User:Peter Schmitt/Charter: Difference between revisions

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== ==
== ==


Draft as of end Dec.18 http://en.citizendium.org/wiki?title=CZ:Charter_drafting&oldid=100611972
Draft as of end March 2 http://en.citizendium.org/wiki?title=CZ:Charter_drafting&oldid=100644400
 
* Since the comments have become quite complicated, I have tried to write ''my'' Charter draft on the talk page.
 
* Comments marked like this, some part marked '''like this'''.
* This version '''not yet commented'''!
 
{{TOC|right}}
{{TOC|right}}


==Mission statement==
* I have added some comments, some of which (in my opinion) address major points -- but there could still follow more.


The Citizendium is a collaborative expert-guided effort to collect, structure, and update knowledge and to render it conveniently accessible to the public for free.  
* I still have "my" draft at [[User talk:Peter Schmitt/NewDraft|NewDraft]]. I may revise it in view of the current official Draft.


* ''I still prefer:''
* Some important issues are missing:
The Citizendium is a collaborative effort to compile an online encyclopaedia that presents human knowledge organized and structured in a way to serve as a convenient, reliable, and well-written source of information.
** What happened to the Decider/EiC?
** Mention feedback!
** Replacement of officials which are not available!


*(plus public domain / editorial guided?)
* The Charter will finally need thourough copyediting for logical and stylistic consistency.
The project is guided by a board of editors (and put into the public domain?).


==Fundamental policies==
----
''See also [[CZ:Fundamentals]]. ''


===Trust===
''This draft document shall serve as the basis for public discussion. It represents a compromise amongst the drafters, who may have different individual opinions on some aspects of this Charter.''
The Citizendium encourages contributions by any Citizen to article
drafts at any time.
To establish trust, contributors register under their real name and
are required to participate in a civil manner.


===Expertise===
==Mission==
The Citizendium seeks to be a trusted resource, and, for that reason, it commits to respect expertise and the use of expert guidance for quality control.
The Citizendium is a collaborative effort to collect, structure, and update knowledge and to render it conveniently accessible to the public for free.  It is created by volunteers — henceforth Citizens — who contribute under their real names and agree to a social covenant centered around trust.
;Comment: I still do not understand why "encyclopedia" and "well-written" (or equivalent) are avoided.


===Context===
==Membership==
Citizendium content will be presented in context, and not as advocacy
of any position. All entries at Citizendium should engage their
subjects comprehensively, neutrally, and objectively to the greatest
degree possible. This entails providing full explanations of the
facets of an article's subject that experts judge significant, as well
as highlighting important connections to other topics.


* Simplify?
#Citizendium membership is open to anyone.
#All members register and contribute to the project under their real names. 
;Comment/Suggestion: Registration implies accepting CZ fundamental principles
#The Citizendium community recognizes the special role that subject matter experts play in assuring that the site’s contents meet these standards. 
;Comment: formulation not clear "these standards" -- what standards?
#Contributors must act responsibly and in a civil manner — derogatory or offensive commentary is not tolerated.


===Accessibility===
==Citizen participation==
While the basic content provided at the Citizendium is intended for an
#Citizens have the right to vote in community-wide elections.
audience with completed secondary education, more specialized content
#Citizens are given the right to contribute to or modify content of any article draft at any time.
is welcome. Integration of the Citizendium with teaching and research
#Citizens may have their rights to vote or to contribute restricted or entirely removed by the Constabulary as a result of misconduct.
is encouraged, as long as these activities do not diminish the user
experience of non-experts using non-specialized content. As far as
possible, special needs of visually or otherwise impaired users and of
machines will be taken into account.


==Personnel and governance==
==Editors==
#Editors are Citizens with demonstrated expertise in some field of knowledge, through either education or experience. Official recognition of expertise shall be based on guidelines established by the Editorial Council.
#Within an editorial scope defined by the Editorial Council, Editors have the right to: (a) make decisions about the scope and quality of the content in articles; (b) make decisions about specific questions or disputes concerning that content; (c) recommend approval of high quality articles that meet their expectations for the article's subject.
#Editors may abdicate their editorial rights at any time.
;Comment: not needed - there is no way to prevent it!
#Editors may have their editorial rights removed only by the Editorial Council.


== Fundamental policies==
==Style==
===?Professionalism===
#All entries at Citizendium should engage their subjects comprehensively, neutrally, and objectively to the greatest degree possible in a well-written narrative, complementing text with other suitable media. Comprehensiveness entails providing full explanations of all facets of a subject that experts judge significant. Furthermore, each topic should be represented as a complex whole rather than a simple conglomeration of its parts.  A good Citizendium entry will illustrate how different aspects of its topic fit together and highlight applications and connections to other topics. It will also be neutral, which means it will not align with any one position if there is controversy amongst experts concerning some aspect of its topic. Instead, it will remain objective, describing each relevant position without skewing the presentation toward the personal beliefs or positions of the author(s). In short, entries should present the big picture, including all relevant perspectives, and should be carefully crafted and bias-free. Citizendium is not a place for advocacy or for advertisement.
* '''Etiquette''' (I do not like "professionalism" - its main meanings all have to do with "gaining" something
#Unnecessarily complicated presentation should be avoided. Citizendium material is intended for the general public and should be constructed so as to maximize accessibility.  The basic content provided at the Citizendium is intended for an audience with completed secondary education. More specialized material — including original research — is welcome but it should be presented without unnecessary jargon and should be contextualized through prominent links to entries that explain background information and related non-specialist material.
* This - or a similar sentence - is enough. Even better, since this does not '''define''' behaviour, <br> I would suggest to move it to a section of "Governance".
#As far as possible, special needs of visually or otherwise impaired users and of responsibly exercised automated access will be taken into account. Citizendium encourages contributions on all topics, albeit with sensitivity towards appropriateness and avoiding sensationalism. Exceptionally, Editors and Constables have the authority to intervene at their discretion if article content appears to be inconsistent with criminal or civil law or if content is discriminatory or slanderous against persons or groups of persons on the basis of religion, religious belief, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender. Such decisions are subject to Citizendium's appeal process.
* A statement such as <br>"As a last resort, Citizens can be expelled from the project." <br> is sufficient (best under Gouvernance).


Real names Change to: '''Registration'''
;Comment: This needs much streamlining (and simplification).


