Talk:Wikimedia Chapters Association/Meetings/2013-16a

Draft proposal Executive Committee

The Council installs an Executive Committee of five members. This Committee is authorized to carry out all acts that further the purposes of the Association. It is authorized to manage the Association's business. It will be elected by the Council for a term of two years; a vacancy can be filled by the Council at any time. The Council can also dismiss a Committee member, by a two thirds majority.

The Committee members act voluntarily and can only be compensated for their effective and travel costs. Eventual fees cannot exceed that paid for official commissions. For activities exceeding the usual function, each Committee member can receive appropriate compensation.

The Committee ensures the Charter is applied and administers the assets of the Association. Together with the Chair of the Council it decides about the admission of new members.

The Committee can asign specific tasks to its members.

---

Ziko (talk) 08:59, 19 April 2013 (UTC)

I prefer to set a minimum number of members instead. So the first sentence should be

"The Council installs an Executive Committee of five members".

Taking up Fae's comment, I suggest to add a sentence on limitations:

The Committee's scope is limited to operational issues. Any furhter decisions are to be deferred back to the Council.

Mglaser (talk) 15:51, 20 April 2013 (UTC)

Draft proposal inclusion of thematic organizations

The Wikimedia Chapters Association is interested in including the new thematic organizations in the Wikimedia movement and wishes to treat them in the same way as chapters. The Association invites thematic organizations to apply for membership. When a thematic organization has actually become a member, the WCA will consider to change its name to Wikimedia Association.

The Association is also interested in relating to the new Wikimedia user groups in an appropriate way. It will discuss about this way in the following months.

---

This proposal is, I hope, in line with what we discussed on thursday. The idea is to actively invite the thematic organizations and to give a positive signal to the Wikimedia user groups. Ziko (talk) 08:59, 19 April 2013 (UTC)

Do we actually need a resolution on this? If so, I'd rather not put the name change here, since it limits us to a specific name. Mglaser (talk) 15:54, 20 April 2013 (UTC)

Thematic organizations can't be members unless we change the charter. I wouldn't rush for that, as we don't know whether it is really interesting for them to join. The simplest thing is to create an "observer" role, meaning "you can't be a member, but we will treat you as one". An hypotetical wording is:

The Wikimedia Chapters Association is interested in including the thematic organizations in the Wikimedia movement and wishes to treat them in the same way as chapters. The Association invites thematic organizations to apply for becoming observers; a representative from each observer organizations will invited to the Council meetings, and will be treated similarly to a Council member, except for the fact that he can't have a vote. In one year from now the Association will reconsider this resolution, and possibly amend the charter to make it possible for the thematic organizations to became members and consider to change the name of the Association.

- Laurentius (talk) 23:19, 20 April 2013 (UTC)

I like the idea of implementing an observer status (maybe also offer this to a member of the Board of Trustees?). However, I'd rather not do have the time frame in here. While the intention is good, it gives too much emphasis on the restriction. Personally, I see no reason why we should not change the Charter accordingly right away. Maybe in Hongkong, we have the first thematic organisation as a member? Mglaser (talk) 15:08, 21 April 2013 (UTC)

Let's continue this discussion on the page talk:Wikimedia Chapters Association. Othewise it might get lost here. :-) Ziko (talk) 21:25, 22 April 2013 (UTC)

Draft proposal on substitution of members

(Suggested by Laurentius and adapted by Kirill) "Each Chapter may also select a Substitute Council Member, who will be authorized to act as a Council Member at any meeting at which the primary Council Member selected by that Chapter is not present."

Presumably this can be added to the end of Art. 3.

Kirill would also suggest modifying Art. 3 and Art. 4 to replace "by announcement of the Chapter to the Chair" with "by electronic announcement from the Chapter" and "by announcing a replacement Council Member to the Chair" with "by electronically announcing a replacement" to address Charles' point about announcements.