Egypt Wikimedians User Group/Bylaw

Bylaw of Egypt Wikimedians User Group

These rules govern the internal affairs of Egypt Wikimedians User Group. This regulation outlines the user group's administrative structure, roles, and all organizational procedures.

Orginal version of in Arabic

Article One: Board of Trustees

Responsibilities

The Board of Trustees is the administrative body overseeing the user group's activities. It is responsible for making decisions on behalf of the user group members and for official representing the user group for external parties. Its role includes:

• Developing the user group's annual plan for the upcoming year by the end of each calendar year.
• Developing and approving the user group's annual budget and monitoring the expenditure of funds.
• Selecting and appointing the Executive Director, the Treasurer, and the Communications and Relations Officer, ensuring their performance, and monitoring their workflow. The Board has the right to dismiss any of these officers based on a vote.
• Selecting the user group's representatives to attend conferences and events.
• Determining the mechanism for accepting members into the user group and making decisions to revoke the membership of any individual in the user group.
• Approving and establishing executive committees and defining their activities and operations.
• Discussing and approving any statements, partnerships, projects, event representations, or official decisions of any kind concerning the user group.
• Holding regular monthly meetings and annual meetings.
• Electing and removing the Chair of the Board of Trustees by a majority vote.
• Voting to remove any Board member in accordance with the governing rules.

Composition of the Board

• The Board consists of an odd number of at least 5 members. The number of members may be increased by two members for every 200 new group subscribers, provided that the total number of Board members does not exceed 15.
• Board members perform their duties on the Board on a voluntary basis without pay or financial compensation.
• Board members can select non-voting members for the Board of Trustees. non-voting may attend Board sessions but do not have the right to vote.

Elections

Members of the Board of Trustees are elected through a general election by the user group members, held in January of each year. The term of Board membership is two years. To achieve a legal quorum for the elections, the number of voters must not be less than 40% of the members eligible to vote. If the legal quorum is not met, the remaining members have the right to appoint a temporary Board of Trustees for a one-year term.

Conditions for Electing a Board of Trustees Member

1. Must be an active member who has completed a full year since joining the user group up to the date of the elections.
2. Must be at least 21 years old and possess full legal capacity.
3. Must be fluent in speaking Arabic.
4. Must be an active member in one of the Wikimedia projects with no less than 1,000 contributions across all projects.
5. Must be of good reputation and have no prior violations of the user group's Code of Ethics and Conduct.

Conditions for Voting in Board of Trustees Elections

1. Must hold an active, valid membership and have been issued a membership number.
2. Must have completed at least 3 months since joining the user group up to the date of the elections.

Rules for Conducting Elections

• The Board of Trustees appoints an election supervisor (which can be multiple people), provided they are not candidates for Board membership in the current cycle.
• Candidates for Board membership send their names to the supervisor by the specified date. The supervisor verifies that the conditions are met and then prepares a general list of candidates.
• The elections are conducted via a secret online ballot lasting 3 days.
• The member votes using their email registered with the user group or by confirming attendance through signing the Meta page using their Wikimedia account.
• If there are 7 or fewer candidates, a direct (Yes/No) vote is held. A member wins if they receive an approval rating of 65% of the total votes. If more candidates win than the available seats, they are filtered by: the highest approval percentage, then the highest number of valid votes. If there are more than 7 candidates, the Schulze method is used for voting. The voter selects 3 names, where the first name gets 5 points, the second gets 3, and the third gets 1 point. The names with the highest points are selected to become Board members based on the available seats.
• In the event of a persistent tie, a runoff round is held between them for 48 hours via direct selection.
• The member must vote in person; proxy or deputization is not permitted. Voting after the actual deadline is not allowed under any circumstances.
• The supervisor must verify the validity of the votes and the fulfillment of voting conditions, and has the right to disqualify any invalid vote.
• No methods of rallying or vote manipulation may be used. The supervisor has the right to exclude any candidate proven to have committed these violations.
• After voting concludes, the supervisor announces the results and sends them to the Chair of the Board to approve the election outcome.

