Reports/Report 2

Hi Wikimedians,

Executive Committee has been working on several fronts to quickly operationalising the chapter. I am glad to share with you the highlights of the same.

Membership

 * Individual: We have opened Individual Membership of the chapter last month. I am glad to report that we have received over 30 applications as of last week. As already announced, Ashwin Baindur was the first to sign up with conventional payment(Cheque payable at par at  Bangalore) and Pranav Curumsey was the first one to sign up using NEFT/online transfer mode. We have reviewed the filled in membership forms and made minor updates to the form. The revised Form  is updated on Wiki. The membership cards and receipts are under process for the applications received as of May 31 and are expected to be sent within a week.


 * Institutional: We are ready to accept   Institutional Membership applications now. I request all community  members to help enroll Institutional members as well.

If you have more questions, please do check out the Membership-FAQ  page. You can also contact any of the chapter EC members or on chapter's email address: chapter@wikimedia.in

Wikipedia Chapter Brochure Design Contest

 * We invite you  to design a brochure for Wikimedia chapter in English and native languages and are happy to announce a contest for the same. The rules and regulations are as follows
 * Contest open to all Wikimedians either individuals or team of upto 3 wikimedians.
 * Name of the contributors to the winning entry will be credited on the brochure
 * The design has to reflect the language diversity of India and have pictures or graphics representing India
 * A sample design is available to provide rough guidance and also for use as interim brochure.
 * A print ready file with good quality/resolution should be made available
 * The design should be easy to extend to other Indian languages, by substituting few pictures and textual content. A sample design for a  native language should also be made available.
 * The original file should be released as per  CC-BY-SA 3.0 license terms

City and Language SIG subcommittee

 * We are forming City and Language Special Interest Group subcommittee of the chapter and invite all Wikimedians to participate in them. The guidelines are as follows:
 * A chair person of each SIG (City/Langauge) can only represent either a city or a language
 * Self nomination with recommendation by others or nominations of others and acceptance by such nominated individuals  are allowed.
 * Chairs of such subcommittees will interface with one EC member charged with City/Language SIG
 * All such Chairpersons are required to apply for membership of the Chapter at the earliest.
 * As we just started membership drive, the process is now open for community. In future, the  process may be restricted to members only.

Projects
EC would like to call for active community participation in prioritising  projects for 2011-12. The initial list of projects for this year is available and organised into three categories namely  Outreach, Quality improvement and improve access to wiki projects. Please feel free to add to this and share your ideas. Please check the details and indicate your interest in participating in them on the  respective pages. Chapter would like to extend all the help for any Wiki outreach events happening across India  through the participation of EC members, members and community  volunteers. Please do share with us news of any such events 2 to 3 weeks in advance.
 * Projects for the year
 * Wiki outreach

Volunteers for Website and Wiki Administration
Chapter has restructured its digital resources to  provide members only wiki  and also streamline access management. As part of this all users on wikimedia.in community wiki need email confirmation for editing. Those from community who become members, can be given seamless access to  members wiki, without need for a separate login.

Chapter also proposes to run a website to serve static information, support  blogs and also provide better support for html/javascript requirements.

Chapter is seeking volunteers to help  design/administer wiki and website. People interested in these positions can send their profile giving  details of their past experience to chapter@wikimedia.in, with subject  line "Application for volunteer position for Wiki/website  design/administration" by 21 June 2011.

AGM Plans

 * AGM is scheduled for 17 Sep 2011 and will happen in Bangalore.

India Wiki Conference

 * EC has deliberated and come up with a framework for running India Wiki Conference  with engagement of all stakeholders on a sustainable basis. We invite  you to review the same and submit proposals for this year's conference in two weeks (before 21 June 2010). Chapter will evaluate the proposals and decide on the City by 30 June 2011) Additional details on Chapter support and engagement with Organising Committee are being worked out.

Donations

 * Chapter is working on priority  actions like appointing consultant to  process FEMA approvals to receive funds in  foreign currency  from  Wikimedia Foundation, printing of brochures and providing support for  Wikimedia events. As receipt of funds from Foundation for local spending  could take 4-5 months, we  require financial help in the form of  donations from community, members and philanthropists to increase  activity levels of the Chapter. Please donate whatever amount you can.  The  donation form  is available.  If the donation is through NEFT/Online transfer, you can email the  scanned image of your donation form to  chapter@wikimedia.in. A receipt  will be sent to you once the donation is processed. For more  information, please check FAQ-Donations page.

Changes in EC
BalaSundaraRaman Lakshmanan submitted his resignation from EC citing personal reasons. EC deliberated and decided to accept the same. EC thanks him for his contribution towards registration and operationalisation of the chapter  till date and would like him to continue the support to Wikimedia  movement in future.

Thanks for your attention and looking forward to your active engagement with Chapter. Please do share your feedback on Wiki or through email to chapter@wikimedia.in.

Yours sincerely

Arjuna Rao Chavala

President, Bangalore

7 June 2011