Talk:Wikimedia Australia/Archives/2010

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Wikipedia as a NSW HSC English text

Hannah Edwards (July 22, 2007). "Websites, classic films on English study list". The Sydney Morning Herald. 

Prescriptions and Annotations

So, in 2009, NSW HSC students may be looking at Wikipedia as a text. It's in the Standard Course under Module C: Texts and Society, Elective 1: The Global Village. This seems to me to be exactly the kind of thing WMAu would be good for as a local contact point. We might even be able to organise for people to go to schools and do short presentations. If we want to get involved in this, we really need to be up and running before July 2008, so that when the BoS releases the extra information about the module in its bulletin we have a chance of being mentioned. Can we do it? Confusing Manifestation 02:39, 26 July 2007 (UTC)

Rules for incorporation in Victoria

There are two proposals on the main page. The first, at Wikimedia Australia/Draft Rules of Association for Victoria 2, is the given model rules plus only necessary additions and changes. The second, at Wikimedia Australia/Draft Rules of Association for Victoria, is a full constitution essentially written from scratch. I want to strongly urge that we follow the first approach. Firstly, this ensures that we meet the required items that have to be included as these are in the model rules. Secondly, it will be easier to modify, if and when Victoria revises their model rules. These were written in 1981 and revised in 1996. A revision in the next few years seems likely. Thirdly, it helps to ensure that we make no legal blunders. Finally it is just simpler. The first proposal has received quite a bit of work by me and has been looked at by a Wikipedian who is a law academic at the University of Queensland. The second was written by Nathan (to whom thanks), but it has not been seriously checked by others. The first proposal does need some more work and some issues are discussed on its talk page at Talk:Wikimedia Australia/Draft Rules of Association for Victoria 2. Please join those discussions there. --Bduke 23:49, 14 January 2008 (UTC)

I have been digging around on the web pages of Consumer Affairs, and have sorted out a few matters. Of particular interest are the various fact sheets available at here. From these and other places I discovered the following:

  • I see no mention of age except that the Public Officer must be over 18, with no maximum age.
  • We can hold meetings outside Victoria.
  • Incorporation will cost us $111.20 unless we adopt the model rules with no change, which is not going to happen (then it is $55.10).
  • We can use teleconferencing for meeting, except for those that will propose a special resolution, provided they are set out in the Rules. Special resolutions are indeed special. They are "changing the name", " changing the rules", "changing the statement of purpose", "amalgamating with another incorporated association", and "winding up". In those cases, we would probably have to get a clear consensus before the meeting, and then hold a meeting in one place to formally approve the resolution by proxy voting and by members present.
  • We can not hold meetings over the internet. This suggests to me that the committee has an informal meeting on IRC and then a formal meeting by telephone.
  • The steps to setup are:
    • Have at least 5 members, a written statement of purpose and a set of rules.
    • Call a meeting giving 21 days notice (e-mail is OK according to Alan)
    • Hold the meeting and authorise a person to put in the application. That person becomes the first Public Officer. That person must live in Victoria. Then approve the rules and statement of purpose.
    • The Public Officer then does the paper work.
  • Future Public Officers are appointed by the Committee.
  • An AGM has to be held within 18 months of incorporating and then in a period after the end of each financial year.
  • The Public Officer has to submit a report after the AGM to Consumer Affairs.

--Bduke 06:13, 17 January 2008 (UTC)

I have spoken to Consumer Affairs on the phone and they have told me that there is no restriction on age for members or committee members, except that the Public Officer must be over 18. Given this, do we want to consider having no age restrictions in any way? I am inclined to think yes and trust the good sense of meetings to elect members of the committee with a wide age spread. --Bduke 00:49, 18 January 2008 (UTC)

Appendix 4 of the Incorporation Rules

It has been our impression that the amount of subscription has to be specified as an appendix to the Rules. In the process of discussing our application for incorporation with Consumer Affairs, it became clear that we did not have to do that. The committee therefore authorised a change that has clearly been the consensus for some time, that the level of subscription should be determined by the committee from time to time. This avoids application to Consumer Affairs and an application fee whenever we wish to change the level of the fee. This change is now included in Wikimedia Australia/Rules for Wikimedia Australia Inc. --Bduke 08:31, 8 August 2008 (UTC)

