ForumsGovernance
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| THIS IS A ROUGH DRAFT BY MAKO FROM JUNE 2006. | == Forums Community Governance Codification == |
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| It needs formatting still. | The [[https://ubuntuforums.org|Ubuntu Forums]] represent many people's first meeting with Ubuntu. They are an important resource for support and social interactions. The forums were started as an independent project by Ryan Troy in 2004 and their rapid success was officially recognized when they were designated as the Official Ubuntu Forums. |
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| This a draft. Everything here is completely open for discussion and reevaluation. It is, as of the time of writing, the work of only two people and will only represent those views until you start on it. Additionally, this document can updated with time when it stops working. For example, if a 3-5 person board becomes problematic, we can change it. Changes to this can be made by agreement of both the FC and the CC. |
This document aims to: |
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| Finally, it should go without saying but may still benefit from being said: | * Provide a clear explanation of the existing leadership in the forums. |
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| This document is *not* meant as an attack on the current forums staff or administrators. The forums are one of the largest and smoothest running parts of the Ubuntu community. This document aims to help create a more documented, democratic, accessible governance structure for the forums and to integrate it into the rest of the Ubuntu community. The best way to solve a problem is to prevent it from ever happening. At a moment when the forums are running more smoothly than ever, it seems an ideal moment to help pave the road for a long and smooth future. |
* Describe clear processes for the appointment of leadership and staff positions in the forums. |
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| Forums Community Governance Codification ========================================== |
* Describe methods for both preventing and resolving any future inter-administrator or inter-staff conflicts within the forums. |
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| The forums represent many people's first meeting with Ubuntu and is an important resource for support and social interactions and have become one of the most important subprojects within Ubuntu. They are the single largest GNU/Linux support forums and one of the most important venues for community support and interaction. Started independently by Ryan Troy two years ago, their rapid success was recognized when they were desiccated as the Official Ubuntu Forums. In a variety of ways and for a variety of reasons, the forums have not been given the respect or recognition that they deserve. Their governance systems remains both separate and isolated from the Ubuntu decision-making system. While the forums have built successful and effective internal governance systems, including their resolution center, their relationship to the rest of the Ubuntu is less clear. The forums currently have no CC-delegated governance council and no official team delegation. The Official Ubuntu Forums have not been given an opportunity to live up to their name. This specification, which ultimately aims to be approved by both the current forum staff and the Ubuntu Community Council, tries to lay out a plan for bringing the Ubuntu forums into the fold. A closer relationship between Ubuntu and the forums will: * Increase recognition of contributions in the forums with membership which is ultimately used to approve community council members. * Provide a clear delegation and codifications of the existing leadership in the forums and plan for handling these decisions in the future. * Describe a clearly described democratic and meritocratic process for leadership and staff positions in the forums. * Remove several "single points of failure." (this is not an attack) * Describe methods for both preventing and resolving any future inter-administrator or inter-staff conflicts within the forums. * Recognize the hard work of the forums staff through recognition as an integral and *integrated* part of the forums community. |
* Provide a straightforward process for forums staff to be recognized as full members in Ubuntu, with the right to vote on resolutions posed by the Community Council. |
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| Changes to Current Ubuntu Policy ================================== |
== Wider Ubuntu Community Policy == |
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| The proposal includes both a policy and the codification of a few things in Ubuntu policy. These should be discussed with the CC and the forum staff. After it is improved by this process we should probably add this to the `community governance page`__ in the Ubuntu website. |
The forums are part of the wider Ubuntu community which is governed as described on [[https://www.ubuntu.com/about/about-ubuntu/governance|the governance page]] of the Ubuntu website. |
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| __ http://www.ubuntu.com/community/processes/governance | Note that the document above is structured to describe NOT JUST the Forums, but all the areas of the project which are large and independent enough to have their own dedicated leadership structures. |
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| == Team Councils == | == Team Councils == |
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| Whereas small teams are governed by consensus and frequently directed by a team leader appointed by the Community Council, several projects within Ubuntu (e.g., Kubuntu, Edubuntu, the Ubuntu Forums) are large and established enough that they have their own internal governance structures. These most important of these structures is the *Team Council*. |
