2011 governance proposal - Revision history

Kathey: /* The town hall meeting */ added link to Town Hall Meeting related documents

2011-09-14T09:51:15Z

The town hall meeting: added link to Town Hall Meeting related documents

Ideath: /* The town hall meeting */

2011-06-17T17:24:48Z

The town hall meeting

Ideath: /* The Current Model in Brief */

2011-04-29T15:45:51Z

The Current Model in Brief

Ideath: add links and board category.

2011-04-29T15:45:23Z

add links and board category.

Owenja: removing underlining and "example needed"s

2011-04-21T02:21:16Z

removing underlining and "example needed"s

Owenja: /* Responsibilities and communications */ cleaned up with the consensus of council

2011-04-21T02:16:25Z

Responsibilities and communications: cleaned up with the consensus of council

Ideath: tagging this revision as the one approved by the board.

2011-04-15T15:46:41Z

tagging this revision as the one approved by the board.

Owenja: ASG category

2011-04-14T02:29:48Z

ASG category

Ideath: /* The board */ this old mistake. ugh.

2011-04-13T23:31:10Z

The board: this old mistake. ugh.

Ideath: /* Responsibilities and communications */ moved rights of core vols to their reps to Topics for future board agendas.

2011-04-13T21:17:48Z

Responsibilities and communications: moved rights of core vols to their reps to Topics for future board agendas.

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:51, 14 September 2011
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	:''Update: At the [[council]]'s [http://lists.freegeek.org/pipermail/minutes/2011-April/001110.html April 2011 meeting], the formula was fixed: "'Core volunteers' will be defined as persons who have volunteered for at least 30 hours within the last year."''		:''Update: At the [[council]]'s [http://lists.freegeek.org/pipermail/minutes/2011-April/001110.html April 2011 meeting], the formula was fixed: "'Core volunteers' will be defined as persons who have volunteered for at least 30 hours within the last year."''
		+
		+	:''Update: Ongoing event planning for the first ever Free Geek Town Hall Meeting of October 2011 has notes here: http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/Election_Document_Depository

	===Selection and Recruitment===		===Selection and Recruitment===

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:24, 17 June 2011
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	Dedication to outreach for this event will be crucial in fulfilling the "low bar to participation" and "democratic" [[#Criteria for a new model\|criteria]], as well as [[Free Geek Principles\|principle 5]]. Both candidates to represent core volunteers and those eligible to participate in selecting them will be ''core volunteers'', as determined by a formula based on volunteer hours to be decided by a council meeting. The board will be responsible for seeing that this event is appropriately planned and that community input generated at these meetings is integrated into the organization's plans for the future.		Dedication to outreach for this event will be crucial in fulfilling the "low bar to participation" and "democratic" [[#Criteria for a new model\|criteria]], as well as [[Free Geek Principles\|principle 5]]. Both candidates to represent core volunteers and those eligible to participate in selecting them will be ''core volunteers'', as determined by a formula based on volunteer hours to be decided by a council meeting. The board will be responsible for seeing that this event is appropriately planned and that community input generated at these meetings is integrated into the organization's plans for the future.
		+
		+	:''Update: At the [[council]]'s [http://lists.freegeek.org/pipermail/minutes/2011-April/001110.html April 2011 meeting], the formula was fixed: "'Core volunteers' will be defined as persons who have volunteered for at least 30 hours within the last year."''