User pages of Citizens who leave (''includes:'' or are banned) the project are retained.
==Organizational structure==
 
* I still don't like mentioning a level explicitly, moreover, it is too detailed, I think:
"Citizendium shall be useful for a broad audience and therefore shall strive to present each topic as accessible as possible."
* This is not bad, but (for me) at least half of the text is redundant.
* A brief remark about the audience ('''not''' stating a certain school level) would combine it with "Accessability".
 
==Personnel and governance==
The Citizendium is devoted to transparent and fair governance at a minimum of bureaucracy. Special roles will not be created without excellent reason.
The Citizendium is devoted to transparent and fair governance at a minimum of bureaucracy. Special roles will not be created without excellent reason.


* Some of the proposals discussed on the Charter draft talk page clearly contradict a '''minimum of bureaucracy'''!
=== Editorial Council ===
 
* not mentioned: Users, guests or "Visitors" -- a method for feedback should be provided.
 
* not mentioned: "Technician" as special role for the technical side of software issues.
 
* for workgroups not concerned with content but other issues (e.g.: media, license, etc.)
using another term would be convenient.
 
=== Authors===
Any Citizen can act as an Author, <s>i.e.</s> contribute or modify content, unless blocked from specific articles or topics by an Editor or Constable.  Blocks may be appealed through the Dispute Resolution procedure.
 
* Why was this removed. It explains/defines what an Author is.
 
===?Editors===
Editors are Citizens who&nbsp;&mdash; because of their recognized expertise in specific areas&nbsp;&mdash; are responsible for the scope and quality of the content presented by the Citizendium.
 
Specifically, in their areas of expertise, they are entitled (1) to make decisions about specific questions or disputes concerning particular articles, and (2) to approve high-quality articles.
* My suggestion:
"Within the limits set by the Editorial Council they are entitled to evaluate articles and to make decisions about specific questions or disputes concerning particular articles."
 
===Constable===
 
* better section title: '''Constables''' (as "Authors", "Editors")
 
A Constable is a Citizen charged with upholding the Citizendium's rules of behavior, covering all Citizens including those with official positions (such as the Ombudsman or the Editor-in-Chief). A Constable's authority is restricted to matters of behavior and they shall not intervene in matters of content.
 
* But I would prefer that it be replaced by the sentence from "Professionalism", or a variant:
: "The Constables - a set of persons of mature judgment — shall be specially empowered to enforce Citizendium's rules concerning behavior whilst encouraging collaboration in accordance with the principles laid down in this Charter.
* "unless the applicability of existing rules is clear"
: There should be some option for ''temporary'' measures (in case of "danger") which allows action where no clear rules exist.
* This is not needed in the charter (unless to mention the ultimate option - '''banning''' - somewhere, probably not here.
* Who appoints Constables?
* How are rules approved?
 
===Editor-in-Chief===


An Editor-in-Chief shall be appointed, with a term of office of four years renewable once, by simple majority of each of the Editorial Council and Management Committee. The functions of this office shall be:
#An Editorial Council will be responsible for guiding content and establishing content policy.
# to ensure day-to-day smooth functioning of the Citizendium,
#The Editorial Council shall initially consist of seven active Citizens.
# to facilitate the practical implementation of the Citizendium editorial policy as defined by its governing institutions
#The number of seats on the Editorial Council shall be augmented by two for each completed doubling of the number of Approved Articles with respect to the day of ratification of this Charter, up to a maximum of 25.
# to make interim editorial decisions (in consultation with other editors) and
#Half of the number of seats (rounded up) on the Editorial Council shall be reserved for Editors.
# to carry out any other tasks as required by this Charter or decisions of the governing bodies
#For voting purposes, a quorum shall consist of (50 minus the number of members) percent of its members, rounded up.
#The Editorial Council may appoint Task Managers whose activities it will oversee.
#Members of the Editorial Council may not simultaneously serve on the Management Committee or be Constables.
#Members of the Editorial Council will be elected by secret ballot vote of eligible Citizens, with two-year renewable terms.
#The Editorial Council is responsible for developing content guidelines and will publish and monitor the appropriate enforcement of those guidelines.


* It may be nice to have such a person -- but what if he is not available?
;Comment: The size of EC and MC should be flexible, I agree with that.
* But I do not think that its size should be determined automatically by the number of approved articles, neither for the EC nor -- even less -- for the MC.
*The number of approved articles will rise (slowly) even if CZ stays as it is. Why should this imply larger councils?
:: The size should be determined by practical experience (and availability of members) only.
* Moreover, I do not like the formula for the quorum.
:: Why should the committee be enlarged but the expected participation be lowered?
:: If an EC of 25 members is wanted or needed then it should consist of actively participating Citizens, and not of 18 members letting the remaining 7 members decide. (9 vs.6 for the MC)
* The word "initially" does not fit in a Charter


* 1. what does this include?
=== Management Committee ===
* 2. how ?
#A Management Committee shall be responsible for matters concerned with the non-content policies of Citizendium.
* 3. Should not be necessary with a '''working''' EC.
#The Management Committee shall consist of five active Citizens initially, who may not simultaneously serve on the Editorial Council.
#The number of seats on the Management Committee shall be augmented by two for each completed doubling of the number of Approved Articles with respect to the day of ratification of this Charter, up to a maximum of 15.
#For voting purposes, a quorum shall consist of (50 minus the number of members) percent of its members, rounded up.
#The members of the Management Committee shall be elected by secret ballot vote of active Citizens, with two-year renewable terms.
#The Management Committee may appoint Administrators and Task Managers whose activities it will oversee.
#The Management Committee will appoint Constables and confer with the constabulary on matters of Constable activity.
#The Management Committee is responsible for developing behavior guidelines and will publish and monitor the appropriate enforcement of those guidelines.


* It there shall be indeed an EiC then he could also be the Ombudsman!?
; Comment: Same as for EC


==Behavior and dispute resolution==
===Constabulary===
===Constabulary===
The Constabulary shall be responsible for maintaining Citizendium's professional working environment.  It will monitor and enforce behavior guidelines as determined by community policy.  Constabulary tools include: advice and instruction on wiki or through Citizen email, removal of offensive text, and warning and banning of users according to the Constabulary Blocking Procedures.  The enforcement of these rules is to be carried out with reasonable pragmatism and leniency without prejudice as to Citizen status or position and only in those situations where the applicability of existing rules is clear.  The Constabulary may develop additional tools and will monitor the appropriate use of said tools. Decisions of constables may be appealed through the appropriate adjudication process as determined by the Management Council.
#The Constabulary shall be charged with upholding the Citizendium's rules of behavior as determined by community policy, covering all Citizens including those with official positions. 
#The Constabulary's authority is restricted to matters of behavior and they shall not intervene in matters of content.   
#Constabulary tools include: advice and instruction on wiki or through Citizen email, removal of offensive text, and warning and banning of users according to the guidelines established by the Management Committee.   
#The enforcement of these rules is to be carried out with reasonable pragmatism and leniency without prejudice as to Citizen status or position and only in those situations where the applicability of existing rules is clear.   
#The Constabulary may develop additional tools and will publish and monitor the appropriate use of said tools.
#Decisions of constables may be appealed through the appropriate adjudication process as determined by the Management Committee.


