Talk:New England Wikimedians/Archive 1
 | This is an archive of past discussions. Do not edit the contents of this page. If you wish to start a new discussion or revive an old one, please do so on the current talk page. |
Support!
Good to see some interest in a Boston / New England chapter... I think long overdue. If you have any questions or anything, please let me know. Cheers . Aude 04:45, 22 December 2011 (UTC)
General questions from AffCom
Dear all,
First of all, thank you for your interest in becoming a Wikimedia affiliate. Now, I would like to ask a few questions to have all the relevant information in one place (one-two paragraph summaries or links to other pages are fine), which we use to get to know you better and to have a catalog of all affiliates as we ask all of them a very similar set of questions. These will be useful for your application both as a chapter and (eventually) as a user group. Please know, that there are no "expected" or wrong answers.
- Who are the people behind this application?
- How many?
- Any active (on local or international level) Wiki[pm]edians?
- Active in which communities if any?
- How are they geographically distributed?
- Could you give a short overview of the time path of the founding up to now?
- Have there been any activities/meetings etc. of this group of people?
- What kind of activities are planned for the future in the organization?
- Do you have an overview of how many Wiki[pm]edians would like to join the WUG/chapter when founded?
- Have the bylaws been reviewed by a lawyer/specialist?
- Do you already have a provisional board?
- How can we help you?
- [Question only for user group]: If you were recognized first as a user group, what name would you like to use? (There are some templates at Step-by-step_user_group_creation_guide#Naming_of_user_groups.)
- [Question only for user group]: Do you have 2 contact persons who would be willing to sign the Wikimedia_User_Group_Agreement for the group?
- [Question only for user group]: For how long do you request the user group recognition? (The default is a renewable one year term; although I expect in your case it would be "1 year or until we are recognized as a chapter")
Thank you for your time in answering these questions. These help us get a feel for your group and determine how far along the process towards chapter-hood you guys are at the moment. Please do not hesitate contacting me if you need any clarifications. --Maor X (talk) 11:52, 8 July 2013 (UTC)
In response to your questions, here goes:
- Who are the people behind this application?
- Local Wikimedians in the the New England region, with a focus on activity in the Boston area.
- How many?
- At this time, we probably have about 10-15 known people interested, although there are more on our Facebook page.
- Any active (on local or international level) Wiki[pm]edians?
- Yes.
- Active in which communities if any?
- We have Samuel Klein, who is on the Board of Trustees, as well as a number of editors who are active in the Education Program.
- How are they geographically distributed?
- Right now, most of our support is in the Boston Metropolitan area, although there is one person from Connecticut and a few people in Amherst, Massachusetts.
- Could you give a short overview of the time path of the founding up to now?
- In the summer of 2011, Alex Stinson suggested to us that we create an interest group in order to eventually found a chapter. In April of 2012, there was a chapter meeting where Wikimedians from all over the Northeastern United States attended, and we will be holding out next chapter meeting on July 20th.
- Have there been any activities/meetings etc. of this group of people?
- We have monthly meetups in Boston, which have been ongoing since 2004. We also have had numerous GLAM events and work with numerous schools in the region.
- What kind of activities are planned for the future in the organization?
- In the future, we plan on continuing GLAM events, and have discussed outreach with the Boston City Archives in order to gain some connections within the city. Eventually, we would like to host Wikimania in the future, due to the proximity of numerous colleges in the area.
- Do you have an overview of how many Wiki[pm]edians would like to join the WUG/chapter when founded?
- At first, we plan on being a small chapter with under twenty-five people, with the eventual goal of expanding our reach out to the New England area.
- Have the bylaws been reviewed by a lawyer/specialist?
- No, although they have been copied directly from the New York page, just to provide a baseline for actions. On Saturday, we will finalize the guidelines and figure out everything else.
- Do you already have a provisional board?
- In 2012, people volunteered for various positions, although we will elect a formal board on Saturday.
- How can we help you?
- We would like assistance with founding a chapter, with the eventual goal of being able to be self-sufficient in a year or so.
- [Question only for user group]: If you were recognized first as a user group, what name would you like to use? (There are some templates at Step-by-step_user_group_creation_guide#Naming_of_user_groups.)
- Wikimedians of New England User Group.
