Atheme Bylaws

From Atheme

This is the currently ratified version of the Atheme bylaws.

The Atheme project ("the Project") is a community of open source developers working to create free software in areas seen as needing improvement.

This document defines the bylaws under which Atheme policy is governed and executed. It does not define the direction of the project nor define any manifesto for the project to follow. It only defines the governance process under which the Atheme project does business as an entity.

Decision-making groups and individuals

Every official decision affecting the Project's structure and administration are made by one of the following:

• All members, by way of voting;
• The current project leader;
• The system administration group and/or it's lead;
• Specific delegates appointed by the project leader for specific tasks;
• Individual developers working on specific tasks.

This document will continue to outline the processes under which this works, and what kinds of decisions each process can make.

General rules

1. Nothing in the bylaws imposes an obligation on anyone to do work for the Project. A person who has been delegated a specific task can choose not to participate in the execution of that task. However, that person is expected to not work against the execution of that task and these bylaws.

2. A person may hold several positions in the Project. However, the Project Leader and System Administration Lead positions must be distinct.

3. A person may leave the Project or resign from any position at any time by stating so publically.

Members

A member is classified as anyone who is participating in the Project in one way or another. Membership is open to the general public, provided that they have good reason for joining the Project. An individual member may:

• make any decisions regarding their own work and projects;
• propose issues for voting;
• sponsor draft issues for voting written by non-members;
• propose themselves as a Project Leader candidate in elections;
• vote in issue and leadership elections.

Members are volunteers who agree to further the aims and agenda of the Atheme project as a whole. Members are considered active as long as they are doing work related to the Project.

The Project Lead's delegates may choose to deny Membership to an applicant, or expel existing Members. *If the Members as a whole view the decisions made by these delegates as improper or abusive; they may be overridden by way of a vote.*

Members as a whole via Voting

As a whole, the membership body of the project may execute decision-making processes by way of voting. Examples of decisions that can be made in this way are:

• appointing or recalling the current Project Lead;
• changing the bylaws provided that a 80% majority is reached;
• make or override any decision authorized by the powers of the Project Lead or their delegates;
• make or override any decision authorized by the powers of the System Administration team, provided a 50% majority is reached;
• issue, supercede and withdraw any policy documents or statements;
• make decisions about property or services held in trust for purposes related to the Project.

Voting procedure

1. A vote is announced in a manner seen as suitable for the moment.

2. Votes are submitted to a delegated member who is responsible for tabulating the votes. The delegated member may be contested, in which case, another member will have to be chosen and the vote will have to be reconducted. The delegate may only be contested while the vote is in progress.

3. The minimum pre-voting discussion period is 7 days.

4. Votes are cast in a manner suitable to the current voting delegate.

5. The voting delegate is to announce the results of the vote once a majority has been reached or all members have voted.

Project Lead

The Project Lead is delegated to handle most administrative tasks of the Project. Their delegation lasts for one year, or until contested by another Member, whichever comes sooner.

The Project Lead may do the following to ensure the success of their role and the Project:

• appoint delegates for specific tasks;
• lend partial authority to other members;
• make any decision which requires urgent action;
• make any decision for whom no-one else has responsibility;
• propose issues for voting;
• vote in issue and leadership elections;
• alter the discussion period for votes;
• moderate discussions on issues delegated for voting;
• execute decisions concerning property or services held in trust for purposes related to the Project;
• add or remove organizations and persons from the list of trusted entities authorized to hold assets related to the Project.

Project Lead delegation process

1. The Project Lead is delegated by the Project's members through voting.

2. The election begins five weeks before the position becomes vacant, or if it is too late already, immediately.

3. For the first week of this process, any Member may delegate themselves as a candidate.

4. For the next week after this process, there is discussion and campaigning.

5. At the end of those two weeks, an online debate will occur between all participating Members.

6. The next week is used to execute the voting until a majority is reached.

Project Lead's delegates

For specific tasks, the Project Lead may appoint delegates.

In respect to these tasks, they have full authority unless they are contested by the Members through voting.

System Administration Team

The System Administration Team is delegated to administrate all official services and infrastructure held in trust for the Project.

The System Administration Team is comprised of members, and has no special role of decision-making. They are to follow the resulting decisions of the Project Lead, votes, and general procedure unless executing that decision is seen as harmful to the Project's infrastructure.

Assets held in trust

In most jurisdictions outside the US, the Project is not permitted to hold assets. Therefore, assets must be held by external organizations authorized by the Project for this purpose.

The Project Lead may add or remove organizations and other entities to/from this list.