Quorum

From Archiveteam
Jump to navigation Jump to search

quo·rum (/ˈkwôrəm/) noun - the minimum number of members of an assembly or society that must be present at any of its meetings to make the proceedings of that meeting valid.


This page is an attempt to whiteboard the idea of creating a quorum mechanism in the Archive Team - the ability to call together a group of members, have multiple members discuss an issue, and then make a decision on that issue. Currently, a lot on Archive Team "just happens" and it generally works (although we're also a butthurt machine, occasionally). For issues that might be globally affecting the operation, or really matter in a permanent way with the team, it would benefit to have a variety of members be able to weigh in before things move in a direction.

Off the top of one's head, these quorums should be:

  • A major pain in the ass (30 days plus), so it's not just used for where everyone meets for pizza or what we call a project
  • Set up for not being some majority vote of god-knows-who weighing in and deciding things
  • Helpful, not a way to turn a decision into a hurricane of turmoil
  • A way to show to anyone who asks later, "Why is it this way" - we have a record of discussion and why the choices came down.

Examples of things that might call for a "Quorum" (this process can have a name other than Quorum):

  • Whether to move us from one IRC network to another as our main network
  • Whether to accept some funding or be called part of some affiliation
  • Bury Jason's body at sea or in some sort of air burial thing

How a Quorum Process is called to order

What Happens During the Quorum

What a Completed Quorum looks like

  • The results of the quorum (including discussions for and against) should be left permanently on the Wiki and elsewhere so that later questions about why something happened can be found. (Also, discussed, if the circumstances have changed wildly.)

References