Mailinglist Archive: opensuse-project (349 mails)

[Andreas Jaeger <aj@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On Wednesday 25 August 2010 23:08:52 jdd wrote:
> I have a long experience of writing associations status, so I try to
> make things clear.

Thanks!
 
> I don't have a lizard acount and don't know how to have one, so I
> wrote the proposal here on my own web site (and copy below)
>
> http://dodin.org/wiki/index.php?n=Doc.OpenSUSEBoard
>
> Mains problems are: we can't afford to have more than one appointed
> person on 5 board members! We can't have a member removed because his
> attitude don't please the other members.

5 elected seats plus chairperson makes 6.

Both GNOME and Fedora have some provisions in their rules if a member goes 
wild.  What should be done in such cases for openSUSE? I'm speaking of serious 
misconduct here.
 
> we have to elect each year one noivell and one non novell member. if
> we can't find at least two candidates, we can stop making openSUSE...
>
> The proposal below include a copy of the present rules. I'm not
> english native, so forgive the bad langage and feel free to fix the
> typos and grammar errors :-(

No problem at all! 
> Board elections rules (jdd proposal, see also
> http://lizards.opensuse.org/2010/08/25/revising-the-board-election-rules/
> and http://en.opensuse.org/openSUSE:Board_election).
>
> The election of the openSUSE Board will be done using the following rules:
>
> *  Only openSUSE members may run for the Board and vote, each member
> having one ballot that has one vote per seat to be elected.
> * The election is run by an Election Committee that consists of at
> least three openSUSE members.
> * None of the Election Committee can run for or be elected as an
> openSUSE board member.
>
> old rule:
> * "The openSUSE board election period is two years and every year
> approximately half of the board will be elected. So, the people
> getting elected this time are elected for two years. The other members
> stand for re-election next year and get a 2 year period as well."
>
> small change:
> * The openSUSE board election period is two years and every year one
> novell and one non novell member will be elected. So, the people
> getting elected this time are elected for two years. The other members
> stand for re-election next year and get a 2 year period as well. The
> chairman, nominated by Novell is changed only and when Novell wants so.
>
> * openSUSE board members can serve for up to two consecutive election
> periods. After that they must stand down for at least one year, but
> may be run again after the one year break.
>
> * All candidates will publish their manifesto on the Wiki, and are
> strongly encouraged to blog on why they should be elected.
>
> Handling of special cases:
>
> * Running board is allowed to appoint one new member and one only in
> the following situations. If an appointed member quits, he can be
> replaced by the board. If a second elected member quits, a new
> election have to be organised. A Novell emmloyee have to be replaced
> by a Novell employee, and same applies to community member.

Interesting idea of limiting this.  What do others think?
 
> * On the following election, the appointed member is replaced by an
> elected one. A "tirage au sort" (lottery?) designs the elected people
> that are elected for 1 or 2 years

Ah, so basically you want to take care that each year half of the board gets 
elected. Yes, that is good.
 
> Appointment situations are: resignation of a member, removal of a member.
>
> Any member can resignate at will, but then he will not be allowed to
> be candidate for the next election.
>
> A Board member may be subject to removal only in case of absence of
> participation of three consecutive meetings or complete lost of
> contact. The board have to publish all the work done to try to solve
> the problem. A three month delay will be spent between the first
> notification of the problem and the board vote. the Board member in
> question may be removed by unanimous vote of the other members of the
> Board.

Meetings are every two weeks - so 3 times absences is 6 weeks plus three 
months makes 4 1/2 months.  Quite a long time.

I like the 3 times absence but would say "without notification" - and make the 
period shorter.
 
> Novell employement.
>
> Novell employment have to be valid at the vote date. Any change wont
> have effect on the board membership situation.
>
> * Constitution: A new board term should start on the first of January,
> the elections should be finished 14 days before.  In the case of
> delays, the new board will start 7 days after the election results are
> published.
>
> * Amendment: Changes by the election rules can be done by vote of the
> board where at least 3 members approve including the chairperson.
>
> (NB: 2/3 of 5 is not good :-)

The board has six members ;)

> Comments:
>
> It's better to have an equal number of seats and keep normal vote than
> special vote and appointment. Appointment is negation of democracy and
> have to be kept to a bare minimum.

That's why I suggested the appointment only until the next session.
 
> * Other possible rule: If The board need to make an appointment, he
> have to first ask the non elected candidate of the previous election.

I think this is a good practice but sometimes there's a reason why somebody 
did not get elected ;).  So, we should not force the board to do this.

Thanks a lot for your proposal,
Andreas
-- 
 Andreas Jaeger, Program Manager openSUSE,  aj@{novell.com,opensuse.org}
  Twitter: jaegerandi | Identica: jaegerandi
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