Minor change to Board practice

[Jeff Waugh <jdub perkypants org>]

Hi all,

Another administrative issue the Board needs to deal with, but vastly less
interesting or controversial than the one raised in my last email. :-)

The Board is planning to fix a minor but institutionalised problem with the
practice of selecting and current state of Foundation Board officers. It is
not a major issue, because we're operating in accordance with the bylaws and
functioning properly and efficiently as an organisation, but we want to fix
the problem regardless. This does not require a vote or confirmation from
the membership, but we wanted to announce our plans and deal with concerns
should there be any.

For quite some time we have chosen a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and
Treasurer from the elected directors. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman have in
every practical sense functioned as the President and Vice-President, though
for touchy-feely reasons we've never used those titles. The actual President
has served for many years, very rarely in a practical sense; but I'd like to
stress again that this has been in accordance with the bylaws. The President
for all these years has been... Miguel de Icaza. :-)

We'd like the officers of the GNOME Foundation to reflect the current state
and practice of the Board, and recommend this as best practice for future
Boards, so here is what we're going to do:

 1. Request a letter of resignation from Miguel (as that is the only way for
    the office of President to become vacant)

 2. Appoint the Chairman (Quim) and Vice-Chairman (Anne) as President and
    Vice-President

 3. Recommend that future Boards appoint the President and Vice-President
    from elected directors annually (instead of Chairman and Vice-Chairman)


Please reply if you have questions or concerns.

Thanks,

- Jeff

-- 
linux.conf.au 2008: Melbourne, Australia        http://lca2008.linux.org.au/
 
    "It will test your head. And your mind. And your brain, too." - Jack
                           Black, School of Rock