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Chapters meeting 2009/Committees

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On this page, participants of the Chapters meeting 2009 are collecting possible ideas and interested participants for committees.

Notes

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  • Any one person can realistically only be in one committee. Committees meet at different times over the course of the chapters meeting and often simultaneously. Also, the point of the exercise is to have committee members who can focus on one issue and get actual work done.
  • For purposes of discussion, compromise, and agreement, there's generally an optimal number of people in a committee (6-7). If there's too many people there, discussion can easily be endless and many members may not be engaged at all. If there's too few people, the outcome may not be agreeable to the whole assembly. We therefore should be mindful not too make these committees too big. There's also the fact that there are several topics with similar importance and need for participation. If everyone sat in a committee, these other topics would be left uncared for.
  • Participants in a committee are a subset of the whole assembly, yet have to produce something the whole assembly in general can agree on. It therefore makes sense that committee members talk to people outside of the committee about their interests, concerns, and needs. As chapters, we have to allow for a certain amount of faith that these committees will work for the best of our interest. That faith can only be supported if there's dialogue happening between committee meetings.

Fundraising

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Topic
Joint fundraising activities between the Wikimedia Foundation and the chapters.
Purpose
  • To recap last year's experience during the fall online fundraising campaign.
  • To discuss needs and expectations for future joint campaigns
  • To develop a list of requirements for such campaigns
  • To agree on a common understanding for each participant's roles and responsibilities
  • To propose the findings to the general assembly of chapters attending
  • To negotiate with the Wikimedia Foundation on those points still contentious
  • To present to the chapters a plan of action for the fall fundraising campaign
Needed participants
  • Rand Montoya, Head of Community Giving, Wikimedia Foundation
Interested participants

Chapters' association

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Topic
Cooperation and collaboration between chapters beyond the annual meeting
Purpose
  • To brainstorm ideas for possible collaboration
  • To discuss chapters' needs and expectations of other chapters
  • To develop a framework for closer coordination where it makes sense
  • To propose the findings to the general assembly of chapters attending
  • To reconcile chapters' feedback and present an agreeable plan of action
Needed participants
  • Austin Hair, member of the Chapters Committee
Interested participants

Chapters and business

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Topic
Chapters generating business revenues for their own use
Purpose
  • To discuss current practices among those chapters already engaging in business activities
  • To present chapters' and the Wikimedia Foundation's concerns, issues and hopes regarding business activities
  • To develop a set of parameters within which business activities by chapters could and would be supported
  • To propose the findings to the general assembly of chapters attending
  • To negotiate with the Wikimedia Foundation on those points still contentious
  • To present to the chapters an agreeable framework
Needed participants
  • Mike Godwin, General Counsel, Wikimedia Foundation
Interested participants

WMF Trustees

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Topic
Figuring out a way for chapters to effectively select board members
Purpose
  • At the meeting:
    • To discuss the expectations of the chapters and the Wikimedia Foundation in regards to the chapter-selected trustees
    • To develop a proposal for a selection process taking into account such expectations
    • To present the proposal to the whole assembly for discussion and approval
  • After the meeting:
    • To facilitate the adoption of the process in the selection of trustees
    • To serve as liaison for the board during the selection process
    • To present, at the conclusion of the process, the selected candidates to the board
Needed participants
  • Jan-Bart de Vreede
Interested participants (no more than 6 please)

Cultural Institutions partnerships

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Topic
Chapters working with local cultural institutions
Purpose
  • To share experiences and ideas on working with
    • Museums
    • Libraries
    • Galleries
    • University departments
    • Schools
    • Non-profit civic groups
  • General ideas on how to help institutions become a fuller part of the Wikimedia community
Needed participants
  • None in particular
Interested participants


Results