Archive:Executive Committee

With the ratification of the new Charter in October, 2010, the CZ Executive Committee ceased to exist—it no longer serves any function. The following text describes it during the period that it was in existence.

Function

The Executive Committee of the Citizendium works privately, in order to advise the Editor-in-Chief on questions he puts to them, and especially to help make decisions about relatively confidential matters. This is not a Board of Directors; we will be adding such a board hopefully in early 2008, at which time, the Board of Directors will probably take over some issues that the Executive Committee now discusses.

As a rule, the Committee should handle only those matters that need to be private—as, for example, grant proposals, partnership proposals that have not been reviewed, major outlays, as well as the "strategy" of the use of the Editor-in-Chief's time. As a general rule, any policy discussions that take place by the Executive Committee will be aimed to assist the Editor-in-Chief in making up his own mind. Decisions or votes taken by the Committee have no force except in the matters—primarily business matters—that are in its special purview.

In addition, if they volunteer to do so, Committee members might spearhead initiatives on behalf of the Editor-in-Chief or the Committee as a whole.

(Rules about conflict of purview have not yet been written, but presumably, when it is established, the Judicial Board will determine which body or bodies may decide an issue.)

Composition

The Committee is chosen by the Editor-in-Chief from among the most active participants, with approximately equal numbers of editors and authors, and in other respects as representative as possible. Excellent judgment as well as demonstrated commitment to our fundamental policies are also expected. Furthermore, Committee members should have no conflicts of interest that would potentially bias their judgments about what is in the best interest of the project.

Committee member obligations

Committee members are free to contribute on the wiki or any forum discussion, but they may not serve in other governance bodies. Only the Editor-in-Chief should speak on behalf of the Committee, unless another Committee member is specially designated to do so.

Committee members are required to keep confidential any matters that any sensible person would regard as confidential, but especially any matters that are specifically requested to remain confidential. Of course, any Committee member may provide general information about the project.

Members

A current list of Executive Committee members can be found on the Personnel page.