Minutes:2007-03: Difference between revisions
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end of the email, a collection of links on previous reports and |
end of the email, a collection of links on previous reports and |
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announcements. |
announcements. |
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It is actually a bit strange that I report on it, because I actually |
It is actually a bit strange that I report on it, because I actually |
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missed most of the board meeting itself :-) |
missed most of the board meeting itself :-) |
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The board meeting was planned to be on |
The board meeting was planned to be on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. |
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Except for Jimbo, currently travelling in Japan, all board members were |
Except for Jimbo, currently travelling in Japan, all board members were |
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supposed to be there, but I was planned only to get there on friday |
supposed to be there, but I was planned only to get there on friday |
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afternoon. |
afternoon. |
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What happened is that Global Warming caught me in New York, where I got |
What happened is that Global Warming caught me in New York, where I got |
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stuck in an ugly ice storm, which cause the airport to close for 24 |
stuck in an ugly ice storm, which cause the airport to close for 24 |
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how Continental Airlines handle their customers in such crisis cases, |
how Continental Airlines handle their customers in such crisis cases, |
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but I will try to fly through other cities in the future... In any |
but I will try to fly through other cities in the future... In any |
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cases, I could only join at the end of |
cases, I could only join at the end of Saturday. |
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During that week, the office was really populated, as it also hosted two |
During that week, the office was really populated, as it also hosted two |
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other meetings, one dedicated to Quality (might be worthwhile to ask |
other meetings, one dedicated to Quality (might be worthwhile to ask |
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Greg to make a report on this one...), and another meeting of the tech |
[[commons:User:Gmaxwell|Greg]] to make a report on this one...), and another meeting of the tech |
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team. Delphine was also in Florida for several days. |
team. [[User:notafish|Delphine]] was also in Florida for several days. |
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==Passed resolutions== |
==Passed resolutions== |
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May be found here: |
May be found here: |
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[[Resolutions#March_2007]] |
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Essentially, there were |
Essentially, there were |
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* adoption are the license policy |
* adoption are the [[Resolution:Licensing policy|license policy]] |
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* approval of hardware purchase |
* approval of hardware purchase |
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* approval to hire Bastique |
* approval to hire [[User:Cary Bass|Bastique]] |
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* approval to have Rob work full time rather than full time, to help in the office |
* approval to have [[User:RobH|Rob]] work full time rather than full time, to help in the office |
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* approval to hire a legal coordinator |
* approval to hire a legal coordinator |
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What can be mentionned probably is this: |
What can be mentionned probably is this: |
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* work on a travel policy (nothing very fancy to report) |
* work on a [[Travel Policy|travel policy]] (nothing very fancy to report) |
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* work on a policy for reimbursement (nothing very fancy to report) |
* work on a policy for reimbursement (nothing very fancy to report) |
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* further work on license issues (details confidential) |
* further work on license issues (details confidential) |
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* study of some collaboration propositions (details confidential) |
* study of some collaboration propositions (details confidential) |
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* study around brand licensing (not surprisingly since we are in the top of most recognised brands, we get some propositions from branding companies. Brand licensing is probably one of our best assets to collect money for the development of the projects in the future, so we should be careful about what we do on the topic. Brand licensing has also various ramifications, in particular in our relationships with chapters). |
* study around brand licensing (not surprisingly since we are in the top of most recognised brands, we get some propositions from branding companies. Brand licensing is probably one of our best assets to collect money for the development of the projects in the future, so we should be careful about what we do on the topic. Brand licensing has also various ramifications, in particular in our relationships with [[Local chapters|chapters]]). |
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* approval of two new advisory board members |
* approval of two new [[Advisory Board|advisory board]] members |
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* discussion about a future CTO or a tech project leader. No conclusion at the moment. |
* discussion about a future [[m:Chief Technical Officer|CTO]] or a tech project leader. No conclusion at the moment. |
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Last, a significant part of the meeting was dedicated to the ED issue. |
Last, a significant part of the meeting was dedicated to the ED issue. |
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As you are aware probably, the WMF doesnot have any more an executive |
As you are aware probably, the WMF doesnot have any more an [[Executive Director|executive |
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director. At the same time, we started a search with a company, in order |
director]]. At the same time, we started a search with a company, in order |
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to hire our future ED. The search company voiced concerns about the |
to hire our future ED. The search company voiced concerns about the |
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involvement of the board in executive issues (too high to their opinion) |
involvement of the board in executive issues (too high to their opinion) |
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the role of the ED and the role of the board. |
the role of the ED and the role of the board. |
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Accordingly, the issue of an interim director was discussed (no decision was really made). And we spent |
Accordingly, the issue of an interim director was discussed (no decision was really made). And we spent Sunday morning in defining a list of |
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tasks that ought to be taken care of, giving to each of them a notion of |
tasks that ought to be taken care of, giving to each of them a notion of |
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priority and a notion of importance, and for each of them, defining |
priority and a notion of importance, and for each of them, defining |
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Do it soon (but not necessarily very important) |
Do it soon (but not necessarily very important) |
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* Data Gathering (ED) |
* Data Gathering (ED) |
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* Fundraising Planning (ED) |
* [[Fundraising]] Planning (ED) |
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* Board Skills and Expansion and Election (board) |
* Board Skills and Expansion and Election (board) |
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* Short term budget (COO) |
* Short term [[budget]] (COO) |
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* Wikimania Finances (ED) |
* [[Wikimania]] Finances (ED) |
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* Tech stuff in office (ED) |
* Tech stuff in office (ED) |
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Thanks |
Thanks |
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Florence Devouard |
[[User:Anthere|Florence Devouard]] |
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==links== |
==links== |
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*[[mailarchive:foundation-l/2007-March/028158.html]] (thoughts on staff issues) |
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* |
*[[mailarchive:foundation-l/2007-March/028385.html]] (Bastique as [[Volunteer Coordinator|volunteer coordinator]]) |
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* |
*[[mailarchive:foundation-l/2007-February/027477.html]] (Announcement concerning the ED search firm) |
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* |
*[[mailarchive:foundation-l/2007-January/027269.html]] (explanation of the differences between CEO, COO and Board) |
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* |
*[[mailarchive:foundation-l/2007-February/027478.html]] (Brad moving to GC job) |
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* |
*[[mailarchive:foundation-l/2007-January/027268.html]] (Announcement of Carolyn becoming COO) |
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* |
*[[mailarchive:foundation-l/2007-January/026515.html]] (4 wishes for year 2007... including reorganisation and financial considerations) |
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* |
*[[mailarchive:foundation-l/2007-January/027171.html]] (Welcome to Sandy) |
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* |
*[[mailarchive:foundation-l/2007-February/027455.html]] (Welcome to chapter coordinator) |
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*http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2007-February/027455.html (Welcome to chapter coordinator) |
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[[Category:English|{{PAGENAME}}]] |
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[[Category:Meetings|{{PAGENAME}}]] |
Latest revision as of 16:38, 21 March 2024
These are official minutes from a meeting of the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees. Please note that in the event of any differences in meaning or interpretation between the original English version of this content and a translation, the original English version takes precedence. |
←Board meetings | Minutes from 2007-03 | Questions? |
Hello community,
You will find below a report on the state of the Foundation and at the end of the email, a collection of links on previous reports and announcements.