- [Question only for user group]: Do you have 2 contact persons who would be willing to sign the Wikimedia_User_Group_Agreement for the group?
- Myself (Kevin) and one yet-to-be-determined individual.
- [Question only for user group]: For how long do you request the user group recognition? (The default is a renewable one year term; although I expect in your case it would be "1 year or until we are recognized as a chapter")
- One year, or until we are recognized as a chapter. The maximum for this would be three years, at which point we would reevaluate whether we have enough organization to be a chapter, should continue our user group status, or should dissolve due to lack of inactivity.
I hope this answers everything! Kevin Rutherford (talk) 19:40, 15 July 2013 (UTC)
Follow-up to the General Questions from AffCom
Hi Guys,
First of all, congratulations on your 2nd Annual Meeting and that you are moving forward and gaining new members!
Now, Two quick questions:
1) Did you elect the provisional board? , and
2) Did you guys determine who would be the other contact person who along Kevin would be responsible for signing the Wikimedia_User_Group_Agreement for the group?
Thanks and have a great week, --Maor X (talk) 06:47, 28 July 2013 (UTC)
- I tried to push people to do a board, but it was met with a lot of skepticism. I really didn't want to turn people off, so I decided to shelve it until the next meeting in October, so that people could digest this. I think the main problem is that many people had no idea we were planning on doing this (even though it was advertised, but oh well), so it came as a shock for some people. Right now, we're between a structured board, and a bunch people who will have a leader to make sure things are done. In terms of our other contact, Maia Weinstock (Girona7) has volunteered to be the other contact, so I planned on doing that in October, unless you guys would want it sooner. Kevin Rutherford (talk) 17:20, 2 August 2013 (UTC)
- We did decide to move ahead on the usergroup thing, and Maia and I will be leading the discussion between now and our next meetup. Currently, we will decide whether we want to possibly become a chapter at the next meeting, and will elect a board as well. Kevin Rutherford (talk) 00:44, 3 August 2013 (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) 17:44, 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) 21:27, 23 May 2014 (UTC)
Seeking help with upgrading and migrating a circa 2008 WikiMedia web site to a new server
Non-profit Media Giraffe Project, based at UMass Amherst, seeking help upgrading and migrating old MediaWiki site to a new server. If you have a little time, please contact Bill Densmore @infovalet or 671-448-6600 / wpdensmore@gmail.com
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) • Translate • Get help • Subscribe or unsubscribe.
IdeaLab Post: WM NYC, NE inter-chapter event and travel compensation
Hi All, Just wanted to alert members that I've posted an idea on IdeaLab related to a PEG grant application related to providing Wikimedia NYC and New England Wikimedians with compensation for travel and housing at regional events. Grants:IdeaLab/WM NYC, NE inter-chapter event and travel compensation. Please sign your name there in support and comment if interested! Thanks! OR drohowa (talk) 15:05, 24 July 2014 (UTC)
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) • Translate • Get help • Subscribe or unsubscribe.
Wikidata and Open Copyright Presenters
Hi All, I'm looking for people with specific skill sets to do trainings/workshops/lectures in New York but am having some difficulty locating the right people. I'm looking for someone to give a presentation/demo or introductory training to a group of information professionals (librarians, archivists, data scientists) about Wikidata, and to describe some potential points of entry and applications for Wikidata. I'm also looking for someone to give a presentation/demo about Creative Commons and other open licensing options for different types of publications (i.e. academic, blogs/websites, images)... I loved this article and would love to have someone give a general overview that branches from some of its central topics. Ideally these people would have experience giving such talks/presentations in some professional capacity. Any ideas? Write on my Wikipedia talk page to communicate further and please feel free to forward this message to anyone that you think might have experience in the described areas! OR drohowa (talk) 16:41, 10 December 2014 (UTC)
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) • Translate • Get 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) • Translate • Get help • Subscribe 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) • Translate • Get 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) • Translate • Get help
Regional US/Canada Wikimedia conference - Washington DC - 9-11 October
Hello. I would like to invite you to WikiConference USA. This community gathering will be Friday-Sunday 9-11 October (with Columbus Day being Monday the 12th) in Washington DC at the National Archives and Records Administration.