===?Ombudsman===
;Comment: Do not mention specific tools, but mention blocking as the "ultimate" means.
An Ombudsman shall be appointed, charged with the task of assisting in dispute resolution, as laid down in this Charter. The role of Ombudsman shall be vested in a Citizen with substantial Citizendiu experience and widely respected judgement, who may appoint up to two other Citizens (Assistant Ombudsmen) to support his/her work; their appointment and termination of duties is at the personal discretion of the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman will be elected by simple majority vote of each of the Editorial Council and Management Council, for a term of 4 years. An Ombudsman may be recalled by a supermajority (75%) of each of the Editorial and Management Councils.


* An Ombudsman '''and''' a separate "Decider" could be too much??
===Ombudsman===
#An Ombudsman shall be appointed, charged with the task of assisting in dispute resolution, as laid down in this Charter. 
#The role of Ombudsman shall be vested in a Citizen with substantial Citizendium experience and widely respected judgment, who may appoint up to two other Citizens (Assistant Ombudsmen) to support his/her work; their appointment and termination of duties is at the personal discretion of the Ombudsman. 
#The Ombudsman will be elected by simple majority vote of each of the Editorial Council and Management Council, for a term of 2 years, renewable. 
#An Ombudsman may be recalled by a super-majority (75%) of each of the Editorial Council and Management Committee.


=== Management Committee===
===Dispute resolution===
A Management Committee shall be responsible for matters concerned with the non-editorial policies of Citizendium, such as finance, external alliances, communications, <s>administration, and behavior.</s> To this end, it may appoint Administrators and Task Managers whose activities it will oversee. <s>It will also appoint Constables </s>and oversee their activities.</s>
#Disputes will be settled at the lowest possible level, such as by bringing in peer Editors or Constables. 
 
#If satisfactory resolution is not obtained, the Ombudsman may be contacted for non-binding mediation.  Should that fail, the matter will be appealed to the appropriate body&nbsp;&mdash; the Editorial Council for content matters and the Management Committee for behavioral or administrative matters.  As a last resort, both Councils may appoint members to an ad hoc arbitration panel, for final arbitration as defined below.
* It did not occur to me before reading the discussion on it: I always thought that the MC should handle the "foreign affairs". Therefore, indeed, Constables are a different matter. Should Constables be elected?
#In the event of a dispute that cannot be resolved at a level below that of the Editorial Council or the Management Committee, appeals boards may be constituted on an ad hoc basis. The ad hoc appeals board will consist of three members nominated by the Editorial Council and three members nominated by the Management Committee, who shall not have been involved in the specific dispute. An Ombudsman will preside; that official shall direct the Board and will be non-voting other than to possess a tie-breaking vote. Should no Ombudsman be available who is not a party to the matter, the Councils shall appoint a special presider from the Citizenry.
#All decisions of the ad hoc appeals board are final.  Further, either the Management Committee or the Editorial Council may decline to participate in an ad hoc appeal, in which case the decision of the last appeal will be final.


* For *interiour affairs" the Constabulary could be considered as a (self-regulating) group.
==Elections==
# All Citizens in good standing &mdash; as defined by the Management Committee &mdash; shall be eligible to vote in any Citizendium election, including ad hoc elections for ratification of and amendments to this charter.
# Elections to the MC and EC shall be conducted annually.  One half of seats of each board shall be open for election as [[CZ:Charter_drafting#Editorial Council and Management Committee|arranged by each body below]].
# The Chief Constable shall chair the CZ elections committee and appoint such assistants as necessary.  No member of the Elections Committee should be eligible for election.  If members of the election committee accept nomination, it is expected that they withdraw from the elections committee.  The Elections Committee shall determine the size of each body as per this charter's rules for [[CZ:Charter_drafting#Organizational_structure|each body's organizational structure]] and accept nominations for any open seat.
# Timetable: All commencements shall be at 12:00am GMT on the date specified; all deadlines shall end at 11:59pm GMT on the date specified. 
# The Election Committee shall call for nominations beginning January 1 of each year.  Nominations shall be open for a period of one week (until the end of January 7).  Any citizen may nominate any other citizen for office.  Citizens may also self-nominate.  Nominations should be sent to the Election Committee.  An officer of the Elections Committee shall notify each nominated citizen, and request an acceptance of nomination.
# Following the close of nominations the Election Committee shall construct the ballot on the ''Citizendium'' which will allow for position statements by the candidates.  Citizens who have not accepted their nomination shall not appear on the ballot.  The ballot shall be prepared by January 14.
# Voting shall open January 21.  Each citizen will be allowed to vote only once.  Ballots shall be returned to the Elections Committee.  Late ballots shall not be counted.  The Elections Committee shall accept ballots from citizens for no more than ten days (until the end of January 31).
# The Elections Committee shall announce the results of the election on or before February 7 each calendar year.  The new elected members of CZ's governing bodies shall assume office on February 14.


The Management Committee shall consist '''of seven''' Citizens, who may not simultaneously serve on the Editorial Council. They may, however, be Constables or Task Managers. A quorum shall consist of four members. The members of the Management Committee shall be elected by vote of active Citizens and Authors, with two-year renewable terms. The Management Committee will appoint one of its members as the Management Lead, who will represent the Citizendium externally on all matters except content.
'''Comments''':
* Too detailed rules -- it should be easily possible to adapt procedures to experience (without having to change the Charter.
* What happens if members leave the project or become '''inactive'''?
* It is enough to state when office period(s) begin (instead of fiaxing a complete timetable).
* It would be better to have separate elections for EC and MC:
** More activity during the year may be good for the community.
** Having all elections at the same time reduces flexibility for nominations:
*** As long as MC and EC are supposed to be disjoint, a candidate has to choose one of them
*** When all elections are at the same time, less "neutral" observers (being not a candidate) are available.
* The nomination period is badly chosen -- January 1-7 is holiday time in many (European) countries.


