Reaffirming the Authority and Scope of Kubernetes SIG Release

[Stephen Augustus]

Dear Kubernetes Community,

Recent events across the past few release cycles have highlighted the need to reaffirm the scope and authority of SIG Release, particularly the Release Team subproject.

The Kubernetes community depends on a predictable, transparent, and reliable release process. To achieve this, the Release Team has a clearly defined charter, responsibilities, and enforcement mechanisms. These include ensuring that enhancements are properly tracked, deadlines are respected, and exceptions are formally requested. SIG Release processes consider the artifacts we as a project have agreed to deliver, and are either developed in direct coordination with other SIGs or work to help satisfy policies that other Kubernetes governance groups have developed. When these processes are bypassed or undermined, it puts unnecessary stress on contributors and jeopardizes the safety and stability of the release.

To be clear:

• The Release Team is entrusted by the community with the authority to uphold our established release policies and deadlines, including the ability to block a release or pull a KEP if community-established requirements are not met.
  
  

• This authority is not optional. It is a critical safeguard for the project and must be respected by all SIGs, working groups, and contributors.
  
  

• While exceptions may be necessary, they must follow established processes. Informal or last-minute pressure to deviate from policy is not acceptable, regardless of intent.

From the perspective of the Steering Committee charter, it is our responsibility to uphold these boundaries. Steering does not intervene in release execution, nor do Steering members have the authority to override SIG Release processes.

We recognize that our words carry weight, and we must take care not to create the appearance of undue influence over Release Team decisions.

As a general charter reminder, any official actions taken by the Kubernetes Steering Committee must always be done so as a result of a vote of the body.

Next Steps

• Corrective Comms: With this message, Steering reaffirms that the Release Team is empowered to uphold the community-agreed deadlines, policies, and requirements in service of delivering safe and stable Kubernetes releases.
  
  

• Policy Updates: We acknowledge that some policies (e.g., conformance testing requirements, KEP versioning, PRR enforcement) need to be updated and enforced consistently. Steering will work with the responsible SIGs, alongside SIG Release, to prioritize this.
  
  

• Communications Expectations: Steering members will investigate additional training and commit to more careful public communication, recognizing the authority our roles carry and the need to avoid creating confusion or implied pressure.
  
  

We deeply appreciate the efforts of the Release Team, Release Engineering, and the broader contributor community in maintaining a world-class release process under difficult circumstances. Going forward, it is critical that we all respect the established charters and processes that make Kubernetes possible at scale. On behalf of SIG Release and the Steering Committee, thank you for your continued dedication to building Kubernetes together.
— Stephen