	===Selection and Recruitment===		===Selection and Recruitment===

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ==The Current Model in Brief==
-Free Geek currently has two bodies charged with governance: the [[board]] of directors and the [[community council]].  The role of the community council is [http://lists.freegeek.org/pipermail/minutes/2010-September/000990.html threefold]: to select board members, to set vision for the organization, and to provide a venue for volunteer engagement in governance. The role of the board has been to ensure legal and financial accountability for the organization. The staff (largely the collective) has taken on some of the strategic planning elements for the organization due to failures in the volunteer leadership (board and council) as formulated above.
+Free Geek currently has two bodies charged with governance: the [[board]] of directors and the community [[council]].  The role of the community council is [http://lists.freegeek.org/pipermail/minutes/2010-September/000990.html threefold]: to select board members, to set vision for the organization, and to provide a venue for volunteer engagement in governance. The role of the board has been to ensure legal and financial accountability for the organization. The staff (largely the collective) has taken on some of the strategic planning elements for the organization due to failures in the volunteer leadership (board and council) as formulated above.
 ==Problems with the Current Model==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ==The Current Model in Brief==
-Free Geek currently has two bodies charged with governance: the board of directors and the community council.  The role of the community council is [http://lists.freegeek.org/pipermail/minutes/2010-September/000990.html threefold]: to select board members, to set vision for the organization, and to provide a venue for volunteer engagement in governance. The role of the board has been to ensure legal and financial accountability for the organization. The staff (largely the collective) has taken on some of the strategic planning elements for the organization due to failures in the volunteer leadership (board and council) as formulated above.
+Free Geek currently has two bodies charged with governance: the [[board]] of directors and the [[community council]].  The role of the community council is [http://lists.freegeek.org/pipermail/minutes/2010-September/000990.html threefold]: to select board members, to set vision for the organization, and to provide a venue for volunteer engagement in governance. The role of the board has been to ensure legal and financial accountability for the organization. The staff (largely the collective) has taken on some of the strategic planning elements for the organization due to failures in the volunteer leadership (board and council) as formulated above.
 ==Problems with the Current Model==
@@ Line 79: / Line 79: @@
 This proposal will go to the board and the council before their respective meetings, and hopefully be approved (perhaps with amendments) at the April meetings.
-We ask the board, at its April meeting, to set their number to (at least) seven in order to create seats for core volunteer representatives (DONE); to arrange for bylaw revisions to be prepared before their May meeting (delegated); and to arrange for the creation of job descriptions, general and for volunteer representative seats (delegated).
+We ask the board, at its [http://lists.freegeek.org/pipermail/minutes/2011-April/001105.html April meeting], to set their number to (at least) seven in order to create seats for core volunteer representatives (DONE); to arrange for bylaw revisions to be prepared before their May meeting (delegated); and to arrange for the creation of job descriptions, general and for volunteer representative seats (delegated).
-We ask the council, at its April meeting, to determine the formula for core volunteers and to nominate and/or select volunteer representatives to the board.
+We ask the council, at its [http://lists.freegeek.org/pipermail/minutes/2011-April/001110.html April meeting], to determine the formula for core volunteers (DONE) and to nominate and/or select volunteer representatives to the board.
 Should this all go well, the May council meeting may see [s]election of new board members, and the ensuing board meeting may see adoption of new bylaws.
@@ Line 88: / Line 88: @@
 [[Category: ASG]]

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 * involved in the vision generation piece of strategic planning.
-Dedication to outreach for this event will be crucial in fulfilling the "low bar to participation" and "democratic" [[#Criteria for a new model|criteria]], as well as [[Free Geek Principles|principle 5]]. Both candidates to represent core volunteers and those eligible to participate in selecting them will be ''core volunteers'', as determined by a formula based on volunteer hours to be decided by a council meeting (<u>example needed</u>). <u>The board will be responsible for seeing that this event is appropriately planned and that community input generated at these meetings is integrated into the organization's plans for the future.</u>
+Dedication to outreach for this event will be crucial in fulfilling the "low bar to participation" and "democratic" [[#Criteria for a new model|criteria]], as well as [[Free Geek Principles|principle 5]]. Both candidates to represent core volunteers and those eligible to participate in selecting them will be ''core volunteers'', as determined by a formula based on volunteer hours to be decided by a council meeting. The board will be responsible for seeing that this event is appropriately planned and that community input generated at these meetings is integrated into the organization's plans for the future.
 ===Selection and Recruitment===
-Two or more volunteer representatives would be selected from among core volunteers at the [[town hall meeting]]. At all times, the board is directed to strive for balance among the categories (volunteers, clients, skills, interests), with at least 25% elected volunteers. The remaining seats would be selected by the board as a whole. <u>As noted above, most of the status quo will remain, for example the staggered 2-year terms specified in the board.</u>
+Two or more volunteer representatives would be selected from among core volunteers at the [[town hall meeting]]. At all times, the board is directed to strive for balance among the categories (volunteers, clients, skills, interests), with at least 25% elected volunteers. The remaining seats would be selected by the board as a whole. As noted above, most of the status quo will remain, for example the staggered 2-year terms specified in the board.
 Job descriptions will be developed to assist in filling board member positions -- a general description for all members, and specific descriptions for individual seats. Assistance from people who currently fill specific roles will help with writing description for those roles. Most of the job description will be defined by the board (perhaps delegated to their recruitment committee).
@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
 The division of authority between the board and the staff is envisioned as a division between strategic and operational realms, with the board being in charge of strategic decision making and the staff in charge of operational decisions.
 ===Responsibilities and communications===
 The job descriptions mentioned above will clarify many of the responsibilities of board members. Some materials for these descriptions may be pulled from the existing [[Bylaws]], [[New Director Agreement]], and [[Conflict of Interest Policy]]. The roles of board officers will also be more codified to ensure better record-keeping and agenda-planning.