Congratulations

I just read that you managed to get yourselves officially in existence. Congratulations! -- Jitse Niesen 15:39, 8 August 2008 (UTC)

yes! we exist! :-) Privatemusings 21:41, 30 August 2008 (UTC)

I just wanted to contact User:Auroranorth because of this page, but the link I follow alleges sockpuppetry. I do not know the details behind the allegation so I will withhold judgement but I think someone should either show weight from here and fight it if its false or someone should tag the user's name on here if its true. :)--Thecurran 20:22, 5 November 2008 (UTC)

It was all confirmed, there was a lot more involved. I just think we should let it rest, and this isnt the forumn to discuss user issues. Gnangarra 00:04, 6 November 2008 (UTC)

Wikimedia LGBT

Wikimedia LGBT+
Wikimedia LGBT+ is a proposed thematic organization that seeks to promote the development of content on Wikimedia projects which is of interest to LGBT+ communities. Proposed activities include outreach at LGBT events, Wikimania and other Wikimedia events, an international campaign called Wiki Loves Pride, and work on safe space policies, among other collaborations and interwiki projects. Active Wikimedians are welcome to join this cause! Please consider adding your name as a participant/supporter. Current tasks include translating pages, building a strong framework here at Meta, and achieving user group status (with the eventual goal of becoming a thematic organization). Your feedback is welcome on the discussion page.

--Another Believer (talk) 17:20, 1 November 2013 (UTC)

  • You are invited to participate in Wiki Loves Pride (Wiki Loves Pride 2014 at English Wikipedia), a global campaign to create and improve LGBT-related content throughout the month of June, culminating with a multinational edit-a-thon on June 21. There are many ways to help, including translating the Wiki Loves Pride at Meta (or Wikipedia), hosting an LGBT edit-a-thon, uploading media files related to LGBT culture and history, or supporting an LGBT initiative at any Wikimedia project. Thank you for your consideration, and please let me know if you have any questions. --Another Believer (talk) 21:21, 23 May 2014 (UTC)

Pitkern and Norfuk Wikipedia proposed for closure

Proposals for closing projects/Closure of Pitkern & Norfuk Wikipedia 2 PiRSquared17 (talk) 18:37, 29 November 2013 (UTC)

This is an update from the Wikimedia Affiliations Committee. Translations are available.

The Affiliations Committee is requesting comments on proposed best practices for Wikimedia user group logos. The committee will seek community input until Saturday, May 24, 2014. After considering the community's input, the Affiliations Committee will publish on Meta-Wiki guidelines for Wikimedia user group logos.

There is already a standard format used by chapters, and that format is being applied to thematic organizations as well. Chapters and thematic organizations have also worked with Wikimedia Foundation legal in the past on custom logos. Wikimedia user groups may also create custom logos, and the new trademark policy allows for logos to be based off the community or Wikimedia Foundation logos. However, there remains a question of the best practice for standard user group logos.

Please make any comments or ask any questions on Meta-Wiki at Affiliations Committee/RFCs/Wikimedia user group logos.

Thank you - Wikimedia Affiliations Committee

Posted by the MediaWiki message delivery on 23:08, 14 May 2014 (UTC) • TranslateGet helpSubscribe or unsubscribe.

The Affiliations Committee is looking for new members. The committee's work requires communication with volunteers all over the World, negotiating skills and cultural sensitivity and the ability to understand legal texts. We try to get a healthy mix of different skill sets in our members.

Members are usually selected every twelve months for staggered two-year terms. The applications will be voted on by the current members not seeking re-election, taking into account comments put forward by the committee's members, advisers, WMF staff and board liaisons based on the membership criteria. A final decision will be made by the end of October 2014, with new members expected to join on or around 1 November 2014.