Role of the Chair of the Board of Trustees

The role of the Chair of the Board is summarized in the following points:

• Presiding over regular meetings and ratifying the results and decisions of the meeting.
• Ratifying the Board's approval of the annual plan and budget.
• Addressing the Wikimedia Foundation as the representative of the Board of Trustees.
• Receiving resignation letters from Board members.

Rules for the Termination of Board Membership

Board membership is terminated in the following cases:

• The member's resignation via a letter addressed to the Chair of the Board.
• Absence from 3 consecutive Board meetings or more than 6 meetings during the year without prior excuse.
• Complete cessation of communication with Board members for more than 6 months.
• If it is proven that the member has committed a gross violation, the Board shall investigate them and then hold a vote for their removal.

In the event of a vacancy, the Board members have the right to select a replacement member for the Board until the end of the term. If the membership of more than two members is terminated, the Board is dissolved, and elections are held to select a temporary Board to assume responsibility until the official election date.

Article Two: Senior Positions

Executive Director

The Executive Director is one of the members of the Board of Trustees. They are responsible for all executive matters of the user group, executing Board decisions, and serving as the liaison between the Board, the heads of the executive committees, and the staff. This position may not remain vacant, and the Board of Trustees must immediately appoint an acting director. The responsibilities of the Executive Director are as follows:

• Calling meetings, preparing minutes for each meeting with discussion points, and recording the meeting's outcomes.
• Establishing subcommittees and appointing or dismissing staff in the executive or subcommittees.
• Taking responsibility for monitoring, executing, and managing the user group's activities and events.
• Monitoring and supervising the projects and competitions organized by the user group.
• Coordinating among the executive committees within the user group and resolving internal problems or disputes.
• Tracking invoices, accounts, expenditures, and everything related to financial matters, and coordinating with the Treasurer.
• Managing all digital platforms used for organizing tasks or communication, as well as accounts and the website.
• Stamping paperwork with the official seal and signing all documents issued by the user group.
• Providing support and assistance with financial grant requests in coordination with the Treasurer if required.
• Taking the place of the Chair of the Board of Trustees in their absence or if the position is vacant until a new Chair is selected.
• Handling discussions and communications with any external parties regarding any executive matters.

Treasurer

The Treasurer is a member of the Board of Trustees and is responsible for the financial aspects of the user group. Their duties are as follows:

• Taking responsibility for spending and paying expenses according to the financial plan set by the Board of Trustees.
• Sending financial grant requests to the Wikimedia Foundation or any other supporting entities. They must follow up on the request with the Foundation and provide it with the necessary information or data until its completion.
• Receiving financial grants from the Wikimedia Foundation or other supporting entities (through the user group's account if possible, or their personal account at their own risk) and notifying other members of their arrival by documenting them in a record.
• Managing the method of dispersing the user group's revenues for its projects as agreed upon by the rest of the members.
• Keeping copies of all invoices, receipts, and financial documents.
• May delegate a number of members to assist in the accounting process, auditing invoices, and the like.

Liaison Officer

This is the person responsible for communications and public relations tasks between the user group and Wikimedia Foundation, other groups, or any other entities affiliated with the Foundation. They report to the Board of Trustees and deal directly with the Board. Their duties are as follows:

• Serving as the liaison with the Wikimedia Foundation or sponsors.
• Handling all matters related to external relations and coordination with the Foundation or its affiliated entities.
• Promptly conveying the Foundation's recommendations or guidelines, as well as all updates and decisions.
• Concluding agreements or partnerships approved by the Board of Trustees with other parties.
• Attending communication sessions with other groups and providing a report on them to the Board of Trustees.

