Meeting minutes
<tzviya> date: 2025-02-04
Intros
Christine: Joined the team in Oct as part of legal.
Ombuds document
https://
Christine: Two parallel workstreams: 1. Pre-ombuds. 2. How to identify, select and onboard ombuds.
… Discuss criteria for ombuds?
amy: Maybe two pieces: one for chairs, and one for people who want to report an incident
<Zakim> amy, you wanted to mention audiences
tzviya: Christine and Catrina will be interim ombuds
<amy> i don't see mention of Christine and Catrina in the document?
sheila: There also needs something addressing people who raise a complaint. Guidance around how to raise a concern. Maybe not in the same doc, if its too wordy.
tzviya: INtentional that Christine and Catrina are not mentioned by name in the doc.
… There's a page that will be in /guide that describes the roles of ombuds, and will (later) list the ombuds.
sheila: Also, in this interim doc, until we have more chair training, we're asking chairs to turn to the ombuds more often than in the ideal state.
… Chairs should refer to Christine and Catrina to prevent dealing w situations that they're not yet ready to handle, but will later be able to handle.
amy: Suggest an index or bullet pointing. Agree that Role of chair should be first, but if they want to refer back to this, things should be prioritized, e.g., physical safety first. Who do they ready out to?
… Might be indexed how a person needing the info quickly or a reminder could find it.
… Impartiality fits in group dynamics, but documantion needs to be done right a way.
… Some of this seems to be training and things to bear in mind, and some is process.
… I.e., break them out into overall how a chair should behave, but make very clear which things are emergency or crisis.
amy: Looking at CoC, maybe use that structure.
<amy> [[Reporting Violations and Supporting the Code
<amy> 4.1 Immediately
<amy> 4.2 After the Meeting
<amy> 5. If You've Done Something Improper]]
amy: Could use a similar structure, and refer to the CoC.
… Thought not everything will fit the same structure
amy: Legally, is there an established best practice, in anticipation for a conflict situation?
christine: Need to make clear the ultimate goal -- lines of comm are clear, and people know how to escalate.
… Is there some sort of 24-hour global resource that someone can reach?
amy: A number that can be called at any time? A desginated person?
tzviya: Haven't yet done a doc for in person mtgs.
… Ralph and I worked on something many years ago, but it never got rolled out.
… For crisis situations
… When something needs to be resolved very quickly.
(Amy departs)
<amy> to note above, one distinction Christine made for best practices was between training and escalation.
<Zakim> dbooth, you wanted to say I thought this doc was specifically for escalation process -- not training
dbooth: I thought this doc was specifically for escalation process -- not training
christine: This is for the escalation process. But a tailored version doesn't need to be kept private.
sheila: Discussing two documents. This doc is abt escalation process. But separately Christine is developing a training doc. Should that be just for chairs? Mandatory for chairs?
… No strong feelings about whehter it is open to others.
<tzviya> +1 to separate meeting that's open to everyone
sheila: Maybe should be separate for chairs training
<sheila> I feel strongly that training should be mandatory for chairs
<dbooth> +1 to mandatory for chairs
<cwilso> +1 mandatory for chairs
<dbooth> +1 to making it open for others to read also, in part for potential chairs should be able to read
wendy: Agree mandatory, and also open to others to read. Also if chairs are not living up to expectations.
tzviya: In this interim, we won't have all of the options for people to go to.
… We'll come back to this doc in two weeks.
sheila: We're doing two parallel tracks: interim, and getting actual ombuds.
… Currnetly working out what questions we want to ask, and want to align on priorities internally.
… Discussed doing an internal selection. What interview questions would determine who would be good for this role?
… Created a new set of criteria, to turn into questions.
… We'll have a rubric based on this criteria and questions.
<sheila> Significant experience with conflict resolution
<sheila> Significant experience helping individuals navigate organizational processes
<sheila> Significant experience mediating difficult conversations on topics like racism, sexism, transphobia, and ableism
<sheila> Significant experience supporting individuals who are experiencing microaggressions
<sheila> Experience with similar-sized global, nonprofit organizations
<sheila> Experience working with organisations that have nontraditional governance structures
<sheila> Experience working with international, diverse teams and across time zones
<sheila> Clear understanding of DEI best practices, particularly in a global context
sheila: This (above) is the list. Two other considerations: cost and a nice-to-have (all else being equal) would be reps from outside North America.
dbooth: Looks pretty good to me!
sheila: LMK if anyone thinks of anything else.
… our tentative timeline is to select someone by April.
… It would be one org. Not sure how many people will be involved.
tzviya: W3c had sexual harassment issues. Significant experience w that would be good.
dbooth: great idea!
tzviya: Give feedback on this doc within a week: Before Feb 11.
… Put comments in the doc.
… As comments, rather than changes.
ADJOURNED
@tzviya , I didn't catch Christine's last name, for the minutes
Thanks! Also, I'm not sure everyone is listed who was present. Were there others?