The Committee, with advice from legal and audit advisers, will designate those members that can enter into contracts or expend funds on behalf of CZ. Substantial expenditures will require more than one signature.
==External partners==
#The Citizendium invites collaboration with non-Citizen partners on any matters relevant to the project's mission.
#The Management Committee shall oversee these activities, collaborating with the Editorial Council on matters of content.


* 13 may be too large: 7 is better -- but perhaps even better to keep it flexible
==License==


===Editorial Council===
#Content originating at the Citizendium will always be free to use, reuse, and redistribute.  
An Editorial Council will be responsible for guiding content and establishing policy. It shall consist of '''nine''' active Citizens, with five seats reserved for Editors. The remaining four seats are reserved for Authors that are not Editors. A quorum shall consist of five members.
#Content that originated elsewhere may also be incorporated into the Citizendium if such reuse is permitted by the copyright owners or copyright status.
*;Comment: Remove, this is collaboration, not a license issue. ("if permitted" is a triviality.)


Members of the Editorial Council may not simultaneously serve on the Management Committee or be Constables. They may, however, be Task Managers. The members of the Editorial Council will be elected by vote of active Citizens, with two-year terms renewable once consecutively. The Editorial Council will appoint one of its members as the Editorial Lead, who will represent the Citizendium externally on matters of content.
*; Suggestion: Add here (or maybe elsewhere):
:: "Because of the collaborative effort, no individual credit to contributions shall be given, but the history of all pages, including user pages shall be permanently available."
: This should be mentioned explicitly to avoid that this issue surfaces periodically, and to make sure that all who register accept it.


* 13 may be too large -- 9 is better for the moment, but even better to keep it flexible
==Legal status==
* How to handle leaving or inactive members?
The Citizendium will be owned and controlled by the Citizendium Foundation, a non-profit organization.


During deliberations on a matter covered by specific workgroups, the '''Chief?''' Editor of that Workgroup, or another member, may be part of a quorum if that individual is not a Council member. If, however, the matter under discussion involves a dispute with such an Editor, that Editor may state positions to the Council but not vote on them '''unless already a member'''.
==Languages==


* Shall there be Chief Editors?
#The official language of the Citizendium shall be English. 
* An involved member should not be allowed to vote
#Branches in other languages require approval by the Management Committee and shall have the same legal status as the English language Citizendium <s>(see [[CZ:Charter drafting#Legal status|Legal status above]])</s>.


*; Simplify to: ... and have to accept the spirit and the fundamental principles of the Citizendium as defined by an approved translation of this Charter.
:: The branches shall establish a close collaboration with each other on all issues, both of content and administration.


====??Workgroups====
* Remove: the following three sentences:
The Editorial Council may create and reorganize workgroups to arrange areas of content, and to encourage collaboration among Authors and Editors in areas of expertise. Workgroup members will build top-level articles and knowledge structures for the articles in a discipline.
* "The Editorial Council shall create workgroups in order to arrange areas of content and organize (fields of) collaboration."


The Editorial Council shall elaborate a strategy and policy on topic-specific collaboration, chiefly based on [[CZ:Workgroups]] and some accepted ontology or other knowledge categorization scheme. In addition to subject specific Workgroups, there shall be a General Workgroup with jurisdiction over general issues of style and content, and for articles of very wide scope. There may be, in addition, interdisciplinary or specialized Subgroups. In addition, there may be Area Groups, as for (e.g., Science or Science & Technology) to deal with broad issues affecting many but not all workgroups (e.g., units of measurement).
Non-English Citizendiums shall construct their governance in accordance with this charter or a translation approved by the Management Committee.
* Not needed in the charter
#Branch language Editorial Councils, including the English language Citizendium Editorial Council, shall be empowered to develop policy regarding non-native language content on their native language Citizendiums.
#Consistent with the Citizendium's respect for expertise, the Editorial Council of any branch language version may request the Editorial Councils of other language versions to revise, add, or remove content in the former branch's native language.
#All user pages shall be in the native language for that version of Citizendium.
;Comment: ok, if only the main user page (not the talk pages, subpages, etc.) is meant.
#No branch or non-English version of Citizendium shall be permitted at later times to adopt policy that contravenes this charter
*; Comment: This is eseentially a repetition - remove.


When there are disputes on content issues, assuming there are multiple Editors in a workgroup, they will attempt to resolve the dispute. Failing agreement, the matter will be taken to the Ombudsman, and then to the Editorial Council.
==Final clause==
* "Disputes shall be resolved on workgroup level, if possible. Failing agreement, the matter will be taken to the Ombudsman, and then to the Editorial Council."


=== Administration===
;Comment: It should be explicitly stated that this is not a part of the (final) Charter.
The Citizendium's administration handles the legal, financial and technical operations necessary for the project to fulfill its mission.


* What about hardware administration? (and software maintainance?)
===Ratification===
#If this Charter has been ratified by two thirds or more of the votes validly cast in a referendum for this purpose, it shall be certified by the Editor-in-Chief within a week after the closing of the referendum. 
#For future amendments, a certifying official or officials shall be agreed upon by the joint Management Committee and Editorial Council.


=== Dispute resolution===
===Entry into force===
Disputes will be settled at the lowest possible level, such as by bringing in peer Editors or Constables. Next, the Ombudsman will be contacted for non-binding mediation. Should that fail, the matter will go to the appropriate body&nbsp;&mdash; the Editorial Board/Council for content matters and the Management Council for behavioral and administrative matters. As a last resort, both Councils may appoint members to an arbitration panel, for final arbitration as defined below.
This Charter shall enter into force on the day following ratification.


===Interim guidance for the transition period===


==== Final arbitration====
#As long as the administrative prerequisites for implementing the charter are not entirely fulfilled, the rules listed in this section shall provide interim guidance to the Editorial Council, Management Council, and other bodies.  
In the event of a dispute that cannot be resolved at a level below that of the Editorial Council or the Management Committee, appeals boards may be constituted on an ad hoc basis. They will consist of three members nominated by the Editorial Council and three members nominated by the Management Committee, who shall not have been involved in the specific dispute.  An Ombudsman will preside; that official shall direct the Board and will be non-voting other than to possess a tie-breaking vote. Should no Ombudsman be available who is not a party to the matter, the Councils shall appoint a special presider from the Citizenry.
#Such material may be modified by those bodies by their normal procedures, without a full Charter amendment.