Please read the full call for candidates for more information, membership criteria, and details on how to apply.

Best regards,
Carlos Colina
Chair, Affiliations Committee

Posted by MediaWiki message delivery on behalf of the Affiliations Committee, 07:46, 5 September 2014 (UTC) • TranslateGet helpSubscribe or unsubscribe.

This is a message from the 2015 Wikimedia Foundation Elections Committee. Translations are available.

Greetings,

I am pleased to announce that nominations are now being accepted for the 2015 Wikimedia Foundation Elections. This year the Board and the FDC Staff are looking for a diverse set of candidates from regions and projects that are traditionally under-represented on the board and in the movement as well as candidates with experience in technology, product or finance. To this end they have published letters describing what they think is needed and, recognizing that those who know the community the best are the community themselves, the election committee is accepting nominations for community members you think should run and will reach out to those nominated to provide them with information about the job and the election process.

This year, elections are being held for the following roles:

Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees is the decision-making body that is ultimately responsible for the long term sustainability of the Foundation, so we value wide input into its selection. There are three positions being filled. More information about this role can be found at the board elections page.

Funds Dissemination Committee (FDC)
The Funds Dissemination Committee (FDC) makes recommendations about how to allocate Wikimedia movement funds to eligible entities. There are five positions being filled. More information about this role can be found at the FDC elections page.

Funds Dissemination Committee (FDC) Ombud
The FDC Ombud receives complaints and feedback about the FDC process, investigates complaints at the request of the Board of Trustees, and summarizes the investigations and feedback for the Board of Trustees on an annual basis. One position is being filled. More information about this role can be found at the FDC Ombudsperson elections page.

The candidacy submission phase lasts from 00:00 UTC April 20 to 23:59 UTC May 5 for the Board and from 00:00 UTCApril 20 to 23:59 UTC April 30 for the FDC and FDC Ombudsperson. This year, we are accepting both self-nominations and nominations of others. More information on this election and the nomination process can be found on the 2015 Wikimedia elections page on Meta-Wiki.

Please feel free to post a note about the election on your project's village pump. Any questions related to the election can be posted on the talk page on Meta, or sent to the election committee's mailing list, board-elections -at- wikimedia.org

On behalf of the Elections Committee,
-Gregory Varnum (User:Varnent)
Coordinator, 2015 Wikimedia Foundation Elections Committee

Posted by the MediaWiki message delivery on behalf of the 2015 Wikimedia Foundation Elections Committee, 04:56, 21 April 2015 (UTC)TranslateGet help

This is an update from the Wikimedia Affiliations Committee. Translations are available.

The Wikimedia Affiliations Committee is requesting comments on the approval process and agreements for Wikimedia user groups.

Wikimedia user groups are groups of Wikimedia users who support and promote the Wikimedia projects in the offline world by organizing meetups and other projects. The Wikimedia Affiliations Committee's responsibilities include approval of new Wikimedia user groups.

The committee will seek community input until Friday, May 1, 2015. The committee will then review the community's input, and publish the new process and agreements on Meta-Wiki. The committee will again seek community input approximately six months after any changes are adopted to gauge effectiveness and if any additional changes are necessary.

Please see the RFC page on Meta-Wiki for more information and to provide feedback.

Thank you - Wikimedia Affiliations Committee

Posted by MediaWiki message delivery on behalf of the Affiliations Committee, 04:26, 24 April 2015 (UTC) • TranslateGet helpSubscribe or unsubscribe.

This is a message from the 2015 Wikimedia Foundation Elections Committee. Translations are available.

Voting has begun for eligible voters in the 2015 elections for the Funds Dissemination Committee (FDC) and FDC Ombudsperson. Questions and discussion with the candidates for the Funds Dissemination Committee (FDC) and FDC Ombudsperson will continue during the voting. Nominations for the Board of Trustees will be accepted until 23:59 UTC May 5.

The Funds Dissemination Committee (FDC) makes recommendations about how to allocate Wikimedia movement funds to eligible entities. There are five positions on the committee being filled.

