Create subcommitte_policy_v3.md

subcommitte_policy_v3.md

@@ -0,0 +1,319 @@
+Sub-committee policy V3
+=======================
+
+
+Overview
+--------
+
+Subcommittees are a service Linux Australia offers to open source 
+community.  They are open source groups that have chosen to become
+part of Linux Australia and thus take advantage of being legal entity
+that can provide logistical resources like insurance, bank accounts,
+accounting facilities, taxation, name recognition and financial
+backing.
+
+
+Definitions
+-----------
+
+* An subcommittee is classified as either an Event Subcommittee
+  which is created to run an event over a fixed period and then
+  disbands or a Standing Subcommittee, which runs until it is
+  wound up.
+
+* A subcommittee can be trading which means it manages money,
+  requires a bank account and accounting facilities or
+  non-trading.
+
+* Trading subcommittee's that borrow money from Linux
+  Australia are called pecuniary subcommittees.
+
+
+Committee Home Page
+-------------------
+
+All Subcommittees must maintain their home page on Linux Australia's
+web site.  (Out of date home pages is one of the ways Linux Australia
+detects inactive Subcommittee's.)  The home page must contain the
+following information on it somewhere that is available to the
+public:
+
+* The name of the subcommittee.
+
+* The subcommittees objectives.  This tells interested people what
+  the subcommittee does.
+
+* How to contact the subcommittee and the expected response time.
+  The subcommittee must have provide a means of doing this, but
+  may ask Linux Australia to providing a mailing list that will be
+  managed by them.
+
+* The name of the current director of the subcommittee.  Trading
+  subcommittees must also nominate their treasurer.
+
+* A list of current and past activities.  At a minimum this section
+  must contain all the annual reports it gives to Linux Australia.
+
+* A list of additional web sites, email lists, social media and
+  similar acidities the subcommittee maintains.
+
+* Standing subcommittees must also have the follow on their web site.
+  Event subcommittees are not required to have these items.
+
+  * The name of people on the board and their roles.
+
+  * If a standing subcommittee will not unconditionally accept all
+    Linux Australia members as ordinary members it must state what
+    the criteria for membership is.  For example a subcommittee that
+    manages conference bids might say its members generally been
+    involved in running the conference in prior years.  Or the
+    subcommittee might place an upper limit on the number of
+    members it can accept.
+
+  * If a standing subcommittee limits membership it must describe the
+    process it uses to admit members.  This process must be
+    transparent: for example, an open vote by the board, recorded in
+    the minutes.
+
+  * The date & place of the meeting that will elect board members
+    must be announced and listed on this page with least 2 weeks
+    notice.
+
+* Event subcommittees must maintain a list of details for their event.
+
+  * Event opening and closing dates.
+  * The main venue.
+  * Planned opening of ticket sales and relevant URL.
+  * Open and closing of call for papers.
+
+* Any other rules and by-laws the subcommittee may wish to provide.
+
+The following details must also be available from the home page,
+but do not have to be public.
+
+* A list of personal contact details.  At a minimum this list must
+  contain all board members.  The details must include a current
+  phone number and email address. IM details are often helpful (eg,
+  idles on irc freenode#channel).  Noting the secure mechanism such
+  available (such as GPG keys or Signal) is also helpful.
+
+* The details of all accounts the subcommittee maintains:
+
+  * Which of the above contacts have access to each bank account,
+    and what payment authorisation level they have.
+
+  * Which of the above contacts have access to Xero, and their
+    authorisation level.
+
+  * Which of the above contacts need access to the Linux Australia
+    web site, and the access level.
+
+  * Which of the above contacts need access to payment gateways
+    (eg Stripe), and the access level.
+
+* Standing subcommittees must maintain a list of current members
+  that is accessible to the Linux Australia Executive and available
+  on request to other members.
+
+* Pecuniary subcommittees must provide a read only link to their live
+  budget.
+
+
+Establishing a subcommittee
+---------------------------
+
+To establish a subcommittee go through the following steps:
+
+* Only Linux Australia members can establish subcommittees, so the
+  first step is to ensure you are all current members.
+
+* Send an email to council@linux.org.au stating you are establishing
+  a subcommittee giving a brief description of what the subcommittee
+  will do, and nominating a potential URL for the subcommittee's
+  home page.  If the executive does not respond within 28 days feel
+  free to hound them.
+
+* If the Linux Australia executive gives you access create the
+  subcommittee home page as described above, but do not make it
+  public.  The home page is the formal proposal to create the
+  subcommittee and it is primarily what Linux Australia will have
+  it's decision on.  The council will probably ask for
+  clarifications and changes.
+
+* If the council decides to accept a trading subcommittee the
+  board members must now complete a training course (induction)
+  before they will be given access to Linux Australia
+  infrastructure.
+
+* The new subcommittee board must communicate in writing all the
+  subcommittee members will follow this and all other applicable
+  Linux Australia policies, procedures and its constitution.  Non
+  pecuniary subcommittees must also acknowledge they will be
+  personally liable for any expenses that exceed the balance of their
+  bank account.  Pecuniary subcommittees must acknowledge if the
+  event makes a loss and the events expenditure exceeded the total
+  of normal expenditure listed in the budget plus any expenditure
+  subsequently agreed to in writing by Linux Australia, they will
+  be personally liable whichever is smaller - the loss or the excess
+  expenditure.
