Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2005-01-10/AMA election

The Association of Members' Advocates, an independent association involved in the dispute resolution process, has started discussions on having a new election for the position of AMA Coordinator.

Since the initial election of Alex756 to this position last April was for a term of six months, it appears the new election is already several months overdue. A poll on the question of having new elections was running strongly in favor, but general discussion among the members was a little more uncertain how to proceed.

Voicing an outside opinion on the AMA, Ambi said she thought it was "completely dead" and hadn't seen it in action anywhere. Some advocates responded that their work hadn't been done in the later stages of the dispute resolution system, noting that they seemed mostly to be helping newcomers who weren't familiar with Wikipedia procedures. Since this was rather different from the role the AMA originally conceived for itself of working primarily in mediation and arbitration, it opened the question of rethinking the AMA's basic focus entirely.

To figure these issues out, Alex756 proposed that the AMA have a meeting for all advocates. The meeting, tentatively to be held via IRC, would address matters such as choosing officers, drafting a charter, and how to get the organization more active and effective in Wikipedia.

Given the uncertain state of affairs, several advocates expressed interest in improving publicity for the AMA as an organization. Alex756 suggested conducting a study to analyze the operations of the Mediation and Arbitration Committees and issuing a report. Advocate KeithTyler responded that he thought this might exceed the role and function of the association.

It appears that further discussion of these issues will have to wait for the AMA's meeting, but it is not yet certain when that will be held.