Wikimedia Chapters Association/Standing Orders

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Wikimedia Chapters Association: Standing Orders of the Council

This draft is a new proposal, published here on July 25th, 2012, for standing orders of the Council. It is based on an older proposal (see talk page) but modified and – so I hope – simplified. It no longer makes a distinction between physical and non physical meetings, but knows only physical meetings, opening the possibility to make decisions outside a meeting. I have tried to implement opinions from the talk page and our young practices in the meeting of July 11th. The paradox now: In order to officially adopt standing orders, we need standing orders to tell us how to reach a decision (outside of a meeting). I suggest to discuss these standing orders now on the talk page, and at the time when we need standing orders to make decisions (also e.g. about the committees, the SG etc.), we consider this proposal to be the preliminary standing orders before the adoption of final standing orders. Ziko (talk) 14:18, 25 July 2012 (UTC)

Note: I altered the text according to the discussion on the talk page; mainly leaving the question of secret / open ballot out for later. I also added letters and numbers to the sections and paragraphs because it seems that there is no fundamental criticism about the structure. Ziko (talk) 16:16, 1 August 2012 (UTC)

Section A: Council Members

Art. 1 [Appointment]: Every member organization of the Association has the right to appoint one Council Member, as described in Section B, Art. 3 of the Charter. The appointment is announced to the Chair of the Council by the board of the organization.

Art. 2 [Term]: The term of a Council Member is two years; after this term the Council Member leaves office unless re-appointed. The term also ends if the Council Member resigns or is removed by the Council itself, or when a successor is appointed by the appointing organization, as described in Section B, Art. 4 of the Charter.

Section B: Chair and Deputy Chair

Art. 1 [Election]: When a position becomes vacant, the Council elects one of its members Chair of the Council, and another member Deputy Chair of the Council, as described in Section B, Art. 6 of the Charter. If there is no Chair or Deputy Chair, the election is organized by the Council Member who is the oldest by age. If the oldest Council Member cannot do this, the second oldest Council Member organizes the election, etc. A Chair or Deputy Chair can be replaced by a new election.

Art. 2 [Deputy Chair]: The Deputy Chair supports the Chair. He/she carries out the duties of the Chair if the Chair is absent or incapable to perfom them.

Art. 3 [Tasks]: The Chair prepares the proceedings of the Council. The Chair determines who is a Member of the Council by the list of Council Members.

Section C: Proceedings of the Council

Art. 1 [Tasks]: The Council performs the tasks described by Section B, Art. 1 of the Charter.

Art. 2 [Language]: The language of the Council is the English language, unless a majority of all Council Members selects an alternative language for a specific occasion.

Art. 3 [Voting]: The Council makes decisions by voting as described by Section A, Art. 4, Section B, Art. 7 or Section D, Art. 4 of the Charter. A Council Member has one and only one vote on any matter. A vote that is not cast does not count when determining a majority.

Art. 4 [Meetings]: The Council holds a (physical) meeting at least once a year, as described by Section B, Art. 9. The Chair has to announce a meeting at least one month prior to the meeting. The Chair can convene a meeting on shorter terms if the Council accepts the convocation at the beginning of the meeting by a majority of the Council. The agenda of a Council meeting is prepared by the Chair and valid if at the beginning of the meeting it is not rejected by a majority of the Council.

Art. 5 [Presiding and speaking time]: A meeting is presided over by the Chair, or the Deputy Chair, or another person chosen by the Chair. Speaking time is allocated by the presiding person who can also ask someone to leave the meeting for severe or repeated misbehaviour.

Art. 6 [Decisions outside of a meeting]: The Council can make decisions outside of a meeting. After the Chair makes a proposal to the Council Members via mailing list or web site, the Council Members must have at least one week to cast their vote. The Chair has to send a proposal of a Council Member to the Council if it is supported by one fifth of the Council Members.

Art. 7 [Public]: The proceedings are public, as described in Section B, Art. 8 of the Charter. Non Council Members can be excluded if a majority of the present Council Members decides so.

Section D: Committees

Art. 1 [Establishment]: The Chair or a majority of the Council can establish, abolish and alter committees by commissioning a Council Member. The Council Member elects other committee members which can also be non Council Members.

Art 2 [Organisation]: Committees can formulate their own meeting procedures and times as they see fit, unless directed otherwise by the Council.

Art 3 [Reporting]: Committees report to the Council via the Chair.