Meeting:Committee (2023-07-17)
This meeting has two pages: one restricted-access page (only for members of the current Board) and one public-access page (which may have sensitive information redacted).
- Present: Alex Lum, Tom Hogarth, Bunty Avieson, Peter Neish, Kelly Tall, Amanda Lawrence and Belinda Spry.
- Apologies: Pru Mitchell, Jeremy Ludlow
- Absent:
Meeting opened: Monday 17 July 2023 5pm AWST / 6.30pm ACST / 7pm AEST
Previous meeting
- Monday 19 June 2023 Meeting:Committee_(2023-06-19)
Moved: Alex Lum; seconded: Tom Hogarth; outcome: approved
Matters arising
Matters for decision
WikidataCon 2023 Invitation and Scholarship
Wikimedia Taiwan have offered WMAU a scholarship for one person from our affiliate/local community to attend the ESEAP roundtable session in person in Taipei during the WikidataCon 2023. They must take part in the ESEAP session, to exchange ideas about the Wikidata/LOD. Ideally looking for a representative who is actually leading/organising at least 1 or 2 related programs to attend. Each person will give a 15-20 minutes presentation, and all together have a roundtable discussion afterward. There will also be community members from Taiwan and other ESEAP communities that join the session with related backgrounds.
Proposal that Alex Lum be the WMAU representative. Alex is one of the most expert Wikidata people in Australia and can speak on the census project or other major initiatives relevant to the topics listed. Alex is already intending to go to Taiwan so he is willing and able to travel to the event. As Secretary and former President of WMAU he is also able to represent the chapter.
Motion (via Email): That Alex Lum be nominated as the WMAU representative to Wikidata Taiwan 2023 supported by WikidataCon Taiwan.
Moved: Amanda Lawrence; seconded: Kelly Tall; outcome: approved by email
Matters for discussion
AGM Sun 6 August 2023 5pm (AEST)
Roles, reports and nomination process
- Timeline:
- 9/07/2023 AGM notice sent to all currently financial members
- Saturday 22/07/2023 Nominations open. Nominations of members, by members to open positions made to agm@wikimedia.org.au (delivered to secretary, president & EO). Nomination must be seconded by another member, and accepted by the nominee (as email to the agm@wikimedia.org.au).
- Secretary loads nomination details to WMAU AGM web page
- Saturday 29/07/2023 Nominations close.
If an election is required:
- Sunday 30/07/2023 Election opens. Managed by neutral party with EO
- Friday 4/08/2023 Election closes
- Saturday 5/08/2023 AGM Proxy forms to be submitted to the Secretary contact@wikimedia.org.au
- Sunday 6/08/2023 AGM 5pm AEST held via Zoom video conference
Note: If there are not enough nominations people can nominate at the AGM meeting.
Application for WikidataCon support/scholarship
Application received from member for Volunteer Support Funding to attend WikidataCon 2023 in Taiwan. Amount requested: $2000
Moved: Tom Hogarth; seconded: Alex Lum; outcome: approved
Application for Wikimania support/scholarship
Application received from Geoff Barker, State Library of NSW for Volunteer Support or Scholarship to Wikimania 2023. Amount requested: $2000
Moved: Kelly Tall; seconded: Tom Hogarth; outcome: approved
Strategic planning meeting and Community Engagement activity 2023
Weekend 18-19 November booked in with Board
Document circulated by email to gather ideas and identify preferred options. Brisbane is the preferred city working with SLQ.
Discussion of community day and SP meeting. This is the last meeting before the AGM - the next Board meeting will be Sept 2023.
Strategic planning 2023-2024 follow up
Summary document of Strategic Planning day - This document now contains a list of actions for each session. Business Plan for Year Two with action items - The actions have been documented and mapped to the strategic plan, along with responsibilities, deliverables/outcomes, and suggested time lines.
Craig Franklin Award
Motion passed: That Wikimedia Australia in principle institute the Craig Franklin Award for ”An activity in the past year (period since the previous AGM) making a positive impact on the Wikimedia movement in Australia". The award to be announced and presented annually at the WMAU AGM.
Selection process - this year the award is being decided by the Board and next year there will be a subcommittee.
Reports
Executive Officer report [FOR NOTING]
ESEAP Hub Interim Committee
On 16 August the ESEAP Interim Hub will no longer have a mandate to continue its work on developing the ESEAP Hub and the grant supporting its implementation. During the ESEAP 34th Community meeting on Sunday 9 July, the fiscal sponsorship was discussed, along with proposals for next steps. Fiscal sponsorship will remain an ongoing conversation with more research required. A quick ‘straw poll’ during the meeting indicated a slight preference to move to an election phase for the inaugural Board for the ESEAP Hub, based on the draft Roles and Responsibilities document currently available for community consultation. The Interim Hub Committee has now prepared a formal vote on meta to be closed on Thursday 20 July. The short time frame for feedback on the R&R and for voting is due to the deadline of the Wikimania conference.
First Nation Wikipedian in Residence at SLQ
Bianca has signed an Agreement for an extension to her existing contract as First Nations Wikipedian-in-Residence. This is an additional 2 days per week through until October 2023.
