diff --git a/doc/source/index.rst b/doc/source/index.rst index 816564394..3e6f23a51 100644 --- a/doc/source/index.rst +++ b/doc/source/index.rst @@ -2,9 +2,10 @@ OpenStack Technical Committee =============================== -The OpenStack Technical Committee is one of the governing bodies of the -OpenStack project. It is an elected group that represents the contributors -to the open source project, and has oversight on all technical matters. +The OpenStack Technical Committee is the governing body of the OpenStack +open source project. It is an elected group that represents the contributors +to the project, and has oversight on all technical matters. This includes +developers, operators and end users of the software. The Technical Committee is formally defined in the `OpenStack Foundation bylaws`_ (in particular article 4.1(b), article 4.13 @@ -12,10 +13,11 @@ and Appendix 4) and further refined in the :doc:`reference/charter`. Work under the Technical Committee is organized under official :doc:`reference/projects/index` (responsible for the production of the -software up to release), :doc:`reference/popup-teams` (formed -around a limited cross-project objective) and :doc:`reference/working-groups` -(delegations from the TC to fill specific functions like election -organization). +software up to release), `Special Interest Groups (SIGs)`_ (groups working +to advance a particular facet of OpenStack), :doc:`reference/popup-teams` +(formed around a limited cross-project objective) and +:doc:`reference/working-groups` (delegations from the TC to fill specific +functions like election organization). These pages contain OpenStack Technical Committee reference documents and track official resolutions voted by the committee. @@ -75,6 +77,8 @@ exceptions are listed in the :doc:`reference/house-rules` document. .. _`OpenStack Foundation bylaws`: http://www.openstack.org/legal/bylaws-of-the-openstack-foundation/ +.. _`Special Interest Groups (SIGs)`: https://governance.openstack.org/sigs/ + .. _`current proposals tracker`: https://wiki.openstack.org/wiki/Technical_Committee_Tracker .. _`Developer's guide section of the Infra manual`: https://docs.openstack.org/infra/manual/developers.html diff --git a/reference/index.rst b/reference/index.rst index 6f1114e5f..2c5bc83e1 100644 --- a/reference/index.rst +++ b/reference/index.rst @@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ Reference documents which need to be revised over time. dropping-projects licensing base-services + user-committee-charter working-groups service-project-naming project-testing-interface diff --git a/reference/user-committee-charter.rst b/reference/user-committee-charter.rst new file mode 100644 index 000000000..c922af56e --- /dev/null +++ b/reference/user-committee-charter.rst @@ -0,0 +1,94 @@ +================================== + OpenStack User Committee Charter +================================== + +Starting August 1st, 2020, the User Committee will no longer operate as +a separate entity. The entire OpenStack community will be represented by +a single elected body, including developers, operators and end users of +the OpenStack software, and inclusive of all types of contributions to +the project. + +To avoid a costly amendment of the Bylaws, that single elected body will +be called "the Technical Committee", but its role will be expanded to +cover duties formerly filled by the User Committee. + +Motivation +========== + +When the OpenStack project governance was established in 2012, we defined +two separate bodies. The Technical Committee represented developers / code +contributors to the open source project(s), while the User Committee +represented the operators running the resulting software, as well as users +of the APIs. + +That setup served us well in those early days. The focus on the upstream +side was strongly around *development* of code, we did not have that many +users, and even less users directly involved in upstream development. +A separate User Committee resulted in the formation of an engaged community +of users, and ensured that our community in general (and our events in +particular) took the needs of operators into account. + +We now have a lot of users, and thanks to the efforts of the User Committee +they are increasingly directly involved in the open source project development +and maintenance, with several operators leading upstream project teams +directly. + +Keeping two separate bodies maintains the illusion that devs and ops are +different breeds, and that you have to choose a side. Having a unified body +will encourage more operators to contribute directly, to run for election to +the Technical Committee, and to influence the shape of the software. + +User Committee +============== + +The User Committee is defined in the OpenStack bylaws. To avoid amending the +bylaws, the User Committee will still formally exist, with the following rules. + +Membership +---------- + +The User Committee consists of five members: the Technical Committee chair and +four other members, elected from within the current Technical Committee +membership. Not more than half of the members of the User Committee should be +affiliated with the same organization. + +The User Committee will therefore formally be a subcommittee of the Technical +Committee, although the User Committee mission (representing and serving the +user community of OpenStack) will be filled by all the Technical Committee +members. + +Chair +----- + +The bylaws require a chair of the User Committee to be designated. The chair +of the Technical Committee will fill that role. + +The chair of the User Committee is a honorific title, they do not fill any +specific duty. + +Active User Contributor +----------------------- + +The bylaws define 'Active User Contributors' as being the electorate to elect +the User Committee. Since the Technical Committee members now elect the User +Committee members, starting on August 1st, 2020, Active User Contributors are +the elected Technical Committee members. + +The Active User Contibutors electorate (previously used to elect the separate +User Committee body) will be included in the electorate electing the Technical +Committee. To that effect, the Active User Contributor criteria will be used +by the Foundation to propose such contributors as extra Active Technical +Contributors if they are not part of the Technical Committee electorate +already. + +Meetings +-------- + +The User Committee is considered meeting every time the Technical Committee +meets and at least three of the User Committee members are present. + +Amendments to this charter +-------------------------- + +This charter may be amended by a simple vote by the Technical Committee +members.