=== Electorate===
====Elections to the Editorial Council and Management Committee====
All Authors are entitled to vote on the adoption or modification of this charter.
For both bodies, the intention is to elect half of the members each year, so of the first group, a number corresponding to the quorum will be selected, by lot or personal agreement, to serve one-year terms.  


== License==
====Voting rights====
The content of the Citizendium will always be free to use, reuse, and redistribute.  
For the purpose of ratification of this charter and elections to the Editorial Council and the Management Committee, all Citizens with an account that is not blocked shall be considered as being in good standing.


Content originating at the Citizendium is available under a [[CZ:Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0|Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported]] license.  
====Review of previous resolutions of the Editorial Council====
* In order to stay flexible, it might be better not to mention a license explicitly, but to state the guiding principles instead.
The Editorial Council shall vote on each of the [[CZ:Editorial Council Resolutions Complete List|resolutions of the previous Editorial Council]] whether they should continue to be in force or not.
*;Comment: Too special. The EC should review '''all''' existing guidelines and either accept, modify, or revoke them in due course of time (possibly some after a referendum).


Content that originated elsewhere may also be incorporated into the Citizendium if such reuse is permitted by the copyright owners or copyright status.
====Administration====
The Management Committee shall elaborate a strategy and policy on handling the legal, financial, and technical operations necessary for the project to fulfill its mission.


* In order to avoid future discussions the charter should state (here or under "Collaboration") that its articles are the result of collaboration and therefore - when citing an article - no individual authors are listed.
====External partnerships====
The Management Committee shall develop and implement at its earliest convenience a policy for
#interested external observers to provide feedback on Citizendium content in a manner convenient for them and the project.
#collaboration with external partners, paying particular attention to fostering the collaboration with instructors by way of [[CZ:Eduzendium|Eduzendium]], and with external experts or professional organizations for the purposes of providing or reviewing content at the Citizendium.


== Legal status==
====Research and teaching====
The Citizendium will be owned and controlled by the Citizendium Foundation, a non-profit organization.
#The Editorial Council shall elaborate a strategy and policy on incorporation of teaching and research into the Citizendium.
#Research results that have not been formally published should be clearly labeled as such. So should articles that have been part of student coursework.


== Languages ==
====Registration of new Editors====
To streamline the [[CZ:Editor Application Review Procedure]], applications for Editorship shall be processed in two consecutive steps:
#An applicant will be registered as an Author, so s/he can immediately start editing.
#The application for Editorship will be reviewed by the [[:Category:CZ Editorial Personnel Administrators|Editorial Personnel Administrators]] (to be appointed by the Editorial Council) who will strive to make a decision within one week.


The official language of the Citizendium shall be English.  Branches in other languages require approval by the Management Committee and shall have the same legal status as the English language Citizendium (see [[CZ:Charter drafting#Legal status|Legal status above]]).  Non-English Citizendiums shall construct their governance in accordance with this charter or a translation approved by the Management Committee.
====Pseudonyms====
#Within a month after the entry into force of this charter, all existing pseudonym accounts shall be closed by the Constabulary, and the respective user pages protected.
#The Citizens concerned may reapply under their real name.


Branch language Editorial Councils, including the English language Citizendium Editorial Council, shall be empowered to develop policy regarding non-native language content on their native language Citizendiums.
===Future amendments===
#This Charter shall be open to amendment at any time subsequent to its ratification.
#The Management Council is hereby vested with the power to act upon proposals for amendment originating from any Citizen or Citizendium institution.
#The process of Amendment requires the Management Council initially to consult with Citizens (including via the Forum) and subsequently to draft an appropriate amended text.
#The decision to accept the amended text will be taken by popular vote of the Citizenry, and requires a two-thirds majority of votes validly cast.


Consistent with the Citizendium's respect for expertise, the Editorial Council of any branch language version may request the Editorial Councils of other language versions to revise, add, or remove content in the former branch's native language.
;Comment: "Future amendments" are not interim guidance -- they belong into the Charter proper
----
----
<center> <BIG>'''The following sections are auxiliary to the drafting process and will be deleted from the final draft.'''</BIG></center>
----
----


All user pages shall be in the native language for that version of Citizendium.
==Proposed changes==


No branch or non-English version of Citizendium shall be permitted at later times to adopt policy that contravenes this charter.
*In "Citizen participation", add something of the sort
 
:*Active Citizens shall be eligible into the Editorial Council and the Management according to criteria defined by each of the two bodies.
* The official language of the Citizendium is English. Branches in other languages require approval by the Editorial Council and have to be based on this English-language charter or an approved translation.
:and this should be accompanied by an interim guidance section defining "active Citizens" for the very first elections.
 
:--[[User:Daniel Mietchen|Daniel Mietchen]] 22:28, 5 February 2010 (UTC)
==External partnerships==
 
The Citizendium invites collaboration with non-Citizen partners on any matters relevant to the project's mission, provided that such collaboration does not conflict with this Charter.
 
== Final clause==
=== Ratification===
If this Charter has been ratified by two thirds or more of the votes validly cast in a referendum for this purpose, it shall be certified by the Editor-in-Chief within a week after the closing of the referendum. For future amendments, a certifying official or officials shall be agreed upon by the joint Management Committee and Editorial Council.
* Since there are 3 options (yes,no,revise) this does not say enoughr
 
* Who may vote?
 
: All registered Citizens, probably.
 
It is probably neither necessary nor useful to restrict this -- only those who care will vote.
Perhaps "having registered (how many) weeks before the voting period begins" should be added.
 
(Or only "active" ones -- having (how many?) edits during the last (how many) months?)
 
=== Entry into force===
This Charter shall enter into force on the day following ratification.
 
=== Interim guidance for the transition period===
As long as the administrative prerequisites for implementing the charter are not entirely fulfilled, the rules listed in this section shall provide interim guidance to the Editorial Council, Management Council, and other bodies. Such material may be modified by those bodies by their normal procedures, without a full Charter amendment.
 
==== Editorial Council and Management Committee====
For both bodies, the intention is to elect half of the members each year, so of the first group, a number corresponding to the quorum will be selected, by lot or personal agreement, to serve one-year terms.


