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List:       wikipedia-l
Subject:    Re: [Wikipedia-l] A chapter system is much better (was: foundation
From:       Elisabeth Bauer <elian () djini ! de>
Date:       2004-01-24 17:57:20
Message-ID: 4012B578.7010503 () djini ! de
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Daniel Mayer wrote:

> I agree - we should look into that. I also agree that a chapter system would 
> be the best way to go. Then, if needed, we could have an affiliate in Europe 
> that would coordinate national or lower level chapters in Europe (or we could 
> just have chapters). 

I agree with you that organizing the wikimedia projects in chapters 
would be the best way to proceed. The status and role of the chapters 
should be regulated in the bylaws.

> Their "Primer for Creating a Local ISOC Chapter" 
> http://www.isoc.org/isoc/chapters/application/primer.shtml also mentions 
> incorporation as one of the final steps of chapter formation and how the ISOC 
> needs to sign-off on that (before that it mentions that the ISOC needs to 
> approve the chapter's bylaws). So a chapter so formed (assuming it was 
> incorporated as a tax-exempt non-profit) would have tax-deductible status and 
> would firmly be part of the Wikimedia Foundation. 
> 
> IMO, creating "sister" organizations is a bad idea for the reasons Jimbo gave.  
> Plenty of organizations are international in nature so we should put our 
> efforts into making Wikimedia into an international organization. 

Such a chapter in Germany would have to be an e.V. (Verein) - a 
"foundation" in Germany is a totally different legal form. For example a 
foundation in Germany can have no members, but only trustees.

Maybe you were mislead by the word "sister project" - the plans about 
the German e. V. are in fact to create such a chapter, not an 
independent organization.

> Please everybody be patient though - the bylaws were only recently adopted 

When did this take place? Where was this announced?

> I would suggest then for people to start to think about who they want to be on 
> the board. I assume we will be having elections for that in the next month or 
> so. 

There I would ask you to proceed slowly. Discussions on the German 
mailing list show many concerns about the bylaws in their present form. 
Before any election takes place, we should resolve these concerns, 
otherwise we risk loosing some of the most valuable contributors of the 
German wikipedia if not worse things.

Please everybody, be careful what you write in your postings here. This 
is a sensible topic, and it's easy to step on one's toes.

greetings,
elian

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