Submissions:2023/Governance committees in the Wikimedia movement

This submission has been accepted for WikiConference North America 2023.

Etherpad

Title:

Governance committees in the Wikimedia movement

Theme:

Recent Changes, Community Initiatives, Equity / Inclusion / Community Health, Governance, Legal / Advocacy / Risks, Credibility / Mis and Disinformation (WikiCred)

Type of session:

Panel

Abstract:

Throughout the history of Wikipedia and Wikimedia projects, committees have played an important role in helping channel volunteer contributions and shape our governance models - and there have been recent changes!

The global community recently approved guidelines to enforce a Universal Code of Conduct. These include a new committee to coordinate that work, which should be seated soon. We recently saw committees such as Affiliations Committee, Ombuds commission, and the Case Review Committee have their term lengths increased to foster institutional memory. All four of these committees need to seat new members.

The drafting committee for the Movement Charter has proposed models for the Global Council and Hubs to support communities. And a freshly-seated Elections committee is working to design the upcoming 2024 Wikimedia Foundation Board Elections. Both of these groups are seeking community input.

Arbitration Committees across the movement play a crucial role in community health and functioning and members will discuss best practices. Stewards, VRT agents, and other local and global functionaries can function like committees as well, and will share how they combat abuse on both local and global scales.

And of course, the volunteer committees of the Wikimedia Foundation Board play an important role in representing the communities-at-large and helping coordinate the work of the organization to support governance committees. Some of this includes collaborative work to identify mis- and disinformation on the projects.

In a panel format, members from these groups and staff that support them will share insights and best practices about working on and with these committees.

Author name:

Jack "Xeno" Glover

E-mail address:

xeno@wikimedia.org

Wikimedia username:

Xeno (WMF)

Affiliated organization(s):

Wikimedia Foundation Inc.

Estimated time:

45 minutes

Special requests:

Possibility for hybrid panelists?

Have you presented on this topic previously? If yes, where/when?:

Relatedly, in a 2022 WCNA lightning talk: youtu.be/Qy1c8Kogpi0?t=6928

Okay to livestream?

Livestreaming is okay

If your submission is not accepted, would you be open to presenting your topic in another part of the program? (e.g. lightning talk or unconference session)

Yes