+
+* Only on completion of all of the above is the subcommittee is the
+  formally established.  The home page of a standing subcommittees
+  will be published immediately, and it's establishment and URL will
+  be announced to the Linux Australia membership.  Event
+  subcommittees can at their option delay the announcement.
+
+Pecuniary subcommittees must include a budget spreadsheet in their
+proposal:
+
+* Currently all events requiring funding from Linux Australia must 
+  return a minimum 6% gross profit to Linux Australia.  Gross profit
+  is calculated as (profit returned before tax * 100 divided by
+  income from all sources).
+
+* The budget should include discretionary expenditure items.  These
+  discretionary expenses must be incurred only when it is reasonably
+  certain the event attain the minimum gross profit.
+
+* All normal and discretionary expenditure items must be arise from
+  running the event, and must be expected to be incurred before the
+  subcommittee is wound up.
+
+* The budget must show the minimum gross profit  at the expected
+  attendance level with all discretionary items included.
+
+* If the event was held in previous years, the budget must show
+  the minimum gross profit with all discretionary items included
+  at the previous years attendance.
+
+* The budget must show a profit at the 75% smaller of last years
+  attendance and the expected attendance with no discretionary items
+  included.
+
+* The budget may include wish list items.  Wish list expenditure
+  items can be only be incurred if the event is expected to exceed
+  the minimum gross profit.  Unlike normal and discretionary
+  expenditure items wish list items do not need to be directly
+  related to running the event, however unrelated expenses will be
+  paid by the Linux Australia treasurer once the subcommittee has
+  wound up.
+
+* The budget must be accompanied by preliminary quotes for the major
+  expenditure items such as the venue and catering.
+
+
+Ongoing Subcommittee Obligations
+--------------------------------
+
+Running subcommittees are responsible for do the following:
+
+* The subcommittee is responsible for maintaining its home page.
+
+  * Please send an email to council@linux.org.au when any of the
+    following change:
+
+    * Subcommittee contact points.
+
+    * The constitution of the board.
+
+    * Process used to elect members.
+
+    * Details of people who require access to Linux Australia
+      Infrastructure.  New people must go through the induction
+      process.
+
+  * The subcommittee must obtain written authorisation to change:
+
+    * The name of the committee.
+
+    * The subcommittees objectives.
+
+    * The criteria for membership.
+
+    * Changes to a pecuniary subcommittees budget.
+
+* In November Standing subcommittees must supply their contribution
+  to the Linux Australia council's annual report to the Annual General
+  Meeting.  Event subcommittees are only required to submit the same
+  report once in their lifetimes: just prior to wind up.  In both
+  cases the subcommittee must also be post the report to their home
+  page.
+
+* Trading subcommittees must keep their accounting records up to date
+  and in particular they must ensure all bank accounts are reconciled
+  with the accounting system within a week.  They must pay bills on or
+  before the due date.  The must follow the
+  [Financial Process Guide][FPG] and [Expenses Policy][EP] (these will
+  be covered in the induction.)
+
+* Pecuniary subcommittees must add a "actuals" columns to their live
+  budget spreadsheet.  The total of the actuals columns must agree
+  with the accounting system.
+
+* Pecuniary subcommittees are only authorised to incur liabilities
+  for normal expenses listed in their budget.  Liabilities for
+  discretionary expenses can be incurred only after gaining written
+  approval from Linux Australia for each discretionary line item.
+
+* Pecuniary subcommittees must, after 1 weeks notice from Linux
+  Australia, make themselves available for at a video conference, and
+  during that conference be able to screen share conference web sites
+  and anything else that materially reflects on the financial outcome
+  of the conference.
+
+* Pecuniary subcommittees may request Linux Australian to transfer to
+  their bank account any cash flow deficit predicted by their budget
+  in the next 4 weeks.
+
+* No subcommittee may incur liabilities that exceed the balance of
+  their bank account.
+
+* As non-pecuniary subcommittees are part of Linux Australia they
+  must allocate their funds in accordance with Linux Australia's
+  constitution and polices, but beyond that are free to spend their
+  funds in accordance with the statement of objectives without
+  getting authorisation from the Linux Australia council.
+
+* These policies on the home page can not be changed without written
+  approval from the Linux Australia Executive:
+
+  * The name.
+  * The objectives.
+  * Voting procedures electing the board.
+
+
+Subcommittee Wind Up
+--------------------
+
+* A subcommittee can be wound up at any time by a 75% clear
+  majority vote of all the subcommittee members.
+
+* A subcommittee can be wound up at the sole discretion of the
+  Linux Australia council with 31 days notice.
+
+* These event may trigger automatic wind up:
+
+  * Any information on the home page is more than 184 days out
+    of date.
+
+  * The subcommittee does not submit its report for the Linux
+    Australia AGM.
+
+  * Trading subcommittees do not keep the accounting system
+    up to date.
+
+  * The subcommittee for not hold annual board elections
+
+* On wind up all subcommittee assets revert to Linux Australia's
+  general asset pool.  However if a Standing subcommittee reforms
+  within 2 years of winding up, it's assets will be restored where
+  it's feasible to do so.
+
+* If a non-pecuniary subcommittee may choose to disassociate
+  themselves from Linux Australia and in doing so are welcome to
+  transfer their assets another entity, provided that entities
+  objectives align with Linux Australia's statement of objects and
+  the subcommittees objectives.
+
+[FPG]: http://linux.org.au/policies/financial-procedure-guide "Financial Process Guide"
+[EP]: https://github.com/linuxaustralia/constitution_and_policies/blob/master/expense_policy.md "Expenses Policy"