U.S. Canada Education Program Working Group Drafts
Editing of this page is restricted to members of the U.S. Canada Education Program Working Group. Editors desiring to comment on this draft should do so on the talk page.
This Charter was issued on June 4, 2012 to members of the working group by the Wikimedia Foundation Education Program.
U.S.-Canada Education Program Working Group Charter
Purpose
The US-Canada Education Program Working Group (Working Group) exists between July and November 2012 to formulate, articulate, review and vet a strategy that establishes a new, self-sustaining enterprise (the Education Program Structure) to manage all aspects of the US-Canada Education Program in support of Wikimedia Foundation and Wikimedia movement strategic goals. This strategy has two parts:
During the Kick-off Meeting in July, the Working Group develops a detailed future picture for what the new enterprise will look and function like as of June 2015 (the planning will work backwards from that date). The future picture will include answers to these questions:
What does the enterprise do, fundamentally?
How do we want outsiders to perceive the enterprise?
What do we want the enterprise to behave like?
What type of people do we want to run the enterprise?
What will the financial capabilities of the enterprise be?
How will the participants in this enterprise be incentivized?
Between the end of the Kick-Off Meeting and November 2012, the Working Group (being split up into task forces) comes up with an action plan for how to set up an enterprise that meets the above future picture (this also includes making decisions about who will be responsible for implementing the action plan after November 2012).
In addition, between July and November 2012, the Working Group formulates strategic recommendations that require Wikimedia Foundation consideration.
Guiding Principles
Our objective is to come up with a detailed future picture (during the Kick-off Meeting in July 2012) and an action plan (between July and November 2012) of what the enterprise will look like and what it is supposed to achieve. It is not our job to implement the action plan between July and November 2012.
We aim to consider both the needs of Wikipedia and the needs of higher education in all our decisions.
Our communication to people inside and outside the Working Group must be clear, friendly, and frequent. We avoid using any kind of jargon (e.g. program jargon, Wikipedia jargon, academic jargon, etc.) that may confuse others. We act respectfully, remain open-minded, and always assume good faith in our interaction with other Working Group members.
We respect the diversity of the Working Group and the US-Canada Education Program, and we include the whole Working Group in conversations instead of letting individuals dominate discussions or decisions.
We must be responsible to the Wikimedia Foundation, the English Wikipedia editors, the Wikipedia Ambassadors on the English Wikipedia, and members of higher education involved in the US-Canada Education Program.
We will hold ourselves accountable for achieving our goals.
Membership
The Working Group is made up of the following 16 members:
Convening the Working Group and establishing the ground rules of the Working Group process as needed for the Working Group to achieve its stated purpose and complete its deliverables on schedule.
Providing the necessary funding and infrastructure to support Working Group activities until November 2012 (end of the Working Group process), and likely between November 2012 and May 2013 as well.
Ensuring that all stakeholder groups — Wikimedia Foundation, Wikipedia Ambassadors on the English Wikipedia, higher education institutions — have balanced representation on the Working Group with qualified and committed members.
Securing the needed resources, information and consent from appropriate Wikimedia Foundation staff members as much as possible.
Communicating Working Group results to the Wikimedia Foundation's high level management, to the group of Ambassadors on the English Wikipedia, and to the academics involved in the US-Canada Education Program, and helping to communicate the expectations of the Wikimedia Foundation's high level staff to the Working Group.
Members
Working Group members are responsible for:
Actively participating in the strategic planning process between July 2012 and November 2012.
Taking on and being responsive to Working Group and task force activities conducted outside face-to-face
Working Group meetings.
Actively seeking out data and recommendations from the larger Wikipedia editing community, higher education institutions, the Wikimedia Foundation, the Working Group advisor(s), and other relevant resources, and acting on these recommendations as appropriate.
Coming to consensus on strategic questions, and thoroughly documenting and communicating these decisions in a public space.
Facilitator
The facilitator is responsible for:
Preparing the Working Group Kick-Off Meeting in July 2012, in consultation with the Working Group sponsor.
Ensuring that Working Group members have the strategy process and skills necessary to fulfill Working Group goals.
Facilitating in-person and virtual Working Group conversations, meetings, and activities as necessary to ensure that short-term and long-term objectives and deliverables are being achieved.
Advisor(s)
The advisor(s) is responsible for:
Providing Working Group members with the information and expertise needed to fulfill Working Groups goals, under request from Working Group members.
As needed, raising issues and providing recommendations (based on prior experiences), and engaging in discussions with Working Group members to help Working Group members resolve issues and achieve consensus.
Deliverables and Milestones
Before and during the Working Group's period of operation:
June 8, 2012: The Working Group is formally established and chartered (Wikimedia Foundation Sponsor).
June 15, 2012: All pre-reads have been distributed to members in preparation for the initial Working Group
Kick-off Meeting (Facilitator).
July 1, 2012: The agenda for the Working Group Kick-off Meeting is finalized and distributed to members
(Facilitator and Wikimedia Foundation Sponsor).
July 16–17, 2012: Working Group Kick-Off Meeting takes place and comes to agreement on the following:
Detailed future picture for what the enterprise that will manage the US-Canada Education Program will look like and function like
Strategic measures
July–November 2012 objectives
Task forces, and the assignment of task force leaders and members
July 17–November 1, 2012: After splitting up into task forces, the Working Group members — guided by the facilitator — develop an action plan for how to set up the new enterprise.
November 30, 2012: A fully vetted and agreed-upon strategy (future picture + action plan) is ready for implementation, to transition management of the US-Canada Education Program from the Wikimedia Foundation to a new, self-sustaining enterprise.
After the Working Group's period of operation:
November 30, 2012 – May 31, 2013: Implementation of the action plan, to actually set up the new enterprise.
May 31, 2013: The new enterprise is fully functional and self-sustaining.
Notes
^Ceased sponsorship role when promoted into Global Development Program
^Assumed sponsorship role when Frank Schulenburg left the group
U.S. Canada Education Program Working Group Drafts
Editing of this page is restricted to members of the U.S. Canada Working Education Program Working Group. Editors desiring to comment on this draft should do so on the talk page.