Persons interested in participating may present a submission, request one of about 25 travel scholarships, or plan to attend. Thanks. Blue Rasberry (talk) 18:18, 5 August 2015 (UTC)
Wikipedia's 15th birthday - get involved!
Apologies for cross-posting the below!
The 15th birthday of Wikipedia, and the Wikimedia movement, is coming soon! We’re eager to make plans to celebrate on January 15, 2016.
As a way to kickstart planning around the 15th, there is a page on Meta for Wikipedia 15. Eventually, we plan for the page to have resources including:
- Resources to plan events and meetups locally to celebrate the 15th.
- More information on sharing birthday photos, videos, stories, Wikipedia content, and other media.
- Tips for pitching to local media to cover your event.
Many of the sections on the meta page are blank for now, but we’ll be working with you to add more information to the page over the next few months leading up to the birthday celebration in January. Please feel free to add, edit, and discuss what you’d like to see for Wikipedia’s 15th birthday!
We look forward to celebrating with you!
-for the Wikimedia Foundation Communications team, JSutherland (WMF) (talk) 01:31, 1 October 2015 (UTC)
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) • Translate • Get help • Subscribe or unsubscribe.
Wikipedia 15 has a mark!
Read this message in other languages
Wikipedia 15 now has a mark! Be sure to check out the “Material” section of the Wikipedia 15 meta page to see the design, and learn about how to use it. This year's mark is meant to be fun, interactive, and infinitely customisable. We can’t wait to see how you and your Wikimedia community use it!
–For the WMF Communications team, Sam Lien and Joe Sutherland 02:57, 4 November 2015 (UTC)
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) • Translate • Get 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 language • Get help • Subscribe 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:
- Join/host an event. We already have more than 80, and hope to have many more.
- Talk to local press. In the past 15 years, Wikipedia has accomplished extraordinary things. We’ve made a handy summary of milestones and encourage you to add your own. More resources, including a press release template and resources on working with the media, are also available.
- Design a Wikipedia 15 logo. In place of a single icon for Wikipedia 15, we’re making dozens. Add your own with something fun and representative of your community. Just use the visual guide so they share a common sensibility.
- Share a message on social media. Tell the world what Wikipedia means to you, and add #wikipedia15 to the post. We might re-tweet or share your message!
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 language • Help
Brown University
We're in the early stages of planning one or more science edit-a-thons at the Brown University Library. We're looking for volunteers to help organize the event. Please contact me if you can help out. Please also see outreach:Wikipedian in Residence/Ladd Observatory to improve history of science articles. Spread the word. --mikeu talk 01:12, 15 January 2016 (UTC)
WikiProject United States: 50,000 Challenge
|
You are invited to participate in the 50,000 Challenge, aiming for 50,000 article improvements and creations for articles relating to the United States. This effort began on November 1, 2016 and to reach our goal, we will need editors like you to participate, expand, and create. See more here! |
Wikimedia Conference
Has there been any discussion about a representative attending the Wikimedia Conference? Registration closes in a few days... -Another Believer (talk) 17:39, 7 January 2017 (UTC)
- E-mail sent to the mailing list. Thanks for reminder. AbhiSuryawanshi (talk) 21:24, 7 January 2017 (UTC)
De-Recognition of Affiliates with Long-standing Non-Compliance
This is an update from the Wikimedia Affiliations Committee. Translations are available.
Recognition as a Wikimedia affiliate - a chapter, thematic organization, or user group - is a privilege that allows an independent group to officially use the Wikimedia name to further the Wikimedia mission. While most Wikimedia affiliates adhere to the basic compliance standards set forth in their agreements with the Wikimedia Foundation, a protocol has been developed to address the exceptional cases when a Wikimedia affiliate does not meet basic compliance standards and their continued recognition as a Wikimedia affiliate presents a risk to the Wikimedia movement.
In the past year, the Affiliations Committee - with support from Wikimedia Foundation staff - has made a concerted effort to address a handful of chapters with long-standing issues of non-compliance. As a result, in the coming days and months, a small number of chapters that have been unable to return to compliance through their efforts in the past year will not have their chapter agreements renewed. As a consequence, these organizations will no longer have the additional rights to use the Wikimedia trademarks, including the Wikimedia name, that had been granted under those agreements.
