[foundation-board] Face to face Board meeting this Thursday

[Becky Hogge]

On 9 August 2010 09:52, Jo Walsh <jo at frot.org> wrote:
> On 09/08/2010 09:11, Becky Hogge wrote:
>>
>> Is everybody still on for the face-to-face Board meeting this
>> Thursday? Please can you RSVP, as I've had pretty much radio silence
>> since we landed on the 12th as a date last week.
>
> Definitely still on, looking forward to it a lot!
> Planning to travel down to Cambridge late the evening before after dropping
> Archer off with grandparents in Reading.

Excellent. Are you staying with Rufus on the Wednesday night, or would
you like a bed here?

>> that Tuesday evening off. Let me know if you're in favour.
>
> I'll try my best, but have a JISC meeting that day and can't guarantee an
> Archer-free evening - i never seem to be entirely present on Board telecons
> :/
>
>> I've started a draft Agenda here:
>> http://okfn.org/board/wiki/BoardMeetings/2010-08-12
>
> Cool. Can someone remind me of the new board password. I keep stalling on
> writing up the minutes because i have forgotten it, and my email archives
> are completely messed up (right now, or always).

The board password is zobesawa9, and don't forget that the user name
has been changed to "board". It would be great to have a set of
minutes ready to approve on Thursday. I've also got a note to chase
you, Jo, for a short report from the Coordination Committee. Again,
this is strictly for our August Board meeting, but if we can be
updated on Thursday instead, that can give us all next Tuesday off.

Nice to see some good topics for a governance conversation are already
brewing...
>
>> Finally, I'd like to have a discussion about governance. I'm acutely
>> aware that although the Board takes ultimate responsibility for the
>> financial and legal health of the organisation, it's very unclear to
>> whom we delegate that responsibility in the day-to-day and, therefore,
>> from whom we seek reports and, ultimately, accountability at our
>> quarterly board meetings.
>
> Do we delegate responsibility? Or is responsibility delegated upwards
> towards us?
>
> Agreeing completely that this topic needs some airing, agreement and
> documentation. There has been related discussion recently on the coord list.
> I'm conscious that perhaps not enough other Board members are also on the
> coord list.
>
> In the coord context i'm still, as ever, struggling to understand properly
> how "we" think the Foundation is run as it expands so rapidly. But i think
> the coord list is where day-to-day operational issues (other than the
> financial/contractual) should be aired and shared; and where reports from
> projects and working groups should be requested.
>
> Prompted to think harder about governance by a new friend here in Edinburgh,
> Paola di Maio, whose PhD is on open governance processes.
> She's raised a lot of questions about the *appearance* of how OKF is run,
> which probably dovetail with yours.
>
> See the bottom half of this email if you want to think about this:
> http://lists.okfn.org/pipermail/okfn-coord/2010-August/000059.html
>
> In my mind, it is important to separate out the practical bits that really
> should be private (contracts in indefinite state, sums of money in an
> uncertain place, comments that could affect other peoples' current
> employment situations) from the practical bits that can only benefit from
> being discussed in public (governance structure of the Foundation, general
> responsibilities of the board) on the coord list.
>
> And it will be *great* to be able to talk things over in person, the
> face-to-face meeting could not be better timed. Looking forward.
> Becky, i really appreciate your undertaking the "Voice of Reason" position
> here and the nudging you are doing - keep on!

Thanks :)

Looking forward to seeing you, all bests,

Becky