POLICY FOR COMMUNITY GOVERNANCE

[Wayne]

Hi everyone,

In October 2007, WikiEducator commenced discussions on the development of a policy for community governance.  I've now had the time to work through all the discussions and I have posted a Draft Policy for Community Governance which will trigger the processes for electing our first WikiEducator Council.

You are all invited to read and comment on the Draft Policy. Feedback must be posted on the relevant talk page.  Please consult the preparatory discussions that took place last year before commenting. In this way we can minimise revisiting issues that have already been resolved. Links are provided below.  Be sure to consult the schedule below.

I must acknowledge key people and institutions who have assisted WikiEducator with the formulation of our Draft Policy for Community Governance:

• Wikimedia Foundation Inc, who had the foresight to release their bylaws under a free content license -- this is a significant contribution to the free knowledge movement, saving the WikiEducator community considerable time and effort. We have benefited tremendously from your experience and have the advantage of hindsight;
• Erik Möller, a member of WikiEducator's Interim International Advisory Group who has been a pillar of support in guiding our thinking deriving tremendous value from his experience at WMF concerning things which have worked well and things which have not worked well.
• WikiEducator's Interim International Advisory Group who put up their hands in the early days of WikiEducator to assist me in guiding the project in a responsible and transparent way knowing full well that they would give up their positions when we institute our first elections.
• Dr Tanyss Munro, Education Specialist for Governance at the Commonwealth of Learning. I'm indebted to her expert knowledge in this area and critical review while I was drafting the document on the wiki.
• To all WikiEducators who participated in the preparatory discussions and those observing silently -- but ready to point out when we go off track.

Schedule:

• Draft policy posted by 23 June 2008
• Community consensus on draft policy to be achieved by 7 July 2008.
• Final resolution and announcement of the first WikiEducator elections by 10 July 2008.
• Nominations for candidature to contest the election close at 17:00 PST on 24 July 2008;
• Candidates to complete their campaign pages by 31 July 2008.
• Campaigning commences 1 August 9:00 PST till 31 August, 17:00 PST, 2008;
• Voting commences 1 September 9:00 till 15 September, 17:00 PST, 2008;
• Results of the election to be announced on or before 30 September 2008.

Links

Draft Policy for Community Governance

http://wikieducator.org/WikiEducator:Policy_for_Community_Governance

Discussion page for comments from the community:

http://wikieducator.org/WikiEducator_talk:Policy_for_Community_Governance

Election procedures:

http://wikieducator.org/Election_procedures_for_the_first_WE_Council

Original guidelines for developing a policy for Community Governance -- posted Oct 2007

http://wikieducator.org/WikiEducator:Governance_Policy

Preliminary discussions by the community used as the basis for the formulation of the proposed policy:

http://wikieducator.org/WikiEducator_talk:Governance_Policy

Cheers
Wayne