If you have questions about what this means for community members in the affected affiliates’ region or language areas, we have put together a basic FAQ. The FAQ talk page is available for additional questions and comments, and the Affiliations Committee is happy to answer questions directly.
Posted by MediaWiki message delivery on behalf of the Affiliations Committee, 15:54, 13 February 2017 (UTC) • Please help translate to your language • Get help • Subscribe or unsubscribe.
Review of initial updates on Wikimedia movement strategy process
Note: Apologies for cross-posting and sending in English. Message is available for translation on Meta-Wiki.
The Wikimedia movement is beginning a movement-wide strategy discussion, a process which will run throughout 2017. For 15 years, Wikimedians have worked together to build the largest free knowledge resource in human history. During this time, we've grown from a small group of editors to a diverse network of editors, developers, affiliates, readers, donors, and partners. Today, we are more than a group of websites. We are a movement rooted in values and a powerful vision: all knowledge for all people. As a movement, we have an opportunity to decide where we go from here.
This movement strategy discussion will focus on the future of our movement: where we want to go together, and what we want to achieve. We hope to design an inclusive process that makes space for everyone: editors, community leaders, affiliates, developers, readers, donors, technology platforms, institutional partners, and people we have yet to reach. There will be multiple ways to participate including on-wiki, in private spaces, and in-person meetings. You are warmly invited to join and make your voice heard.
The immediate goal is to have a strategic direction by Wikimania 2017 to help frame a discussion on how we work together toward that strategic direction.
Regular updates are being sent to the Wikimedia-l mailing list, and posted on Meta-Wiki. Beginning with this message, monthly reviews of these updates will be sent to this page as well. Sign up to receive future announcements and monthly highlights of strategy updates on your user talk page.
Here is a review of the updates that have been sent so far:
- Update 1 on Wikimedia movement strategy process (15 December 2016)
- Introduction to process and information about budget spending resolution to support it
- Update 2 on Wikimedia movement strategy process (23 December 2016)
- Start of search for Lead Architect for movement strategy process
- Update 3 on Wikimedia movement strategy process (8 January 2017)
- Plans for strategy sessions at upcoming Wikimedia Conference 2017
- Update 4 on Wikimedia movement strategy process (11 January 2017)
- Introduction of williamsworks
- Update 5 on Wikimedia movement strategy process (2 February 2017)
- The core movement strategy team, team tracks being developed, introduction of the Community Process Steering Committee, discussions at WikiIndaba conference 2017 and the Wikimedia movement affiliates executive directors gathering in Switzerland
- Update 6 on Wikimedia movement strategy process (10 February 2017)
- Tracks A & B process prototypes and providing feedback, updates on development of all four Tracks
More information about the movement strategy is available on the Meta-Wiki 2017 Wikimedia movement strategy portal.
Posted by MediaWiki message delivery on behalf of the Wikimedia Foundation, 20:27, 15 February 2017 (UTC) • Please help translate to your language • Get help
Overview #2 of updates on Wikimedia movement strategy process
Note: Apologies for cross-posting and sending in English. This message is available for translation on Meta-Wiki.
As we mentioned last month, the Wikimedia movement is beginning a movement-wide strategy discussion, a process which will run throughout 2017. This movement strategy discussion will focus on the future of our movement: where we want to go together, and what we want to achieve.
Regular updates are being sent to the Wikimedia-l mailing list, and posted on Meta-Wiki. Each month, we are sending overviews of these updates to this page as well. Sign up to receive future announcements and monthly highlights of strategy updates on your user talk page.
Here is a overview of the updates that have been sent since our message last month:
- Update 7 on Wikimedia movement strategy process (16 February 2017)
- Development of documentation for Tracks A & B
- Update 8 on Wikimedia movement strategy process (24 February 2017)
- Introduction of Track Leads for all four audience tracks
- Update 9 on Wikimedia movement strategy process (2 March 2017)
- Seeking feedback on documents being used to help facilitate upcoming community discussions
More information about the movement strategy is available on the Meta-Wiki 2017 Wikimedia movement strategy portal.
