Global requests committee

From the discussion at Requests for comment/Global requests committee

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A global requests committee (GRC) is a body that would facilitate the resolution of disputes across multiple projects, and processes requests for global blocks and bans, as well as supervise steward elections and controversial requests on Steward requests/Global (SRG). The committee will work towards conflict resolution, will give advice to projects without internal conflict handling devices and will mediate in conflicts involving more than one project.

Scope

• Helping communities to establish internal means of conflict resolution and places to discuss such work
  • Addressing disputes on projects that do not yet have any mediation or dispute resolution mechanisms (such as no active admins), or where these mechanisms are themselves part of the dispute
• Facilitating and closing discussions of controversial cross-project requests
  • Controversial requests made at SRG, including global [un]blocks and [un]locks for accounts which are not purely for vandalism or abuse.
  • Cross-project behavior problems, disruption, forum shopping, cross-project advertising mixed with useful contributions, etc.
  • Disputes involving an entire small project (or a majority of its contributors) where there are no impartial observers from that community
  • Controversial requests at SRGP, including investigation of abuse of global rights (including steward and global sysop rights, excluding global rollback)
  • Difficult Requests for comments
• Facilitating global processes
  • Supervising steward elections, replacing the ad-hoc election committees
  • Identifying cross-project community requests emerging from global discussions

Stewards will continue to handle uncontroversial requests on SRG and SRGP, but have the choice to direct requests to the committee if they are controversial or disputed. Meta contributors will continue to handle uncontroversial RFCs, but will have the same choice.

Choosing members

Initial members would be appointed by the Board after a public nomination process. They would organize the policies of the committee including how to choose and replenish members each year, which would then be approved by the Board.

Activity

The initial members will have to organize their work as they see fit, defining a charter that lays out duties and procedures. They should work closely with the Ombudsmen to find ways to coordinate or combine efforts as needed.