The FDC Ombudsperson receives complaints and feedback about the FDC process, investigates complaints at the request of the Board of Trustees, and summarizes the investigations and feedback for the Board of Trustees on an annual basis. One position is being filled.

The voting phase lasts from 00:00 UTC May 3 to 23:59 UTC May 10. Click here to vote. Questions and discussion with the candidates will continue during that time. Click here to ask the FDC candidates a question. Click here to ask the FDC Ombudsperson candidates a question. More information on the candidates and the elections can be found on the 2015 FDC election page, the 2015 FDC Ombudsperson election page, and the 2015 Board election page on Meta-Wiki.

On behalf of the Elections Committee,
-Gregory Varnum (User:Varnent)
Volunteer Coordinator, 2015 Wikimedia Foundation Elections Committee

Posted by the MediaWiki message delivery 03:40, 4 May 2015 (UTC) • TranslateGet help

This is a message from the 2015 Wikimedia Foundation Elections Committee. Translations are available.

Voting has begun for eligible voters in the 2015 elections for the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees. Questions and discussion with the candidates for the Board will continue during the voting.

The Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees is the ultimate governing authority of the Wikimedia Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization registered in the United States. The Wikimedia Foundation manages many diverse projects such as Wikipedia and Commons.

The voting phase lasts from 00:00 UTC May 17 to 23:59 UTC May 31. Click here to vote. More information on the candidates and the elections can be found on the 2015 Board election page on Meta-Wiki.

On behalf of the Elections Committee,
-Gregory Varnum (User:Varnent)
Volunteer Coordinator, 2015 Wikimedia Foundation Elections Committee

Posted by the MediaWiki message delivery 17:20, 17 May 2015 (UTC) • TranslateGet help

This is an update from the Wikimedia Affiliations Committee. Translations are available.

The Wikimedia Affiliations Committee is pleased to introduce the launch of the Wikimedia Affiliates mailing list, which is basically a place for all the affiliates (chapters, thematic organizations, user groups) to discuss issues related to affiliates, make announcements to other affiliates, and collaborate on activities and community-wide events. The idea is to help facilitate the dialogue affiliates across our movement, plus collaborative discussions like community-wide activities, joint edit-a-thons, regional conferences, blog/report posts, or other communications from affiliates.

Each Wikimedia movement affiliate is allocated three spots on the mailing list. All affiliates may contact the Affiliations Committee to request additional spots if needed.

Please find a bit more information on Meta-Wiki and do not hesitate to contact the Affiliations Committee if you have further questions.

Thank you - Wikimedia Affiliations Committee

Posted by MediaWiki message delivery on behalf of the Affiliations Committee, 07:51, 27 October 2015 (UTC) • TranslateGet helpSubscribe or unsubscribe.

This is a message regarding the proposed 2015 Free Bassel banner. Translations are available.

Hi everyone,

This is to inform all Wikimedia contributors that a straw poll seeking your involvement has just been started on Meta-Wiki.

As some of your might be aware, a small group of Wikimedia volunteers have proposed a banner campaign informing Wikipedia readers about the urgent situation of our fellow Wikipedian, open source software developer and Creative Commons activist, Bassel Khartabil. An exemplary banner and an explanatory page have now been prepared, and translated into about half a dozen languages by volunteer translators.

We are seeking your involvement to decide if the global Wikimedia community approves starting a banner campaign asking Wikipedia readers to call on the Syrian government to release Bassel from prison. We understand that a campaign like this would be unprecedented in Wikipedia's history, which is why we're seeking the widest possible consensus among the community.

Given Bassel's urgent situation and the resulting tight schedule, we ask everyone to get involved with the poll and the discussion to the widest possible extent, and to promote it among your communities as soon as possible.

(Apologies for writing in English; please kindly translate this message into your own language.)

Thank you for your participation!

Posted by the MediaWiki message delivery 21:46, 25 November 2015 (UTC) • TranslateGet help

This is an update from the Wikimedia Affiliations Committee. Translations are available.

