Well, you could always do a nominal membership contribution, like a penny, or sponsorships for those who wish to join but don't have the money. Since WMF makes its money primarily from donations, there's really no need for it to actually sustain itself from membership fees.
So far as requiring non-pseudonymous membership, I don't think there's any requirement that such member lists be made public. So it would work a lot like functionaries giving their information for the private access policy; they are required to verify their identity, but that will be held privately and not available to the public. So for all intents and purposes, pseudonymous membership would still be possible. Todd On Thu, Oct 8, 2020 at 11:46 AM Risker <risker...@gmail.com> wrote: > Without needing to go into further detail, it is because to be a membership > organization, pseudonyms aren't acceptable; all members must provide their > full legal names and addresses. I also cannot think of a membership > organization that does not charge a membership fee, although I suppose it > is possible; but anything requiring a financial contribution would limit > the membership to those who have the money to pay to join, which is > antithetical to the movement's philosophy. > > Risker/Anne > > On Thu, 8 Oct 2020 at 13:41, Todd Allen <toddmal...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > Why would we "not want it to be a membership organization"? In fact, many > > of us want exactly that, since the WMF seems to think it can lord it over > > the communities instead of fulfilling its role of serving them. > > > > The new Board rules basically say that the Board itself gets to say how > the > > community-based members are selected, instead of having actual bylaws as > to > > how it happens. I'd like to see it done very simply: Those eight seats > > (forming a majority) on the Board should be elected (not nominated, > > elected) by the community, with the Board having no veto power over the > > results of the election. > > > > Todd > > > > On Wed, Oct 7, 2020 at 12:45 PM Brad Patrick <bradp....@gmail.com> > wrote: > > > > > This is a very, very old and tired argument. If you do not understand > > > United States non-profit corporations, go educate yourself about those > > > first. If your perspective is non-US based, you may have a different > > frame > > > of mind which is irreconcilable with the way WMF is. Take all the time > > you > > > need to see the differences before attacking WMF for (a) what it is and > > (b) > > > why it isn't what you want it to be. > > > > > > WMF exists legally, and has as its foundation organizational principle, > > > authority vested in a Board. WMF is not a membership organization. You > > > would not want it to be a membership organization (as a matter of law). > > > > > > Please temper your criticism accordingly. > > > > > > Brad Patrick > > > Former WMF General Counsel > > > > > > On 10/7/20, 12:47 PM, "Wikimedia-l on behalf of Paulo Santos Perneta" > < > > > wikimedia-l-boun...@lists.wikimedia.org on behalf of > > > paulospern...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > > I knew they are theoretically self-appointed, but was under the > > > impression > > > that at least until now an appearance of democracy and legitimacy > > > towards > > > the community has been respected, which no longer seems to be the > > case. > > > I wonder what would be the legitimacy of a self-appointing body in > > the > > > eyes > > > of the Wikimedia Movement, and all the communities which are part > of > > > it? > > > > > > Regards, > > > Paulo > > > > > > Adam Wight <adam.wi...@wikimedia.de> escreveu no dia quarta, > > > 7/10/2020 à(s) > > > 17:20: > > > > > > > Greetings, this is a semiautomated response pointing out that the > > > > Wikimedia Foundation Board is not elected, it's self-appointing. > > The > > > > so-called "elections" are in fact nominations to be considered by > > the > > > > Board. Therefore, the Bylaws have not been broken. > > > > > > > > This is an unfortunate arrangement, please see [1] for some > > > background > > > > about the conversion from a membership organization to a > > > non-membership > > > > organization which is no longer legally required to hold > elections. > > > > > > > > Regards, > > > > > > > > Adam W. > > > > [[mw:User:Adamw]] > > > > > > > > [1] > > > > > > > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_membership_controversy > > > > > > > > On 10/7/20 5:55 PM, Paulo Santos Perneta wrote: > > > > > The terms of 3 BoT members expired last month, and the BoT > itself > > > decided > > > > > to extend them? What is the legitimacy of that? And why is a > BoT > > > which is > > > > > expected to be in a mere interim management waiting for > > elections, > > > > > presenting profound changes to its Bylaws [1]? > > > > > > > > > > [1] - > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Board_noticeboard/October_2020_-_Proposed_Bylaws_changes > > > > > > > > > > Best, > > > > > Paulo > > > > > > > > > > Nataliia Tymkiv <ntym...