Posted by MediaWiki message delivery on behalf of the Wikimedia Foundation, 19:42, 9 March 2017 (UTC) • Please help translate to your language • Get help
We invite you to join the movement strategy conversation (now through April 15)
- This message, "We invite you to join the movement strategy conversation (now through April 15)", was sent through multiple channels by Gregory Varnum on 15 and 16 of March 2017 to village pumps, affiliate talk pages, movement mailing lists, and MassMessage groups. A similar message was sent by Nicole Ebber to organized groups and their mailing lists on 15 of March 2017. This version of the message is available for translation and documentation purposes
Dear Wikimedians/Wikipedians:
Today we are starting a broad discussion to define Wikimedia's future role in the world and develop a collaborative strategy to fulfill that role. You are warmly invited to join the conversation.
There are many ways to participate, by joining an existing conversation or starting your own:
Track A (organized groups): Discussions with your affiliate, committee or other organized group (these are groups that support the Wikimedia movement).
Track B (individual contributors): On Meta or your local language or project wiki.
This is the first of three conversations, and it will run between now and April 15. The purpose of cycle 1 is to discuss the future of the movement and generate major themes around potential directions. What do we want to build or achieve together over the next 15 years?
We welcome you, as we create this conversation together, and look forward to broad and diverse participation from all parts of our movement.
- Find out more about the movement strategy process
- Learn more about volunteering to be a Discussion Coordinator
Sincerely,
Nicole Ebber (Track A Lead), Jaime Anstee (Track B Lead), & the engagement support teams05:00, 18 March 2017 (UTC)
Please accept our apologies for cross-posting this message. This message is available for translation on Meta-Wiki.
On behalf of the Wikimedia Foundation Elections Committee, I am pleased to announce that self-nominations are being accepted for the 2017 Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees Elections.
The Board of Trustees (Board) is the decision-making body that is ultimately responsible for the long-term sustainability of the Wikimedia Foundation, so we value wide input into its selection. More information about this role can be found on Meta-Wiki. Please read the letter from the Board of Trustees calling for candidates.
The candidacy submission phase will last from April 7 (00:00 UTC) to April 20 (23:59 UTC).
We will also be accepting questions to ask the candidates from April 7 to April 20. You can submit your questions on Meta-Wiki.
Once the questions submission period has ended on April 20, the Elections Committee will then collate the questions for the candidates to respond to beginning on April 21.
The goal of this process is to fill the three community-selected seats on the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees. The election results will be used by the Board itself to select its new members.
The full schedule for the Board elections is as follows. All dates are inclusive, that is, from the beginning of the first day (UTC) to the end of the last.
- April 7 (00:00 UTC) – April 20 (23:59 UTC) – Board nominations
- April 7 – April 20 – Board candidates questions submission period
- April 21 – April 30 – Board candidates answer questions
- May 1 – May 14 – Board voting period
- May 15–19 – Board vote checking
- May 20 – Board result announcement goal
In addition to the Board elections, we will also soon be holding elections for the following roles:
- Funds Dissemination Committee (FDC)
- There are five positions being filled. More information about this election will be available on Meta-Wiki.
- Funds Dissemination Committee Ombudsperson (Ombuds)
- One position is being filled. More information about this election will be available on Meta-Wiki.
Please note that this year the Board of Trustees elections will be held before the FDC and Ombuds elections. Candidates who are not elected to the Board are explicitly permitted and encouraged to submit themselves as candidates to the FDC or Ombuds positions after the results of the Board elections are announced.
More information on this year's elections can be found on Meta-Wiki. Any questions related to the election can be posted on the election talk page on Meta-Wiki, or sent to the election committee's mailing list, board-elections
wikimedia.org.
On behalf of the Election Committee,
Katie Chan, Chair, Wikimedia Foundation Elections Committee
Joe Sutherland, Community Advocate, Wikimedia Foundation
Notification of User Group Expiration - Renewal pending submission of reporting
Greetings, This is a notification to bring to your attention that your organization is currently past due on its required annual reporting. Wikimedia User Groups are required to submit an annual activity report covering the entirety of the 12-month agreement period in order to prompt review for a renewal. Reports must be written in English, posted to meta, and linked on the meta Reports page. This page is used to track how organizations and groups are meeting reporting requirements described in their agreements with the Wikimedia Foundation (e.g. chapter agreements, thematic organization agreements, user group agreements). It is the central place where affiliates can add reports about their activities, share their plans, and even news or social media channels with the wider movement. When new reports are available, organizations and groups should add them to this page to keep their columns up to date.
