Wikimedia New York City/Meeting guidelines

Take this with a grain of salt. We've been somewhat less formal in our recent meetings. This page will be updated soon to reflect the current working model.

These meeting guidelines shall function as an appropriate cooperative model for working meetings of Wikimedia New York City.

These guidelines have been developed in light of the decision not to pursue a formal set of bylaws; previous ideas on bylaws can be found in this page's history.

Guidelines

Wikimedia New York City shall function as a standing committee and series of mass meetings of local people affilated with Wikimedia projects, run by a process of consensus-seeking decision-making, with oversight of an elected chair, who is also an authorized representative [not authorized yet] of the global organization.

Meetings are informalized and pragmatic, with less of an adherence to specific rules of order, than an appreciation of basic principles of fair discussion, as at http://www.wonderwheellaw.com/4rules.htm.

1. One Speaker Speaks at a Time.
2. One Question Is Decided at a Time.
3. The Speaker Must Be Respectful.
4. Everyone's Rights Are Protected by Balancing Them with Each Other.

When formal motions are needed, a simple procedure should be adopted, as at http://www.ctaconline.org/parl.asp. The principle of rough consensus is also one of value.

The meetings should be as much concerned with coordinating the actions of individual members as with collective actions.

Other uses

These guidelines may also serve for other informally-organized local Wikimedia chapters that may be founded in future, as well as for other glocalizing local groups of online-based global organizations; for that purpose, these guidelines can be considered as the "glocal guidelines" model.