==== Citizens with pseudonyms====
*We need provisions for replacement of anyone with a special role who becomes temporarily or permanently unavailable.
Citizens currently registered with a pseudonym will be granted up to one year of time to re-register for a new account under their real name. One year after the entry into force of this charter, all pseudonym accounts shall be locked by the Constabulary.
:--[[User:Daniel Mietchen|Daniel Mietchen]] 23:15, 5 February 2010 (UTC)


==== Inactive Editors====
*Merge "Electorate" into "Citizens have the right to vote in community wide elections." (under "Citizen participation").
[[CZ:Editorial Council Resolution 0012]] will be extended such that newly registered Editors who have not yet '''contributed'''(how?) to the project shall be regarded as [[:Category:Inactive CZ Editors|Inactive Editors]].
:--[[User:Daniel Mietchen|Daniel Mietchen]] 23:40, 11 February 2010 (UTC)
* What are the ''consequences'' of being "inactive"?
* Does "contribute" mean any action, any editor activity, or any author activity?
* Anyway: This seems not to have any influence on the Charter, therefore it can be dealt with later (by the EC).


==== External partners====
*The dates in [[#Elections]] need to be revised.
The Management Council shall elaborate a strategy and policy on collaboration with external partners, paying particular attention to fostering the collaboration with instructors by way of [[CZ:Eduzendium|Eduzendium]], and with external experts or professional organizations for the purposes of providing or reviewing content at the Citizendium.
:--[[User:Daniel Mietchen|Daniel Mietchen]] 16:04, 26 February 2010 (UTC)


=== Future amendments===
*If multiple elections are being held in parallel, it should be made clear beforehand to what extent candidates are allowed to run in parallel.
This Charter shall be open to amendment at any time subsequent to its ratification. The Management Council is hereby vested with the power to act upon proposals for amendment originating from any Citizen or Citizendium institution. The process of '''A'''mendment requires the Management Council initially to consult with Citizens (including via the Forum) and subsequently to draft an appropriate amended text. The decision to accept the amended text will be taken by popular vote of the Citizenry, and requires a two-thirds majority of votes validly cast.
:--[[User:Daniel Mietchen|Daniel Mietchen]] 02:54, 28 February 2010 (UTC)

Latest revision as of 04:32, 22 November 2023


The account of this former contributor was not re-activated after the server upgrade of March 2022.


Draft as of end March 2 http://en.citizendium.org/wiki?title=CZ:Charter_drafting&oldid=100644400

  • I have added some comments, some of which (in my opinion) address major points -- but there could still follow more.
  • I still have "my" draft at NewDraft. I may revise it in view of the current official Draft.
  • Some important issues are missing:
    • What happened to the Decider/EiC?
    • Mention feedback!
    • Replacement of officials which are not available!
  • The Charter will finally need thourough copyediting for logical and stylistic consistency.

This draft document shall serve as the basis for public discussion. It represents a compromise amongst the drafters, who may have different individual opinions on some aspects of this Charter.

Mission

The Citizendium is a collaborative effort to collect, structure, and update knowledge and to render it conveniently accessible to the public for free. It is created by volunteers — henceforth Citizens — who contribute under their real names and agree to a social covenant centered around trust.

Comment
I still do not understand why "encyclopedia" and "well-written" (or equivalent) are avoided.

Membership

  1. Citizendium membership is open to anyone.
  2. All members register and contribute to the project under their real names.
Comment/Suggestion
Registration implies accepting CZ fundamental principles
  1. The Citizendium community recognizes the special role that subject matter experts play in assuring that the site’s contents meet these standards.
Comment
formulation not clear "these standards" -- what standards?
  1. Contributors must act responsibly and in a civil manner — derogatory or offensive commentary is not tolerated.

Citizen participation

  1. Citizens have the right to vote in community-wide elections.
  2. Citizens are given the right to contribute to or modify content of any article draft at any time.
  3. Citizens may have their rights to vote or to contribute restricted or entirely removed by the Constabulary as a result of misconduct.

Editors

  1. Editors are Citizens with demonstrated expertise in some field of knowledge, through either education or experience. Official recognition of expertise shall be based on guidelines established by the Editorial Council.
  2. Within an editorial scope defined by the Editorial Council, Editors have the right to: (a) make decisions about the scope and quality of the content in articles; (b) make decisions about specific questions or disputes concerning that content; (c) recommend approval of high quality articles that meet their expectations for the article's subject.
  3. Editors may abdicate their editorial rights at any time.
Comment
not needed - there is no way to prevent it!
  1. Editors may have their editorial rights removed only by the Editorial Council.

Style

  1. All entries at Citizendium should engage their subjects comprehensively, neutrally, and objectively to the greatest degree possible in a well-written narrative, complementing text with other suitable media. Comprehensiveness entails providing full explanations of all facets of a subject that experts judge significant. Furthermore, each topic should be represented as a complex whole rather than a simple conglomeration of its parts. A good Citizendium entry will illustrate how different aspects of its topic fit together and highlight applications and connections to other topics. It will also be neutral, which means it will not align with any one position if there is controversy amongst experts concerning some aspect of its topic. Instead, it will remain objective, describing each relevant position without skewing the presentation toward the personal beliefs or positions of the author(s). In short, entries should present the big picture, including all relevant perspectives, and should be carefully crafted and bias-free. Citizendium is not a place for advocacy or for advertisement.
  2. Unnecessarily complicated presentation should be avoided. Citizendium material is intended for the general public and should be constructed so as to maximize accessibility. The basic content provided at the Citizendium is intended for an audience with completed secondary education. More specialized material — including original research — is welcome but it should be presented without unnecessary jargon and should be contextualized through prominent links to entries that explain background information and related non-specialist material.
  3. As far as possible, special needs of visually or otherwise impaired users and of responsibly exercised automated access will be taken into account. Citizendium encourages contributions on all topics, albeit with sensitivity towards appropriateness and avoiding sensationalism. Exceptionally, Editors and Constables have the authority to intervene at their discretion if article content appears to be inconsistent with criminal or civil law or if content is discriminatory or slanderous against persons or groups of persons on the basis of religion, religious belief, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender. Such decisions are subject to Citizendium's appeal process.
Comment
This needs much streamlining (and simplification).

Organizational structure

The Citizendium is devoted to transparent and fair governance at a minimum of bureaucracy. Special roles will not be created without excellent reason.