For active teams and subprojects with Ubuntu, the Ubuntu Community council delegates many of its responsibilities to "Team Councils." These councils act as proxies for the Community Council over a particular team or scope of activity within the Ubuntu community. These governance councils are ultimately responsible for the actions and activity within their team or scope and resolves disputes and manage policies and procedures internal to their team and frequently appoint Ubuntu members on behalf of the CC. |
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| The members of team councils are appointed by the community council under consideration of input from the existing team council and leaders and participants of the subproject or team. In all cases, the CC aims to choose leaders who are well known, experienced, and respected within team and in the larger community. The input of the current team leadership and members play the single most important role in appointing team council members. |
The Ubuntu Forums Council (FC) is the team governance council for the the official Ubuntu forums. |
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| Councils play different roles in different subprojects but they act as an extension of and serve a role similar to the CC within their subproject. They create and review rules and guidelines and resolve conflicts or enforce rules where necessary. In some situations, consideration of membership applications is delegated to team councils by the community council. Like all teams in Ubuntu, their technical and non-technical decisions are subject to review or appeal to the Ubuntu Technical Board and Community Council respectively. Conflicts *within* team councils are resolved by the Community Council. |
== Forums Council Charter == |
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| This would attempt to describe both what we're planning on doing here and would apply to the current Kubuntu and Edubuntu councils. |
The forums council is the group that is ultimately responsible for the governing the forums and interfacing between the forums and the rest of the Ubuntu community and governance systems. It will: |
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| New Forums Governance Policy ============================== |
* Consist of five to seven members. Membership should be public and published. |
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| The following new policy will be implemented after drafting and approval by the current forums administrators an the Ubuntu community council. |
* Decisions will be made by a majority of voting forums council members when at least three and more than half of the total members have voted. |
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| It should also be added to `the forums guidelines page`__. | * FC members should be accessible by and responsive to the forums community (i.e., through a dedicated forum). |
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| __ http://ubuntuforums.org/index.php?page=policy | * Hold "meetings" regularly and visibly. Meetings can either be in IRC in the "ubuntu-meeting" channel or in a special, publicly visible area or sub-forum. |
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| Forums Council -------------------- |
* Be appointed by the Ubuntu Community Council in consultation with the Forums Council, forums staff, and active contributors to the forums. Nominations would be open and public and would be considered and evaluated by the CC. Each candidate should prepare a wiki page summarizing their nomination and their contributions and including and referencing testimonials (e.g., something similar to what is prepared for Ubuntu membership). The CC commits to evaluating all nominations on the following criteria, listed in order of importance: |
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| The Ubuntu Community Council will create a new Forums Council (FC) (similar in effect to the Kubuntu and Edubuntu councils). The FC will consist of and take on the roles of the administrators. |
* The nominees active status as an Ubuntu member ''(essential)''. * The nominees support from ''at least'' one active forum staff member (essential). * Opinions and testimonials (positive and negative) from current members of the forums council; * Opinions and testimonials from current forums staff; * Opinions and testimonials from Ubuntu Members, Ubunteros, and other active participants in the forums; * Clear evidence of activity within the forums (quality, quantity and duration); |
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| This board would: | * Serve terms of two (2) years. FC members could serve multiple or repeated terms. Weight will be given to proved contributors and reelection of consistently active members should be both easy and common. |
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| * Consist of between 3-5 members. Membership should be public and published. FC members should be accessible by and responsive to the forums community. |
* Be formed, initially, of the current forums administrators (i.e., Ryan Troy (Ubuntu-Geek), John Dong (jdong), and Mike Braniff (KiwiNZ)). * Have a chairman with a casting vote, appointed by the Community Council, initially to be Ryan Troy. |
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| * Hold meetings regularly and visibly. Meetings can either be in IRC in the "ubuntu-meeting" channel or in a special, publicly visible area or subarea on the forums. (Of course, "meeting" is perhaps a bad term in this case. Input/help describing this would be nice.) This can be in addition to existing private staff-only forums. |
The FC would have a number of rights and responsibilities, and be ultimately responsible for the smooth operation of the forums. These include: |
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| * Be appointed by the Ubuntu Community Council. Nominations would be public but would be considered and evaluated by the CC based on a number of criteria. In order of importance, this criteria would include: |
* Appointing or recalling administrators, moderators and forums staff or determining criteria by which they are appointed. |