Project Partners
All progressing well. Jill at QUT has put in an application with GLAMWiki in Uruguay for a scholarship to attend and present on their digitisation project in November. She is also presenting at the National Digital Forum conference in New Zealand in November 2023. James and Belinda ran an Introduction to editing workshop with Shelly and her team at Shire of Paroo.
First Nations Focus Groups
Bronwyn and Belinda are liaising and work is progressing on developing the Discussion Guide. Bronwyn is also preparing materials for recruiting participants. Belinda has sent a letter for Bronwyn to provide to the Macquarie University Ethics Committee. Belinda and James will also facilitate an Introduction to editing Wikipedia online session for Bronwyn and some of her colleagues.
Change from Committee to Board
All wording on our website and communications have now been updated to reflect this change.
Events planning 2023
- ESEAP Hub 34th Meeting - East, Southeast Asia and the Pacific — Sunday 9 July 2023
- Understanding Wikimedia As A Digital Media Platform: Research Seminar/workshop — Tuesday 11 July 2023.
- Open Community Meeting — Wednesday 12 July 2023
- Alex presenting a Workshop at Vala Techcamp.
- Amanda invited to speak at ALIA symposium in August at SLV on Whose Source? Information opportunities past traditional publishing will explore some of the non-traditional but essential information sources in the modern library, including First Nations knowledge and Wikipedia, and how we can make sure libraries are leading changes rather than playing catch-up.
- Mythbusting Wikipedia: Misinformation, AI, and Volunteers — Tuesday 1 August 2023. Belinda presenting this session for ALIA as part of Library & Information Week.
- Introducing: Wikipedia - A free online workshop - August 2023 — Thursday 3 August 2023
- Drop in and Wiki - August 2023 — Thursday 3 August 2023
News from reciprocal memberships
Creative Commons membership has been formally accepted and approved.
Social media report:
- June statistics
Total followers as of 30 June, 2023
- Twitter 3057 (up by 68)
- Facebook 1839 (up by 9)
- Instagram 326 (up by 11)
- Linkedin 198 (up by 32)
- Mastodon 64 (up by 14)
- YouTube 39 (up by 3)
- Eventbrite 37
- Announce monthly newsletter: 450 (down by 2)
In June, on Twitter we made 32 tweets and were mentioned in 34. We posted 8 times on Facebook, 4 times on Instagram, 7 on Linkedin, 12 times on Mastodon, and added 1 video on YouTube. We also started tracking Eventbrite followers and currently have 37.
In early July, Meta (Facebook, Instagram) launched a new app called Threads. Users will be able to use their same accounts from Instagram and follow the same people. We have joined: https://www.threads.net/@wikimediaau
On our WMAU website we published 2 news stories:
- Join us in the free knowledge ecosystem (guest post by APO)
- Introducing: Wikipedia - Workshop and Drop In Sessions
Staffing
We recently advertised the Project and Communications Coordinator role which caused an influx in likes, shares, and follows across most of our social media platforms.
President's Report
Invited to participate in WMF Advocacy session at Wikimania. Thomas Shafee will also participate. WMAU advocacy reports required for WMF mapping project. These have now been added to WMAU website on the publications page.
Opportunity to campaign around Orphan Works in collaboration with ADA and other organisations.
This is the last meeting of the year for the Board before the AGM. I would like to thank all the members of the Board for all their work over the last year. A full report will be given at the AGM.
Treasurer's Report
WMAU has received AUD$349,348.00 in funding from the Wikimedia Foundation for Year 2 of our multi-year Grant.
- [|Grant report of action against Strategic plan implementation 2022-2023 and Annual Report]
- Yearly Learning Report covering 2022/23 is partially complete in Fluxx, and supporting documentation is in progress. This was due on 15 July, but has been extended to 30 July.
There will also be a Final or Yearly Conversation between program partners and grantee partners on or around 15 August. Further information to be provided.
- Profit & Loss Statement for June 2023
Profit and Loss Statement June 2023 Balance sheet June 2023
That the Treasurer’s Report be accepted
Moved: Amanda Lawrence; seconded: Alex Lum; outcome: approved
Secretary's Report
Membership report
Two applications presented for admission. The board approved the applications.
- 59 annual membership renewals were sent out on 1 May 2023, due 30 June 2023.
- As at 17/7/2023 there are 10 renewals outstanding
Correspondence
Institute of Community Directors Australia have advised that it is now free for individuals and organisations to become members. By taking out membership you agree to abide by the ICDA’s code of ethics and conduct. This in turn provides access to training, events and ‘responsible persons status’ with the ATO. Link to free membership for individuals here.
Global activities
- Wikimania: 16 - 19 August 2023 in Singapore
- ESEAP pre-Wikimania meeting 15 August 2023
- Advocacy group meeting 16 August
- Post-Wikimania Library day at National Library of Singapore on Sunday 20 August - to be confirmed and requires team to organise
- Wikidata conference Taiwan in October 2023
Meeting close: 8.52 pm
- Next Community meeting: Wednesday 9 August 2023
- Next Board meeting:
- AGM Sunday 6 August 2023
- Monday 21 August 2023