Editorial Council

  1. An Editorial Council will be responsible for guiding content and establishing content policy.
  2. The Editorial Council shall initially consist of seven active Citizens.
  3. The number of seats on the Editorial Council shall be augmented by two for each completed doubling of the number of Approved Articles with respect to the day of ratification of this Charter, up to a maximum of 25.
  4. Half of the number of seats (rounded up) on the Editorial Council shall be reserved for Editors.
  5. For voting purposes, a quorum shall consist of (50 minus the number of members) percent of its members, rounded up.
  6. The Editorial Council may appoint Task Managers whose activities it will oversee.
  7. Members of the Editorial Council may not simultaneously serve on the Management Committee or be Constables.
  8. Members of the Editorial Council will be elected by secret ballot vote of eligible Citizens, with two-year renewable terms.
  9. The Editorial Council is responsible for developing content guidelines and will publish and monitor the appropriate enforcement of those guidelines.
Comment
The size of EC and MC should be flexible, I agree with that.
  • But I do not think that its size should be determined automatically by the number of approved articles, neither for the EC nor -- even less -- for the MC.
  • The number of approved articles will rise (slowly) even if CZ stays as it is. Why should this imply larger councils?
The size should be determined by practical experience (and availability of members) only.
  • Moreover, I do not like the formula for the quorum.
Why should the committee be enlarged but the expected participation be lowered?
If an EC of 25 members is wanted or needed then it should consist of actively participating Citizens, and not of 18 members letting the remaining 7 members decide. (9 vs.6 for the MC)
  • The word "initially" does not fit in a Charter

Management Committee

  1. A Management Committee shall be responsible for matters concerned with the non-content policies of Citizendium.
  2. The Management Committee shall consist of five active Citizens initially, who may not simultaneously serve on the Editorial Council.
  3. The number of seats on the Management Committee shall be augmented by two for each completed doubling of the number of Approved Articles with respect to the day of ratification of this Charter, up to a maximum of 15.
  4. For voting purposes, a quorum shall consist of (50 minus the number of members) percent of its members, rounded up.
  5. The members of the Management Committee shall be elected by secret ballot vote of active Citizens, with two-year renewable terms.
  6. The Management Committee may appoint Administrators and Task Managers whose activities it will oversee.
  7. The Management Committee will appoint Constables and confer with the constabulary on matters of Constable activity.
  8. The Management Committee is responsible for developing behavior guidelines and will publish and monitor the appropriate enforcement of those guidelines.
Comment
Same as for EC

Behavior and dispute resolution

Constabulary

  1. The Constabulary shall be charged with upholding the Citizendium's rules of behavior as determined by community policy, covering all Citizens including those with official positions.
  2. The Constabulary's authority is restricted to matters of behavior and they shall not intervene in matters of content.
  3. Constabulary tools include: advice and instruction on wiki or through Citizen email, removal of offensive text, and warning and banning of users according to the guidelines established by the Management Committee.
  4. The enforcement of these rules is to be carried out with reasonable pragmatism and leniency without prejudice as to Citizen status or position and only in those situations where the applicability of existing rules is clear.
  5. The Constabulary may develop additional tools and will publish and monitor the appropriate use of said tools.
  6. Decisions of constables may be appealed through the appropriate adjudication process as determined by the Management Committee.
Comment
Do not mention specific tools, but mention blocking as the "ultimate" means.

Ombudsman

  1. An Ombudsman shall be appointed, charged with the task of assisting in dispute resolution, as laid down in this Charter.
  2. The role of Ombudsman shall be vested in a Citizen with substantial Citizendium experience and widely respected judgment, who may appoint up to two other Citizens (Assistant Ombudsmen) to support his/her work; their appointment and termination of duties is at the personal discretion of the Ombudsman.
  3. The Ombudsman will be elected by simple majority vote of each of the Editorial Council and Management Council, for a term of 2 years, renewable.
  4. An Ombudsman may be recalled by a super-majority (75%) of each of the Editorial Council and Management Committee.

Dispute resolution

  1. Disputes will be settled at the lowest possible level, such as by bringing in peer Editors or Constables.
  2. If satisfactory resolution is not obtained, the Ombudsman may be contacted for non-binding mediation. Should that fail, the matter will be appealed to the appropriate body — the Editorial Council for content matters and the Management Committee for behavioral or administrative matters. As a last resort, both Councils may appoint members to an ad hoc arbitration panel, for final arbitration as defined below.
  3. In the event of a dispute that cannot be resolved at a level below that of the Editorial Council or the Management Committee, appeals boards may be constituted on an ad hoc basis. The ad hoc appeals board will consist of three members nominated by the Editorial Council and three members nominated by the Management Committee, who shall not have been involved in the specific dispute. An Ombudsman will preside; that official shall direct the Board and will be non-voting other than to possess a tie-breaking vote. Should no Ombudsman be available who is not a party to the matter, the Councils shall appoint a special presider from the Citizenry.
  4. All decisions of the ad hoc appeals board are final. Further, either the Management Committee or the Editorial Council may decline to participate in an ad hoc appeal, in which case the decision of the last appeal will be final.

Elections

  1. All Citizens in good standing — as defined by the Management Committee — shall be eligible to vote in any Citizendium election, including ad hoc elections for ratification of and amendments to this charter.
  2. Elections to the MC and EC shall be conducted annually. One half of seats of each board shall be open for election as arranged by each body below.
  3. The Chief Constable shall chair the CZ elections committee and appoint such assistants as necessary. No member of the Elections Committee should be eligible for election. If members of the election committee accept nomination, it is expected that they withdraw from the elections committee. The Elections Committee shall determine the size of each body as per this charter's rules for each body's organizational structure and accept nominations for any open seat.
  4. Timetable: All commencements shall be at 12:00am GMT on the date specified; all deadlines shall end at 11:59pm GMT on the date specified.
  5. The Election Committee shall call for nominations beginning January 1 of each year. Nominations shall be open for a period of one week (until the end of January 7). Any citizen may nominate any other citizen for office. Citizens may also self-nominate. Nominations should be sent to the Election Committee. An officer of the Elections Committee shall notify each nominated citizen, and request an acceptance of nomination.
  6. Following the close of nominations the Election Committee shall construct the ballot on the Citizendium which will allow for position statements by the candidates. Citizens who have not accepted their nomination shall not appear on the ballot. The ballot shall be prepared by January 14.
  7. Voting shall open January 21. Each citizen will be allowed to vote only once. Ballots shall be returned to the Elections Committee. Late ballots shall not be counted. The Elections Committee shall accept ballots from citizens for no more than ten days (until the end of January 31).
  8. The Elections Committee shall announce the results of the election on or before February 7 each calendar year. The new elected members of CZ's governing bodies shall assume office on February 14.

Comments:

  • Too detailed rules -- it should be easily possible to adapt procedures to experience (without having to change the Charter.
  • It is enough to state when office period(s) begin (instead of fiaxing a complete timetable).
  • It would be better to have separate elections for EC and MC:
    • More activity during the year may be good for the community.
    • Having all elections at the same time reduces flexibility for nominations:
      • As long as MC and EC are supposed to be disjoint, a candidate has to choose one of them
      • When all elections are at the same time, less "neutral" observers (being not a candidate) are available.
  • The nomination period is badly chosen -- January 1-7 is holiday time in many (European) countries.