@wikimedia.org> escreveu no dia > quarta, > > > > 7/10/2020 > > > > > à(s) 16:49: > > > > > > > > > >> Hello, > > > > >> > > > > >> I can answer a few of the questions raised in this thread. > > > > >> > > > > >> When the Board postponed the community selection of trustees, > we > > > also > > > > >> extended the terms of the trustees in the affected seats > (María > > > > Sefidari, > > > > >> Dariusz Jemielniak, and James Heilman)[1]. Their terms were > > > originally > > > > set > > > > >> to expire last month, but because of that term extension they > > are > > > still > > > > >> serving as trustees, and as such María remains the Board Chair > > and > > > > Dariusz > > > > >> and James continue on as Committee Chairs[2]. > > > > >> > > > > >> Raju Narisetti and Esra'a Al Shafei have been reappointed to > the > > > Board > > > > for > > > > >> an additional three-year term[3][4]. > > > > >> > > > > >> The current members of the Board of Trustees are listed on the > > > Wikimedia > > > > >> Foundation website[5]. > > > > >> > > > > >> We do not currently have a shortage of trustees on the Board, > > and > > > we > > > > have > > > > >> had a quorum for every decision we have made this year. We > have > > > > published > > > > >> some outstanding Board records, many of which were just > approved > > > at our > > > > >> recent meeting in September[6][7]. > > > > >> > > > > >> I have just sent an email to this list, as well as posted an > > > update to > > > > >> Meta-Wiki, with a request for feedback on matters related to > the > > > > >> Foundation’s Bylaws and trustee selection[8]. That > announcement > > > contains > > > > >> more information about the postponed community selection of > > > trustees. > > > > >> > > > > >> Best regards, > > > > >> > > > > >> antanana / Nataliia Tymkiv > > > > >> > > > > >> Vice Chair, Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees > > > > >> > > > > >> [1] > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Resolution:Postponement_of_Community_Selection_of_Trustees_and_Extension_of_Community_Selected_Trustee_Terms_until_next_selection_process > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> [2] > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Resolution:Board_Officers_and_Committee_Membership,_2019 > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> [3] > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Resolution:Renewing_Raju_Narisetti%27s_Appointment_to_the_Board_of_Trustees,_2020 > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> [4] > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Resolution:Renewing_Esra%27a_Al_Shafei%27s_Appointment_to_the_Board_of_Trustees,_2020 > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> [5] https://wikimediafoundation.org/role/board/ > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> [6] https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Meetings > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> [7] https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Resolutions > > > > >> > > > > >> [8] > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Board_noticeboard/October_2020_-_Call_for_feedback_about_Bylaws_changes_and_Board_candidate_rubric > > > > >> < > > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Board_noticeboard/July_2020_-_Call_for_feedback_about_Bylaws_changes_and_Board_candidate_rubric > > > > >> > > > > >> *NOTICE: You may have received this message outside of your > > normal > > > > working > > > > >> hours/days, as I usually can work more as a volunteer during > > > weekend. > > > > You > > > > >> should not feel obligated to answer it during your days off. > > > Thank you > > > > in > > > > >> advance!* > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> On Thu, Oct 1, 2020 at 9:52 PM Bill Takatoshi < > > > billtakato...@gmail.com> > > > > >> wrote: > > > > >> > > > > >>> After I asked my questions on September 4, I was sent the > > message > > > > >>> below by some role account I've never heard of, asking about > > > claims > > > > >>> that have used the names of five other people. I don't edit > > > under my > > > > >>> real name, but I have never used the names in the linked > forum > > > > >>> postings. > > > > >>> > > > > >>> The linked posts also claim that the Foundation's nonprofit > > > status is > > > > >>> at risk. I am not a lawyer, but I am skeptical of that claim > > even > > > > >>> though five Trustees whose three-year terms expired in August > > > > >>> apparently voted on a Resolution in a Board meeting on > > September > > > 24. > > > > >>> According to Section 4 of the Bylaws, "A quorum shall consist > > of > > > a > > > > >>> majority of Trustees then in office." Section 6 says, "the > > Board > > > may > > > > >>> continue doing business as a Board during the vacancy of any > > > Trustee > > > > >>> position." Therefore, since four of the five remaining > Trustees > > > all > > > > >>> voted in favor, the Resolution was properly carried, in my > > > layperson's > > > > >>> view. I am less certain about the propriety of allowing a > > Trustee > > > > >>> whose three year term expired to continue to serve as Chair. > > > > >>> > > > > >>> The lack of any update or even ETA for an update on > > > > >>> > > > > >>> > > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Wikimedia_Foundation_elections/2020#Postpone%3F > > > > >>> is baffling. Elections have never been held in person, only > > > online, > > > > >>> and so the excuse that they were postponed because of the > > > pandemic > > > > >>> crisis seems extremely suspicious. Indefinitely delaying > > > elections for > > > > >>> such a vacuous reason makes the Foundation look like the > worst > > > of the > > > > >>> bad actors in today's international political climate. > Doesn't > > > the > > > > >>> cancelled travel of the pandemic crisis give the Foundation > > more > > > time > > > > >>> to hold elections, not less? Whether non-profit status is at > > > risk or > > > > >>> not, I would hope that the Foundation, Board, and Elections > > > Committee > > > > >>> would be more interested in upholding the principles of good > > > > >>> governance than failing to even announce a new schedule or > even > > > a date > > > > >>> by which a new schedule will be announced. > > > > >>> > > > > >>> -Will > > > > >>> > > > > >>> On Mon, Sep 14, 2020 at 10:31 PM Gender Desk < > > > genderscr...@gmail.com> > > > > >>> wrote: > > > > >>>> Mr. Takatoshi, > > > > >>>> > > > > >>>> Wikipediocracy has suggested that you have also used the > names > > > "Rogol > > > > >>> Domedonfors, Renée Bagslint, Jennifer Pryor-Summers, Felicity > > > Braingut, > > > > >>> Thomas Townsend and others." > > > > >>> http://wikipediocracy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=11567 > > > > >>>> Can you comment on that? > > > > >>>> > > > > >>>> Regards, > > > > >>>> Genderdesk > > > > >>>> > > > > >>>> genderdesk.wordpress.com > > > > >>> > > > > >>> On Mon, Sep 14, 2020 at 7:38 PM Samuel Klein < > > meta...@gmail.com> > > > > wrote: > > > > >>>> Can anyone from the elections committee comment? What is > the > > > current > > > > >>>> plan? //S > > > > >>>> On Fri, Sep 4, 2020 at 8:05 PM Bill Takatoshi < > > > > billtakato...@gmail.com > > > > >>>> wrote: > > > > >>>> > > > > >>>>> How long can the Foundation legally postpone Board of > > Trustees > > > > >>> elections? > > > > >>>>> > > > > >>>>> > > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Wikimedia_Foundation_elections/2020#Postpone%3F > > > > >>>>> has a comment from April saying, "Once things get moving > > again, > > > > >>>>> appopriate [sic] date for the election will be decided and > an > > > > >>>>> announcement will be made." > > > > >>>>> > > > > >>>>> > > > > >>>>> > > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Board_of_Trustees#Current_members > > > > >>>>> suggests that five board members terms end on "Wikimania > > 2020" > > > -- but > > > > >>>>> is that accurate? > > > > >>>>> > > > > >>>>> > > > > >>>>> > > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Resolution:Term_Limit_Proposal_for_Bylaws > > > > >>>>> is clear that "All Board terms are three years" and "the > term > > > of each > > > > >>>>> such appointment shall not exceed three years." > > > > >>>>> > > > > >>>>> Who are the current members of the Board of Trustees? > > > > >>>>> > > > > >>>>> Can the board achieve a quorum in its present state? > > > > >>>>> > > > > >>>>> Who is the Chair currently? > > > > >>>>> > > > > >>>> -- > > > > >>>> Samuel Klein @metasj w:user:sj > +1 > > > 617 529 > > > > >>> 4266 > > > > >>> > > > > >>> _______________________________________________ > > > > >>> Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > > > > >>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and > > > > >>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l > > > > >>> New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > > > >>> Unsubscribe: > > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > > >>> <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org > > > ?subject=unsubscribe> > > > > >>> > > > > >> _______________________________________________ > > > > >> Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > > > > >> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and > > > > >> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l > > > > >> New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > > > >> Unsubscribe: > > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > > >> <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org > > > ?subject=unsubscribe> > > > > >> > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l > > > > > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > > > > Unsubscribe: > > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org > > ?subject=unsubscribe> > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l > > > > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > > > Unsubscribe: > > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org > > ?subject=unsubscribe> > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l > > > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > > Unsubscribe: > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l > > > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l > > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> > > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> > _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe>