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| - Opinions and testimonials (positive and negative) of current members of the forums council; |
* Resolving disputes between forums staff and moderators as per the existing dispute resolution system and forums guidelines. |
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| - Opinions and testimonials from current forums staff; | * With advice, feedback, and help from the forums staff, maintaining and enforcing the Forums Guidelines and associated infrastructure (e.g., the resolution center). |
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| - Opinions and testimonials from Ubuntu Members, Ubunteros, and other active participants in the Ubuntu forums. |
* Regularly and when possible (i.e., monthly), sending reports or representatives to CC members to weigh in on issues of membership and to update the council on the FC business. |
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| - Clear evidence of activity within the forums (quality, quantity and duration); |
=== Staff and Ubuntu Membership === |
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| * Serve terms of three (3) years. FC members could serve multiple or repeated terms. Weight will be given to proved contributors and reelection of consistently active members should be both easy and common. |
Forums staff will be appointed by the forums council. Forums staff are expected to uphold and set an example that is consistent with the Code of Conduct. |
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| * Be formed, initially, of the current forums administrators (i.e., Ryan Troy, Kassetra, John Dong, and Mike Braniff). We might want to add another admin next year or appoint/reappoint two members next year. |
Forums staff and participants have the option to become Ubuntu members. Current staff can apply for membership at an Ubuntu CC meeting. Their contributions as staff members and contributors on the forums should provide more than sufficient evidence of a sustained and significant contribution to the Ubuntu community. |
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| The FC would have a number of rights and responsibilities. These include: |
=== Dispute Resolution === |
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| * First and foremost, the current rights responsibilities of the Ubuntu forums administrators. :) |
The FC will be responsible for maintaining forum guidelines and systems for internal conflict resolution (e.g., the forums resolution center). |
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| * Appointing new moderators and forums staff. While the criteria for these appointments are ultimately up to the FC, these appointments should take into account similar criteria to the CC in considering new FC members. |
Additionally, there should provide a documented method whereby any disagreements or conflicts ''between'' moderators can request a hearing by the FC. |
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| * Resolving disputes between forums staff and moderators as per the existing dispute resolution system and forums guidelines. |
In extreme situations, users and moderators who feel that they have not been given a fair hearing by the FC can appeal a decision to the CC. The CC considers the FC to be a greater authority on forums matters and in the majority of these cases, the CC will likely refer these issues back to the FC. |
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| * With advice, feedback, and help from the forums staff, maintaining and enforcing the Forums Guidelines and associated infrastructure (e.g., the resolution center). * Regularly and when possible, sending a representative to CC members to weigh in on issues of membership and to update the council on the FC business. * With time and once things are running smoothly, the CC will delegate membership decisions to the council so that the FC can appoint new Ubuntu members without direct oversight or permission from the CC. Forums Staff ---------------------------- Forums staff will be appointed by the forums council. They have terms of one year and can be reappointed to additional by the FC when their terms expire. Forums staff should have the options to become Ubuntu members. Current staff can apply for membership at an Ubuntu CC meeting. Their contributions as staff members and contributors on the forums should provide more than sufficient evidence of a sustained and significant contribution to the Ubuntu community. Dispute Resolution ----------------------- There need to be no significant changes to the way that inter-user or staff-user disputes are handled in the forums. The FC will continue to maintain the forums guidelines and the resolution center. There should be a method whereby any disagreements or conflicts *between* moderators can request a hearing by the FC. In and only in *extreme* situations, users and moderators who feel that they have not been given a fair hearing by the FC can appeal a decision to the CC. The CC considers the FC to be a greater authority on forums matters and in the *vast* majority of these cases, the CC will refer these issues back to the FC. Any deadlock within the FC will can be referred to the community council for resolution. All forums issues, including those that involve the CC, should occur not in IRC, but in a special forums in the Ubuntu Forums. |
Any deadlock within the FC will can be referred to the community council for resolution. |
Forums Community Governance Codification
The Ubuntu Forums represent many people's first meeting with Ubuntu. They are an important resource for support and social interactions. The forums were started as an independent project by Ryan Troy in 2004 and their rapid success was officially recognized when they were designated as the Official Ubuntu Forums.
This document aims to:
- Provide a clear explanation of the existing leadership in the forums.
- Describe clear processes for the appointment of leadership and staff positions in the forums.