External partners

  1. The Citizendium invites collaboration with non-Citizen partners on any matters relevant to the project's mission.
  2. The Management Committee shall oversee these activities, collaborating with the Editorial Council on matters of content.

License

  1. Content originating at the Citizendium will always be free to use, reuse, and redistribute.
  2. Content that originated elsewhere may also be incorporated into the Citizendium if such reuse is permitted by the copyright owners or copyright status.
  • Comment
    Remove, this is collaboration, not a license issue. ("if permitted" is a triviality.)
  • Suggestion
    Add here (or maybe elsewhere):
"Because of the collaborative effort, no individual credit to contributions shall be given, but the history of all pages, including user pages shall be permanently available."
This should be mentioned explicitly to avoid that this issue surfaces periodically, and to make sure that all who register accept it.

Legal status

The Citizendium will be owned and controlled by the Citizendium Foundation, a non-profit organization.

Languages

  1. The official language of the Citizendium shall be English.
  2. Branches in other languages require approval by the Management Committee and shall have the same legal status as the English language Citizendium (see Legal status above).
  • Simplify to
    ... and have to accept the spirit and the fundamental principles of the Citizendium as defined by an approved translation of this Charter.
The branches shall establish a close collaboration with each other on all issues, both of content and administration.
  • Remove: the following three sentences:

Non-English Citizendiums shall construct their governance in accordance with this charter or a translation approved by the Management Committee.

  1. Branch language Editorial Councils, including the English language Citizendium Editorial Council, shall be empowered to develop policy regarding non-native language content on their native language Citizendiums.
  2. Consistent with the Citizendium's respect for expertise, the Editorial Council of any branch language version may request the Editorial Councils of other language versions to revise, add, or remove content in the former branch's native language.
  3. All user pages shall be in the native language for that version of Citizendium.
Comment
ok, if only the main user page (not the talk pages, subpages, etc.) is meant.
  1. No branch or non-English version of Citizendium shall be permitted at later times to adopt policy that contravenes this charter
  • Comment
    This is eseentially a repetition - remove.

Final clause

Comment
It should be explicitly stated that this is not a part of the (final) Charter.

Ratification

  1. If this Charter has been ratified by two thirds or more of the votes validly cast in a referendum for this purpose, it shall be certified by the Editor-in-Chief within a week after the closing of the referendum.
  2. For future amendments, a certifying official or officials shall be agreed upon by the joint Management Committee and Editorial Council.

Entry into force

This Charter shall enter into force on the day following ratification.

Interim guidance for the transition period

  1. As long as the administrative prerequisites for implementing the charter are not entirely fulfilled, the rules listed in this section shall provide interim guidance to the Editorial Council, Management Council, and other bodies.
  2. Such material may be modified by those bodies by their normal procedures, without a full Charter amendment.

Elections to the Editorial Council and Management Committee

For both bodies, the intention is to elect half of the members each year, so of the first group, a number corresponding to the quorum will be selected, by lot or personal agreement, to serve one-year terms.

Voting rights

For the purpose of ratification of this charter and elections to the Editorial Council and the Management Committee, all Citizens with an account that is not blocked shall be considered as being in good standing.

Review of previous resolutions of the Editorial Council

The Editorial Council shall vote on each of the resolutions of the previous Editorial Council whether they should continue to be in force or not.

  • Comment
    Too special. The EC should review all existing guidelines and either accept, modify, or revoke them in due course of time (possibly some after a referendum).

Administration

The Management Committee shall elaborate a strategy and policy on handling the legal, financial, and technical operations necessary for the project to fulfill its mission.

External partnerships

The Management Committee shall develop and implement at its earliest convenience a policy for

  1. interested external observers to provide feedback on Citizendium content in a manner convenient for them and the project.
  2. collaboration with external partners, paying particular attention to fostering the collaboration with instructors by way of Eduzendium, and with external experts or professional organizations for the purposes of providing or reviewing content at the Citizendium.

Research and teaching

  1. The Editorial Council shall elaborate a strategy and policy on incorporation of teaching and research into the Citizendium.
  2. Research results that have not been formally published should be clearly labeled as such. So should articles that have been part of student coursework.

Registration of new Editors

To streamline the CZ:Editor Application Review Procedure, applications for Editorship shall be processed in two consecutive steps:

  1. An applicant will be registered as an Author, so s/he can immediately start editing.
  2. The application for Editorship will be reviewed by the Editorial Personnel Administrators (to be appointed by the Editorial Council) who will strive to make a decision within one week.

Pseudonyms

  1. Within a month after the entry into force of this charter, all existing pseudonym accounts shall be closed by the Constabulary, and the respective user pages protected.
  2. The Citizens concerned may reapply under their real name.

Future amendments

  1. This Charter shall be open to amendment at any time subsequent to its ratification.
  2. The Management Council is hereby vested with the power to act upon proposals for amendment originating from any Citizen or Citizendium institution.
  3. The process of Amendment requires the Management Council initially to consult with Citizens (including via the Forum) and subsequently to draft an appropriate amended text.
  4. The decision to accept the amended text will be taken by popular vote of the Citizenry, and requires a two-thirds majority of votes validly cast.
Comment
"Future amendments" are not interim guidance -- they belong into the Charter proper
The following sections are auxiliary to the drafting process and will be deleted from the final draft.

Proposed changes

  • In "Citizen participation", add something of the sort
  • Active Citizens shall be eligible into the Editorial Council and the Management according to criteria defined by each of the two bodies.
and this should be accompanied by an interim guidance section defining "active Citizens" for the very first elections.
--Daniel Mietchen 22:28, 5 February 2010 (UTC)
  • We need provisions for replacement of anyone with a special role who becomes temporarily or permanently unavailable.
--Daniel Mietchen 23:15, 5 February 2010 (UTC)
  • Merge "Electorate" into "Citizens have the right to vote in community wide elections." (under "Citizen participation").
--Daniel Mietchen 23:40, 11 February 2010 (UTC)
--Daniel Mietchen 16:04, 26 February 2010 (UTC)
  • If multiple elections are being held in parallel, it should be made clear beforehand to what extent candidates are allowed to run in parallel.
--Daniel Mietchen 02:54, 28 February 2010 (UTC)
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