@@ Line 42: / Line 42: @@
 It is the board's responsibility to maintain an agenda that addresses organizational issues and goals, and to make that agenda widely available in a timely manner. Directors will have the right to request information from staff and expect a timely response. Staff have the responsibility to respond reasonably and in a timely manner to such requests.
-<u>Right/responsibility of board members to ongoing training in relevant skills and areas of knowledge.</u>
+It is the right and responsibility of board members to receive ongoing training in relevant skills and areas of knowledge.
 ===Transparency===

@@ Line 73: / Line 73: @@
 ==Next steps/transition plan==
 Relevant dates:
-* Board meeting 4/13
+* Board meeting 4/13 - board approves proposal as it stands.
 * Council meeting 4/20
 * Council and Board meetings 5/18
@@ Line 79: / Line 79: @@
 This proposal will go to the board and the council before their respective meetings, and hopefully be approved (perhaps with amendments) at the April meetings.
-We ask the board, at its April meeting, to set their number to (at least) seven in order to create seats for core volunteer representatives; to arrange for bylaw revisions to be prepared before their May meeting; and to arrange for the creation of job descriptions, general and for volunteer representative seats.
+We ask the board, at its April meeting, to set their number to (at least) seven in order to create seats for core volunteer representatives (DONE); to arrange for bylaw revisions to be prepared before their May meeting (delegated); and to arrange for the creation of job descriptions, general and for volunteer representative seats (delegated).
 We ask the council, at its April meeting, to determine the formula for core volunteers and to nominate and/or select volunteer representatives to the board.

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:29, 14 April 2011
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	Responsibility to plan the first town hall meeting (presumably this late summer/fall) should be delegated ASAP.		Responsibility to plan the first town hall meeting (presumably this late summer/fall) should be delegated ASAP.
		+
		+	[[Category: ASG]]

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 ==Proposed New Model==
 ===The board===
-We have decided to propose a model consisting of a single expanded board of directors. The board will consist of members elected by core volunteers and other people appointed by the board to represent [[Groups to be represented on the board|interests and skills we consider desirable]].  There will also be one liaison each from collective and noncollective staff. Apart from this, the status quo will remain in effect (for example, the board is assumed to still be run by Formal Consensus) until and unless the board decides to change these policies.
+We have decided to propose a model consisting of a single expanded board of directors. The board will consist of members elected by core volunteers and other people appointed by the board to represent [[Groups to be represented on the board|interests and skills we consider desirable]].  There will also be one liaison each from collective and noncollective staff. Apart from this, the status quo will remain in effect (for example, the board is assumed to still make decisions via Formal Consensus) until and unless the board decides to change these policies.
 The board will develop clear guidelines and procedures for their operations, and policies regarding board discipline.

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:17, 13 April 2011
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	It is the board's responsibility to maintain an agenda that addresses organizational issues and goals, and to make that agenda widely available in a timely manner. Directors will have the right to request information from staff and expect a timely response. Staff have the responsibility to respond reasonably and in a timely manner to such requests.		It is the board's responsibility to maintain an agenda that addresses organizational issues and goals, and to make that agenda widely available in a timely manner. Directors will have the right to request information from staff and expect a timely response. Staff have the responsibility to respond reasonably and in a timely manner to such requests.
−
−	~~<u>Rights of volunteers w/r/t their representatives? Or is that part of the representatives' job descriptions?</u>~~

	<u>Right/responsibility of board members to ongoing training in relevant skills and areas of knowledge.</u>		<u>Right/responsibility of board members to ongoing training in relevant skills and areas of knowledge.</u>