand on 15 different topics.
- Read the candidate statements and answers to Affiliate questions
- Learn more about the skills the Board seeks and how the Analysis Committee found candidates align with those skills
If you are ready to vote, you may go to SecurePoll voting page to vote now. You may vote from August 23 at 00:00 UTC to September 6 at 23:59 UTC. To see about your voter eligibility, please visit the voter eligibility page.
Best,
Movement Strategy and Governance
This message was sent on behalf of the Board Selection Task Force and the Elections Committee
Mervat (WMF) (talk) 08:39, 25 August 2022 (UTC)
- @Ohio Wikimedians User Group members: Reminder that the ongoing Board of Trustees election closes on September 6 at 7:59PM Ohio time! If you haven't voted yet and are eligible, I encourage you to review the candidates and cast your vote on these important seats. Thanks, ~SuperHamster Talk Contribs 04:43, 6 September 2022 (UTC)
- @SuperHamster, for some reason these notices always are delayed. I just now received this, and I remember another notice -- maybe an editathon? -- also came through after the event had ended. Valereee (talk) 15:24, 7 September 2022 (UTC)
Revised Enforcement Draft Guidelines for the Universal Code of Conduct
Hello everyone,
The Universal Code of Conduct Enforcement Guidelines Revisions committee is requesting comments regarding the Revised Enforcement Draft Guidelines for the Universal Code of Conduct (UCoC). This review period will be open from 8 September 2022 until 8 October 2022.
The Committee collaborated to revise these draft guidelines based on input gathered from the community discussion period from May through July, as well as the community vote that concluded in March 2022. The revisions are focused on the following four areas:
- To identify the type, purpose, and applicability of the UCoC training;
- To simplify the language for more accessible translation and comprehension by non-experts;
- To explore the concept of affirmation, including its pros and cons;
- To review the balancing of the privacy of the accuser and the accused
The Committee requests comments and suggestions about these revisions by 8 October 2022. From there, the Revisions Committee anticipates further revising the guidelines based on community input.
Find the Revised Guidelines on Meta, and a comparison page in some languages.
Everyone may share comments in a number of places. Facilitators welcome comments in any language on the Revisions Guideline Talk Page. Comments can also be shared on talk pages of translations, at local discussions, or during conversation hours. There are planned live discussions about the UCoC enforcement draft guidelines; please see Meta times and details: Conversation hours
The facilitation team supporting this review period hopes to reach a large number of communities. If you do not see a conversation happening in your community, please organize a discussion. Facilitators can assist you in setting up the conversations. Discussions will be summarized and presented to the drafting committee every two weeks. The summaries will be published here.
On behalf of the T&S Policy Team
Mervat (WMF) (discuss • contribs) 11:10, 9 September 2022 (UTC) Mervat (WMF) (discuss • contribs) 11:10, 9 September 2022 (UTC)
The Affiliations Committee (AffCom) – the committee responsible for guiding volunteers in establishing Wikimedia chapters, thematic organizations, and user groups – is looking for new members!
The main role of the Affiliations Committee is to guide groups of volunteers that are interested in forming Wikimedia affiliates. We review applications from new groups, answer questions and provide advice about the different Wikimedia affiliation models and processes, review affiliate bylaws for compliance with requirements and best practices, and update the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees as well as advise them on issues connected to chapters, thematic organizations and Wikimedia user groups.
The committee consists of fourteen members, selected every twelve months for staggered two-year terms. Those joining the committee during the current process will serve a two-year term ending in December 2021.
AffCom continues to closely monitor the Wikimedia 2030 Strategy process that was initiated in 2016. While the affiliation models continue to be discussed as part of the broader strategy discussion, as no decisions have been made to change the current affiliation models yet, AffCom will continue to work in the same manner with regard to affiliate recognitions and intervention support for affiliates with issues of non-compliance in 2020. Specifically, AffCom will continue to process applications for user group and chapter/thematic organization creation, while we await the strategy next steps and begin to prepare for a smooth transition of the committee and affiliates ecosystem to any changing movement structures and systems in 2021.
Being a part of the Affiliations Committee requires communication with volunteers all over the world, negotiating skills, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to understand legal texts. We look for a healthy mix of different skill sets in our members.
Required and Recommended Skills for Affiliations Committee Members
Across all committee members there are additional relevant skills as well as requirements which help to support the committee and its sustainability which include both required and relevant general skills
Required Skills
- Fluency in English
- Availability of up to 5 hours per week, and the time to participate in a monthly one and two-hour voice/video meetings.