The Affiliations Committee – the committee responsible for guiding volunteers in establishing Wikimedia chapters, thematic organizations, and user groups – is looking for new members!

The main role of the Affiliations Committee is to guide groups of volunteers that are interested in forming Wikimedia affiliates. We review applications from new groups, answer questions and provide advice about the different Wikimedia affiliation models and processes, review affiliate bylaws for compliance with requirements and best practices, and advise the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees on issues connected to chapters, thematic organizations and Wikimedia user groups.

The committee consists of twelve members, six of whom are selected every twelve months for staggered two-year terms.

Key skills

Being a part of the Affiliations Committee requires communication with volunteers all over the world, negotiating skills, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to understand legal texts. We try to get a healthy mix of different skill sets in our members. The key skills and experience that we look for in candidates are:

  • Excitement by the challenge of helping to empower groups of volunteers worldwide.
  • Willingness to process applications through a set, perhaps bureaucratic process.
  • Readiness to participate in political discussions on the role and future of affiliates, models of affiliations, and similar questions.
  • Availability of up to 5 hours per week, and the time to participate in a monthly ~2 hour voice/video meeting.
  • International orientation.
  • Very good communication skills in English.
  • Ability to work and communicate with other languages and cultures.
  • Strong understanding of the structure and work of affiliates and the WMF.
  • Knowledge of different legal systems and experience in community building and organising are a plus.
  • Effective communication skills in other languages are a major plus.
  • Experience with or in an active affiliate is a major plus.
  • Willingness to use one's real name in committee activities (including contacts with current and potential affiliates) when appropriate.

We are looking for people who are not afraid of the workload and are motivated by helping other volunteers to get organized and form communities that further our mission around the world.

Selection process

As a reflection of our commitment to openness, transparency, and bilateral engagement with the Wikimedia community, the 2015 member selection process will include a public review and comment period. All applications received by the committee will be posted on Meta (at Affiliations Committee/Candidates/2015), and the community will be invited to provide comments and feedback about each candidate.

At the end of the public comment period, the applications will be voted on by the members of the committee who are not seeking re-election, taking into account comments put forward by the committee's members, advisors, WMF staff and board liaisons, and the community. A final decision will be made by mid-January 2016, with new members expected to join later that month.

How to apply

If you are interested in joining the committee, please send an application to affcom@lists.wikimedia.org by 31 December 2015. You will get a confirmation that your application was received.

Your application should include the following:

  • Your full name
  • Your contact information (including e-mail address and username)
  • A statement describing your relevant experience, skills, and motivation for joining the committee.

Your statement will be published for community review and feedback, so please do not include any information that you are not comfortable sharing.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me and/or the committee as a whole. We are happy to chat or have a phone call with anyone about our work if this helps them decide to apply. Please distribute this call among your networks, and do apply if you are interested!

Best regards,
Carlos Colina
Chair, Affiliations Committee

Posted by MediaWiki message delivery on behalf of the Affiliations Committee, 16:53, 9 December 2015 (UTC) • Please help translate to your languageGet helpSubscribe or unsubscribe.

This is a message from the Wikimedia Foundation. Translations are available.

As many of you know, January 15 is Wikipedia’s 15th Birthday!

People around the world are getting involved in the celebration and have started adding their events on Meta Page. While we are celebrating Wikipedia's birthday, we hope that all projects and affiliates will be able to utilize this celebration to raise awareness of our community's efforts.

Haven’t started planning? Don’t worry, there’s lots of ways to get involved. Here are some ideas:

Everything is linked on the Wikipedia 15 Meta page. You’ll find a set of ten data visualization works that you can show at your events, and a list of all the Wikipedia 15 logos that community members have already designed.

If you have any questions, please contact Zachary McCune or Joe Sutherland.

Thanks and Happy nearly Wikipedia 15!
-The Wikimedia Foundation Communications team

Posted by the MediaWiki message delivery, 20:53, 18 December 2015 (UTC)Please help translate to your languageHelp