CZ:Charter

This page is dedicated to drafting a charter for Citizendium and should only be edited by those eight Citizens elected to the drafting Committee. The talk page is also reserved for them to discuss the evolution of the document. Other Citizens, please comment on the dedicated thread at the Citizen Forum. Non-Citizens can comment in a separate thread at the non-Member Forum. The drafting period shall end when November 12, 2009 is over all around the globe.

Preamble

We, the citizens, hereby create and join this community and agree to abide by the principles set forth in this charter.

This Charter establishes the workings of a community known as The Citizens' Compendium and establishes The Citizens' Compendium's "Statement of Purpose."

All members of this community, whether participants or observers on The Citizendium, its forum, or its mailing lists agree to be bound by the conditions of this Charter.

Name

The name of this community shall be The Citizens' Compendium, known as The Citizendium and shortened as either "Citizendium" or "CZ."

Statement of Purpose

The mission of The Citizens' Compendium is to empower and engage people around the world to collaborate in the collection and development educational content and knowledge under a free license or in the public domain and to disseminate it effectively and globally also under a free license.

The Nature of the Project

1. The purpose of The Citizendium community is to create the most reliable and comprehensive compendium of knowledge that it can.
2. The Citizendium provides the essential infrastructure and an organizational framework for the support and development of projects and other endeavours which serve this community.
3. The Citizendium is owned and controlled by The Citizendium Foundation, a non-profit organization. The executive board of the Citizendium Foundation will be chosen by an annual election of citizens.
4. The Citizendium will make and keep useful information about its projects available free of charge and in perpetuity. The means of distribution of its information shall be decided by the Citizendium Foundation. Normally this will be by digital distribution using a wiki application. The Citizendium Foundation in collaboration with the Editorial Council shall determine policy for presentation of content.
5. The Citizendium will not sell advertisements.
6. The Citizendium will be devoted to simplicity. Acceptable use policies for Wiki functions, such as, but not limited to categories, namespaces, templates, and bots shall be decided by the Editorial Council.

Creation and Management of Content

Citizendium content shall be developed collaboratively by its members.

Rights of the Citizens

Content added by any citizen will not require prior approval of editors, constables, the Editorial Council, the Foundation, or any other citizen.

Membership

General membership

1. Members of The Citizendium community are called "citizens."
2. The Citizendium will grant membership to anyone who formally applies for it and is approved according to Citizendium policy and procedure. There shall be no membership fee.
3. No Citizen shall engage in activities that are counterproductive or otherwise interfere with the advancement of the Citizendium mission as defined in this Charter. Should any member participate in such activities, their membership may be revoked by due process procedures discussed below.
4. No member shall engage in any activity in connection with Citizendium, or any of its members, which might violate any law in their country, incorporation, or principle place of business.

Expulsion Due Process

1. A member may only be removed upon the submission of a detailed complaint outlining such activities to the Constabulary.
2. All members have a right to appeal their expulsion and/or non-inclusion, subject to Citizendium policy and procedure.
3. Appeals are made to the Editorial Council and their decision will be final in all cases.

Policy of non-discrimination

1. The Citizendium, in accordance with applicable laws, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, medical condition, ancestry, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, or status as a veteran of the Armed Forces.
2. The Citizendium does reserve the right to discipline citizens for the publication of material deemed offensive to the community upon complaint to the Constabulary. Appeal of the decisions and actions of the constabulary is made to the Editorial Council and their decision shall be final in all cases.

Governance

Editorial Council

1. Sole management and control of Citizendium shall be vested in an Editorial Council elected by the citizens. Composition, election, terms, meetings and committees for the Council shall be further set forth in the Bylaws.

Bylaws

1. The Editorial Council shall have a set of bylaws that provide the framework for governing the operations of the organization. In no case, shall any bylaw or policy of the Editorial Council contravene this charter. In such cases where Editorial Council bylaws or policies contravene this charter, this charter shall take precedence.

No Confidence

If, at any time, a petition of confidence is opened at CZ:Editorial Council/Confidence Vote and, if after one month of voting by the Citizens, and if the vote is to dissolve the editorial council, new elections shall be held immediately and a new Editorial Council shall be seated within one month.

Editor-In-Chief

There shall be no Editor in Chief. The Editorial Council shall make all decisions regarding policy and content of the community.

Funding

1. Each Citizendium member shall be responsible for their own expenses incurred in Citizendium activities.
2. The Citizendium Foundation shall be responsible for all expenses regarding the operation of The Citizendium.

Provision to make financial records available

1. Citizendium's financial records shall be made available upon formal request by citizens. Said requests can be submitted electronically via email and must provide a detailed description of the type of records requested.

Amendments to the Charter

1. This charter may be amended by a two-thirds vote of voting citizens when called for and publicized by the Editorial Council, for the purpose of voting to amend the charter.
2. Amendments shall clearly state what changes to this charter should be made and will become as binding as any original article of this charter.

Enactment

Upon enactment of this charter, the charter page shall be locked and no further changes to the charter shall be permitted except by amendment.