- Willingness to use one's real name in committee activities (including contacts with current and potential affiliates) when appropriate.
- Strong track record of effective collaboration
- International orientation
Relevant Skills
- Skills in other languages are a major plus.
- Public Communications (English writing and speaking skills)
- Strong understanding of the structure and work of affiliates and the Wikimedia Foundation.
- Documentation practices
- Interviewing experience
- Knowledge of different legal systems and experience in community building and organizing are a plus
- Experience with, or in, an active affiliate is a major plus.
- Teamwork
- Focusing on shared goals instead of disagreements
- Focusing on the conflict at hand and not past ones
- Ensuring each member of the team has a clearly defined role, which can help reduce disagreements over areas of responsibility
- Project and people management to coordinate different parties on a shared plan and seeing it through to completion.
- Problem-Solving
- Ability to evaluate various solutions
- Ability to consider multiple interests and points of view
- Willingness to revisit unresolved issues
- The capacity to recognize and respond to important matters
- The ability to seek compromise and avoid punishing
- Ability to work and communicate with other languages and cultures.
Given the expectations for maintaining course in 2020 and preparing for potential 2021 transitions, it is important that we are also clear about two different skill sets critical to committee support at this time. The first skillset is oriented to understanding affiliate dynamics and organizational development patterns to successfully process affiliate applications for recognition; the other is oriented to conflict prevention and intervention support for affiliates in conflict.
Affiliate Recognitions Relevant Skills
- Administration
- Willingness to process applications through a set, perhaps bureaucratic process.
- Attention to detail
- Monitoring & Strategic Development
- Readiness to participate in political discussions on the role and future of affiliates, models of affiliation, and similar topics.
- Organizational Awareness
- Understanding of and community building and organizational development
- Understanding of group dynamics
- Awareness of the affiliates ecosystem and models
Conflict Prevention & Intervention Relevant Skills
- Communication
- Active listening
- Reading nonverbal cues
- Knowing when to interrupt and when to stay quiet
- Being culturally sensitive at the same time remaining clear and concise when explaining a concept or opinion
- Stress Management
- Patience
- Positivity
- Ability to inject a dose of humor to dilute anger and frustration when needed
- Taking well-timed breaks that can bring calm in the midst of flared tempers
- Ability to manage stress while remaining alert and calm
- Emotional Intelligence
- Being emotionally aware,
- Ability to control emotions and behaviors,
- Ability to practice empathy,
- Impartiality,
- Don’t take anything personally,
- Being aware of and respectful of differences.
- Facilitation skills
- Meeting facilitation experience
- Peer or community mediation training
- Peer or community mediation experience
Do you have any of these skill sets and an interest to support movement affiliates?
We are looking for people who are excited by the challenge of empowering volunteers to get organized and form communities that further our mission around the world. In exchange, committee members selected will gain the experience of supporting their world-wide colleagues to develop their communities as well as personal development in guiding organizational development, facilitating affiliate partnerships, and professional communications.
Selection process
As a reflection of our commitment to openness, transparency, and bilateral engagement with the Wikimedia community, the 2019 member selection process will include a public review and comment period. We invite you to share with us you applications, specifying your focus area you’re interested in. All applications received by the committee will be posted on Meta, and the community will be invited to provide comments and feedback about each candidate.
At the end of the public comment period, the applications will be voted on by the members of the committee who are not seeking re-election, taking into account comments put forward by the committee's members, advisors, Wikimedia Foundation staff and board liaisons, and the community. A final decision will be made by mid-January 2020, with new members expected to join later that month.
How to apply
If you are interested in joining the committee, please post your application on the nomination page and send an email announcing your application to AffComlists.wikimedia.org by 10 January 2020. Your application must include the following information:
- Your full name and Wikimedia username
- A statement describing your relevant experience, skills, and motivation for joining the committee.
- Answers to the following questions:
- How do you think affiliates work best together to partner on effective projects and initiatives?
- What do you see as the role of affiliates in the Wikimedia movement in the next three years?
- What do you feel you will bring to the committee that makes you uniquely qualified?
- Which subcommittee are you most interested in serving on: Recognitions OR Conflict Prevention & Intervention?
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me and/or the committee as a whole. We are happy to chat or have a phone call with anyone about our work if this helps them decide to apply. Please distribute this call among your networks, and do apply if you are interested!
On behalf of the committee,
Camelia Boban, AffCom member