The board just had a meeting in the WMF office, in Florida. It is actually a bit strange that I report on it, because I actually missed most of the board meeting itself :-)
The board meeting was planned to be on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Except for Jimbo, currently travelling in Japan, all board members were supposed to be there, but I was planned only to get there on friday afternoon.
What happened is that Global Warming caught me in New York, where I got stuck in an ugly ice storm, which cause the airport to close for 24 hours. I will not comment on hotel availabilities in Newark, nor about how Continental Airlines handle their customers in such crisis cases, but I will try to fly through other cities in the future... In any cases, I could only join at the end of Saturday.
During that week, the office was really populated, as it also hosted two other meetings, one dedicated to Quality (might be worthwhile to ask Greg to make a report on this one...), and another meeting of the tech team. Delphine was also in Florida for several days.
Passed resolutions
May be found here: Resolutions#March_2007
Essentially, there were
- adoption are the license policy
- approval of hardware purchase
- approval to hire Bastique
- approval to have Rob work full time rather than full time, to help in the office
- approval to hire a legal coordinator
Other discussions
Several other discussions occured on various topics, some of them being confidential (sorry guys).
What can be mentionned probably is this:
- work on a travel policy (nothing very fancy to report)
- work on a policy for reimbursement (nothing very fancy to report)
- further work on license issues (details confidential)
- study of some collaboration propositions (details confidential)
- study around brand licensing (not surprisingly since we are in the top of most recognised brands, we get some propositions from branding companies. Brand licensing is probably one of our best assets to collect money for the development of the projects in the future, so we should be careful about what we do on the topic. Brand licensing has also various ramifications, in particular in our relationships with chapters).
- approval of two new advisory board members
- discussion about a future CTO or a tech project leader. No conclusion at the moment.
Last, a significant part of the meeting was dedicated to the ED issue. As you are aware probably, the WMF doesnot have any more an executive director. At the same time, we started a search with a company, in order to hire our future ED. The search company voiced concerns about the involvement of the board in executive issues (too high to their opinion) and the difficulties a new ED would meet, due to the confusion between the role of the ED and the role of the board.
Accordingly, the issue of an interim director was discussed (no decision was really made). And we spent Sunday morning in defining a list of tasks that ought to be taken care of, giving to each of them a notion of priority and a notion of importance, and for each of them, defining whether the task should be under the ED role or the board job.
For your information,
Do it soon and is important
- Coordinate legal activities (ED)
- Job description for all (ED)
- Personnel needs (ED)
Do it soon (but not necessarily very important)
- Data Gathering (ED)
- Fundraising Planning (ED)
- Board Skills and Expansion and Election (board)
- Short term budget (COO)
- Wikimania Finances (ED)
- Tech stuff in office (ED)
Important (but not necessarily to do immediately)
- Brand Strategy (board)
- Business Development Strategy (board)
- Technical Management (ED)
Followed many other points, with less support either as important or as urgent (but not entirely non important nor not urgent at all, I just listed the MOST important and/or urgent from our perspective).
Note that looking for an ED is not even listed above - I guess it was so important and urgent that we even forgot to mention it :-)
As I was explaining, we have no ED. Which means that the points listed
above as ED issues will either be left unfixed until we have one, or
will have to be dealt with by someone else (undefined). We might make an
exception and hire a legal coordinator, because this is a critical issue.
Thanks
links
- mailarchive:foundation-l/2007-March/028158.html (thoughts on staff issues)
- mailarchive:foundation-l/2007-March/028385.html (Bastique as volunteer coordinator)
- mailarchive:foundation-l/2007-February/027477.html (Announcement concerning the ED search firm)
- mailarchive:foundation-l/2007-January/027269.html (explanation of the differences between CEO, COO and Board)
- mailarchive:foundation-l/2007-February/027478.html (Brad moving to GC job)
- mailarchive:foundation-l/2007-January/027268.html (Announcement of Carolyn becoming COO)
- mailarchive:foundation-l/2007-January/026515.html (4 wishes for year 2007... including reorganisation and financial considerations)
- mailarchive:foundation-l/2007-January/027171.html (Welcome to Sandy)
- mailarchive:foundation-l/2007-February/027455.html (Welcome to chapter coordinator)