As noted on the meta Reports page, your organization’s 2015-2016 annual reporting became past due in July. Please be sure to
- Post your 2015-2016 annual reporting to the meta Reports page as soon as possible to return to compliance with your user group agreement.
- Check that your group’s page is also up to date with past report links for historical record-keeping, and
- Please send an email to Wikimedia-l in order to share with a movement-wide audience.
If you have any questions or need any further guidance, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Best regards, --EGalvez (WMF) (talk) 19:53, 27 April 2017 (UTC)
Voting has begun for eligible voters in the 2017 elections for the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees.
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 1 to 23:59 UTC May 14. Click here to vote. More information on the candidates and the elections can be found on the 2017 Board of Trustees election page on Meta-Wiki.
On behalf of the Elections Committee,
Katie Chan, Chair, Wikimedia Foundation Elections Committee
Joe Sutherland, Community Advocate, Wikimedia Foundation
19:02, 3 May 2017 (UTC)
The Wikimedia movement strategy core team and working groups have completed reviewing the more than 1800 thematic statements we received from the first discussion. They have identified 5 themes that were consistent across all the conversations - each with their own set of sub-themes. These are not the final themes, just an initial working draft of the core concepts.
You are invited to join the online and offline discussions taking place on these 5 themes. This round of discussions will take place between now and June 12th. You can discuss as many as you like; we ask you to participate in the ones that are most (or least) important to you.
Here are the five themes, each has a page on Meta-Wiki with more information about the theme and how to participate in that theme's discussion:
- Healthy, Inclusive Communities
- The Augmented Age
- A Truly Global Movement
- The Most Respected Source of Knowledge
- Engaging in the Knowledge Ecosystem
On the movement strategy portal on Meta-Wiki, you can find more information about each of these themes, their discussions, and how to participate.
Posted by MediaWiki message delivery on behalf of the Wikimedia Foundation • Please help translate to your language • Get help19:24, 16 May 2017 (UTC)
On behalf of the Wikimedia Foundation Elections Committee, we are pleased to announce that self-nominations are being accepted for the 2017 Wikimedia Foundation Funds Dissemination Committee and Funds Dissemination Committee Ombudsperson elections. Please read the letter from the Wikimedia Foundation calling for candidates at on the 2017 Wikimedia Foundation elections portal.
Funds Dissemination Committee
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 Ombudsperson
The Funds Dissemination Committee 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. More information about this role can be found at the FDC Ombudsperson elections page.
The candidacy submission phase will last until May 28 (23:59 UTC).
We will also be accepting questions to ask the candidates until May 28. You can submit your questions on Meta-Wiki. Once the questions submission period has ended on May 28, the Elections Committee will then collate the questions for the candidates to respond to.
The goal of this process is to fill the five community-selected seats on the Wikimedia Foundation Funds Dissemination Committee and the community-selected ombudsperson. The election results will be used by the Board itself to make the appointments.
The full schedule for the FDC elections is as follows. All dates are inclusive, that is, from the beginning of the first day (UTC) to the end of the last.
- May 15 (00:00 UTC) – May 28 (23:59 UTC) – Nominations
- May 15 – May 28 – Candidates questions submission period
- May 29 – June 2 – Candidates answer questions
- June 3 – June 11 – Voting period
- June 12–14 – Vote checking
- June 15 – Goal date for announcing election results
More information on this year's elections can be found at the 2017 Wikimedia Foundation elections portal.
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-Wiki, or sent to the election committee's mailing list, board-elections wikimedia.org.
On behalf of the Election Committee,
Katie Chan, Chair, Wikimedia Foundation Elections Committee
Joe Sutherland, Community Advocate, Wikimedia Foundation
21:03, 23 May 2017 (UTC)
Learning Quarterly: October 2017
L&E Newsletter / Volume 4 / Issue 14 / October 2017
Learning Quarterly
Frontpage:
#Learning Days
#CEInsightsReport
Stay tuned
blogs, events
& more!
Leave your mark on Meta!
New AffCom corner, plus learning patterns you can contribute to.