Mailing List Archive

[Wikimedia-l] WUG WMSVK's fundraising with questionable circumstances
Hi.

Please, help protect the trustworthiness of the Wikimedia movement in
Slovakia - help WUG WMSVK to do a mass fundraising only after it will have
solved its governance issues (and stop it from using Wikipedia's site
notices until that).

The Wikimedia User Group Wikimedians of Slovakia (WUG WMSVK) is currently
using Sitenotice and Anonnotice of Slovak Wikipedia for local fundraising.
While I appreciate the effort for a non-WMF revenue source, it is not a
good timing right now. Currently, WUG WMSVK is still under investigation of
AffCom for their governance issues and is recovering too slowly from
repeated bylaws violations done in the past under lead of current Chair
Matej Grochal and current Vice-Chair Radoslava Semanová. Much of it is
published on [1]. Some non-public violations will be published after a 6
months period of AffCom investigations (which is going to end sometime
before 16th of June).

The use of Sitenotice and Anonnotice is based on skwiki Village Pump
request from the Vice-Chair Dávid Štefan done 23th March 2021 [2] and
executed by WUG WMSVK's Chair himself less than 3 day later [3]. This is a
clear example of Conflict of Interests - Matej Grochal mixing his role of
WUG WMSVK's Chair and skwiki's admin (that part would be OK, according to
me, if the activation of site noticies would be done by some other admin).
The time for Community reaction was very little (less than 3 days). The
community reaction is very weak, but at this point clearly against such use.

I have right now contacted AffCom. But they are a volunteer based committee
with meetings once in a month, so it is probable that they would react too
slowly (like, AffCom haven't reacted until now to my message about probable
bylaws violation of WUG WMSVK from 3 weeks ago, even despite my personal
calls).

[1] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedians_of_Slovakia/history#2019
[2] https://sk.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Diff/7180661
[3] https://sk.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Diff/7182017

I hope for quick reaction
Best regards
KuboF Hromoslav
Re: [Wikimedia-l] WUG WMSVK's fundraising with questionable circumstances [ In reply to ]
Hello KuboF,

Thank you for your message. I am sending a quick message to let you know we
have received your email and are looking into this situation.

Thank you,

Megan



On Mon, Mar 29, 2021 at 10:14 PM Michal Matúšov <kubof.hromoslav@gmail.com>
wrote:

> Hi.
>
> Please, help protect the trustworthiness of the Wikimedia movement in
> Slovakia - help WUG WMSVK to do a mass fundraising only after it will have
> solved its governance issues (and stop it from using Wikipedia's site
> notices until that).
>
> The Wikimedia User Group Wikimedians of Slovakia (WUG WMSVK) is currently
> using Sitenotice and Anonnotice of Slovak Wikipedia for local fundraising.
> While I appreciate the effort for a non-WMF revenue source, it is not a
> good timing right now. Currently, WUG WMSVK is still under investigation of
> AffCom for their governance issues and is recovering too slowly from
> repeated bylaws violations done in the past under lead of current Chair
> Matej Grochal and current Vice-Chair Radoslava Semanová. Much of it is
> published on [1]. Some non-public violations will be published after a 6
> months period of AffCom investigations (which is going to end sometime
> before 16th of June).
>
> The use of Sitenotice and Anonnotice is based on skwiki Village Pump
> request from the Vice-Chair Dávid Štefan done 23th March 2021 [2] and
> executed by WUG WMSVK's Chair himself less than 3 day later [3]. This is a
> clear example of Conflict of Interests - Matej Grochal mixing his role of
> WUG WMSVK's Chair and skwiki's admin (that part would be OK, according to
> me, if the activation of site noticies would be done by some other admin).
> The time for Community reaction was very little (less than 3 days). The
> community reaction is very weak, but at this point clearly against such use.
>
> I have right now contacted AffCom. But they are a volunteer based
> committee with meetings once in a month, so it is probable that they would
> react too slowly (like, AffCom haven't reacted until now to my message
> about probable bylaws violation of WUG WMSVK from 3 weeks ago, even despite
> my personal calls).
>
> [1] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedians_of_Slovakia/history#2019
> [2] https://sk.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Diff/7180661
> [3] https://sk.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Diff/7182017
>
> I hope for quick reaction
> Best regards
> KuboF Hromoslav
> _______________________________________________
> Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at:
> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and
> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
> New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org
> Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l,
> <mailto:wikimedia-l-request@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe>
>


--
Megan Hernandez

Vice President of Advancement
Wikimedia Foundation
Re: [Wikimedia-l] WUG WMSVK's fundraising with questionable circumstances [ In reply to ]
Hello,

I can provide a brief update that we are following up with WMSVK on the
process for this banner campaign. On the topic of governance issues, this
matter has been referred to AffCom who is the appropriate group to review
the situation.

Thank you,

Megan



On Wed, Mar 31, 2021 at 11:03 PM Megan Hernandez <mhernandez@wikimedia.org>
wrote:

> Hello KuboF,
>
> Thank you for your message. I am sending a quick message to let you know
> we have received your email and are looking into this situation.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Megan
>
>
>
> On Mon, Mar 29, 2021 at 10:14 PM Michal Matúšov <kubof.hromoslav@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Hi.
>>
>> Please, help protect the trustworthiness of the Wikimedia movement in
>> Slovakia - help WUG WMSVK to do a mass fundraising only after it will have
>> solved its governance issues (and stop it from using Wikipedia's site
>> notices until that).
>>
>> The Wikimedia User Group Wikimedians of Slovakia (WUG WMSVK) is currently
>> using Sitenotice and Anonnotice of Slovak Wikipedia for local fundraising.
>> While I appreciate the effort for a non-WMF revenue source, it is not a
>> good timing right now. Currently, WUG WMSVK is still under investigation of
>> AffCom for their governance issues and is recovering too slowly from
>> repeated bylaws violations done in the past under lead of current Chair
>> Matej Grochal and current Vice-Chair Radoslava Semanová. Much of it is
>> published on [1]. Some non-public violations will be published after a 6
>> months period of AffCom investigations (which is going to end sometime
>> before 16th of June).
>>
>> The use of Sitenotice and Anonnotice is based on skwiki Village Pump
>> request from the Vice-Chair Dávid Štefan done 23th March 2021 [2] and
>> executed by WUG WMSVK's Chair himself less than 3 day later [3]. This is a
>> clear example of Conflict of Interests - Matej Grochal mixing his role of
>> WUG WMSVK's Chair and skwiki's admin (that part would be OK, according to
>> me, if the activation of site noticies would be done by some other admin).
>> The time for Community reaction was very little (less than 3 days). The
>> community reaction is very weak, but at this point clearly against such use.
>>
>> I have right now contacted AffCom. But they are a volunteer based
>> committee with meetings once in a month, so it is probable that they would
>> react too slowly (like, AffCom haven't reacted until now to my message
>> about probable bylaws violation of WUG WMSVK from 3 weeks ago, even despite
>> my personal calls).
>>
>> [1] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedians_of_Slovakia/history#2019
>> [2] https://sk.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Diff/7180661
>> [3] https://sk.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Diff/7182017
>>
>> I hope for quick reaction
>> Best regards
>> KuboF Hromoslav
>> _______________________________________________
>> Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at:
>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and
>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
>> New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org
>> Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l,
>> <mailto:wikimedia-l-request@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe>
>>
>
>
> --
> Megan Hernandez
>
> Vice President of Advancement
> Wikimedia Foundation
>


--
Megan Hernandez

Vice President of Advancement
Wikimedia Foundation