Article Three: Executive and Sub-Committees

To facilitate workflow, operations, and executive and administrative matters within the user group, responsibilities are assigned to executive committees managed by at least one staff member. As the workload increases, more than one staff member may be utilized, or sub-committees may be established by a decision of the Executive Director. Given the nature of the Wikimedia User Group in Egypt as a volunteer organization, all staff members initially perform their roles on a voluntary basis, unless the Foundation approves the appointment of part-time or full-time paid employees and includes this in the user group's budget. Job tasks are managed online through platforms and tools determined by the Executive Director, and staff may be required to attend the user group's meetings and activities. In the event of establishing an official headquarters for the user group, requirements, working hours, and attendance will be determined according to the demands of the assigned job role. The Board of Trustees is responsible for establishing or dissolving any executive committees within the user group, while the Executive Director or their acting deputy is responsible for appointing and selecting staff, monitoring their work, supervising them, and dismissing them if necessary, as well as making decisions to establish sub-committees and appoint or dismiss their staff. Unlike the members of the Board of Trustees, staff members continue in their roles both before and after elections unless new decisions are issued by the Executive Director or their acting deputy.

Division of Executive Committees

Division of executive committees within the user group: (As per the January 2024 update)

1- Memberships and Personnel Committee: The committee responsible for organizing memberships, the onboarding process for new members, and organizing members' data and records.

2- Accounts Committee: The committee that manages the accounts, records, and financial affairs of the user group.

3- Public Relations Committee: The committee responsible for communicating with the media, institutions, libraries, and local entities, and preparing official statements.

4- Social Media Committee: The committee responsible for the user group's accounts on social media networks and publishing on them.

5- Training Program Management Committee: The committee responsible for preparing editing sessions and training programs organized by the user group.

6- Competitions Management Committee: The committee responsible for preparing and setting up competitions sponsored by the user group.

7- Procurement and Inventory Committee: The committee responsible for the user group's purchases and inventory of gifts, printed materials, and collectibles for members, as well as supplies for the user group, including goods and products it needs.

Article Four: Memberships

Types of Memberships

Memberships in the user group are divided into:

Active Membership

This is a member who meets the membership conditions and has obtained a membership number. This member has the right to participate in all group events and activities, including conferences, sessions, and meetings, and to receive benefits and in-kind gifts. They also have the right to vote in the Board of Trustees elections and join the staff of the user group's executive and sub-committees.

Honorary Membership

This is a membership granted exclusively by invitation from the Board of Trustees, and it may be granted to anyone even if they do not meet the membership conditions. Honorary members have the right to attend all group events and activities, including conferences, sessions, and meetings, and to receive benefits and in-kind gifts. However, they do not have the right to vote in the Board of Trustees elections or join the staff of the executive and sub-committees.

Membership Conditions

This paragraph defines the conditions for active membership and joining the user group:

1. The member must submit the joining request personally or provide written consent. It is not permissible to create memberships for others or act on their behalf without their desire.

1. The person must be an Egyptian national or a resident of the Arab Republic of Egypt (regardless of their nationality).

1. According to the Foundation's instructions, the member's age must not be less than 14 years.

1. Must have a registered account on Wikimedia projects.

1. Must be active on one of the projects and have no less than 100 contributions.

1. The applicant must agree to register their real name and email with the membership officers (this information remains confidential and is not shared).

1. Must agree to the user group's charter and the clauses of its Code of Ethics and Conduct.

Termination of Membership

The membership of any person in the user group may be terminated or suspended in the event of the following: Registering incorrect or misleading data or manipulating the fulfillment of membership conditions. A request from the member themselves to cancel their membership addressed to the Board of Trustees. The issuance of an administrative decision by the Board of Trustees to revoke the membership as a result of violations of the Code of Ethics and Conduct. Complete inactivity of the member and lack of communication or attendance at any group events or activities for more than 5 years.

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This regulation was drafted by the user group's members, reviewed, and discussed, and then approved by the Board of Trustees on December 15, 2023.
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