- Describe methods for both preventing and resolving any future inter-administrator or inter-staff conflicts within the forums.
- Provide a straightforward process for forums staff to be recognized as full members in Ubuntu, with the right to vote on resolutions posed by the Community Council.
Wider Ubuntu Community Policy
The forums are part of the wider Ubuntu community which is governed as described on the governance page of the Ubuntu website.
Note that the document above is structured to describe NOT JUST the Forums, but all the areas of the project which are large and independent enough to have their own dedicated leadership structures.
Team Councils
For active teams and subprojects with Ubuntu, the Ubuntu Community council delegates many of its responsibilities to "Team Councils." These councils act as proxies for the Community Council over a particular team or scope of activity within the Ubuntu community. These governance councils are ultimately responsible for the actions and activity within their team or scope and resolves disputes and manage policies and procedures internal to their team and frequently appoint Ubuntu members on behalf of the CC.
The Ubuntu Forums Council (FC) is the team governance council for the the official Ubuntu forums.
Forums Council Charter
The forums council is the group that is ultimately responsible for the governing the forums and interfacing between the forums and the rest of the Ubuntu community and governance systems. It will:
- Consist of five to seven members. Membership should be public and published.
- Decisions will be made by a majority of voting forums council members when at least three and more than half of the total members have voted.
- FC members should be accessible by and responsive to the forums community (i.e., through a dedicated forum).
- Hold "meetings" regularly and visibly. Meetings can either be in IRC in the "ubuntu-meeting" channel or in a special, publicly visible area or sub-forum.
- Be appointed by the Ubuntu Community Council in consultation with the Forums Council, forums staff, and active contributors to the forums. Nominations would be open and public and would be considered and evaluated by the CC. Each candidate should prepare a wiki page summarizing their nomination and their contributions and including and referencing testimonials (e.g., something similar to what is prepared for Ubuntu membership). The CC commits to evaluating all nominations on the following criteria, listed in order of importance:
The nominees active status as an Ubuntu member (essential).
The nominees support from at least one active forum staff member (essential).
- Opinions and testimonials (positive and negative) from current members of the forums council;
- Opinions and testimonials from current forums staff;
- Opinions and testimonials from Ubuntu Members, Ubunteros, and other active participants in the forums;
- Clear evidence of activity within the forums (quality, quantity and duration);
- Serve terms of two (2) years. FC members could serve multiple or repeated terms. Weight will be given to proved contributors and reelection of consistently active members should be both easy and common.
- Be formed, initially, of the current forums administrators (i.e., Ryan Troy (Ubuntu-Geek), John Dong (jdong), and Mike Braniff (KiwiNZ)).
- Have a chairman with a casting vote, appointed by the Community Council, initially to be Ryan Troy.
The FC would have a number of rights and responsibilities, and be ultimately responsible for the smooth operation of the forums. These include:
- Appointing or recalling administrators, moderators and forums staff or determining criteria by which they are appointed.
- Resolving disputes between forums staff and moderators as per the existing dispute resolution system and forums guidelines.
- With advice, feedback, and help from the forums staff, maintaining and enforcing the Forums Guidelines and associated infrastructure (e.g., the resolution center).
- Regularly and when possible (i.e., monthly), sending reports or representatives to CC members to weigh in on issues of membership and to update the council on the FC business.
Staff and Ubuntu Membership
Forums staff will be appointed by the forums council. Forums staff are expected to uphold and set an example that is consistent with the Code of Conduct.
Forums staff and participants have the option to become Ubuntu members. Current staff can apply for membership at an Ubuntu CC meeting. Their contributions as staff members and contributors on the forums should provide more than sufficient evidence of a sustained and significant contribution to the Ubuntu community.
Dispute Resolution
The FC will be responsible for maintaining forum guidelines and systems for internal conflict resolution (e.g., the forums resolution center).
Additionally, there should provide a documented method whereby any disagreements or conflicts between moderators can request a hearing by the FC.
In extreme situations, users and moderators who feel that they have not been given a fair hearing by the FC can appeal a decision to the CC. The CC considers the FC to be a greater authority on forums matters and in the majority of these cases, the CC will likely refer these issues back to the FC.
Any deadlock within the FC will can be referred to the community council for resolution.
ForumsGovernance (last edited 2017-11-27 15:50:48 by bryanquigley)