Collective Representative Structure Framework
Special thanks to @alisha.eth, @GFXlabs, and @kaereste for feedback and suggestions as part of the Feedback Commission
The Collective is made up of several structures (Boards, Councils, and Commissions) that are comprised of representatives. These representative structures manage Collective resources or make decisions on behalf of tokenholders or Citizens. These structures fulfill roles otherwise filled by the Foundation or voters and therefore play a critical role in the decentralization of the Collective.
The Foundation may authorize representative structures aligned with the Collective Intents. These structures must be accompanied by a Charter clearly outlining the responsibilities of members, the parameters around membership, and any associated budget. Any changes to the Charter must follow the same process for change that governs the Operating Manual.
To facilitate a constrained testing environment, participants in the initial iteration of a representative structure may be determined via qualifying criteria or appointed by the Foundation, subject to ratification by Governance. After the structure’s initial term has ended, membership should be recalculated or renewed via a standard, open election process occurring on a regular basis as reasonably calibrated to the given role.
All representative structures must have Leads. The Lead is always a non-voting/non-signing member, so they remain focused on procedure and operations and may be considered unbiased as they don’t participate in decision making.
Representative structures will be authorized by the Foundation for an initial pilot period (at least one Season.) After this pilot, structures must be renewed by governance. After one Season of successful renewal, proof of concept structures will become persistent structures in the Collective. Persistence is important as mature structures may require non-trivial support, such as legal entities and multi-sig operations, as they mature into more autonomous structures in the Collective.
While persistent structures will be assumed to be renewed each Season, delegates may submit Dissolution Proposals if they believe a persistent structure is no longer fulfilling its mandate and should be discontinued. This should be determined by referencing the retrospectives published by Leads at the end of each Season and, increasingly, via data-driven analysis on the structure’s contribution towards the target metrics under each Intent.
The current list of representative structures in the Collective is detailed below, by type:
Persistent Structures
- Grants Council
Proof of Concept Structures
- Code of Conduct Council
- Security Council
- Developer Advisory Board
- Anticapture Commission
*The Feedback Commission is not listed as it is not expected to continue beyond an initial period as it transitions to a contribution path.
All representatives may be removed from their position for failing to uphold the responsibilities outlined in the relevant Charter or for failing to act with honesty, integrity, and transparency. If there is a vote to remove a representative, the Lead, or a simple majority of the remaining membership, may appoint a replacement for the remainder of the term.
Representatives may choose to step away from their role during the period between notice of a removal vote and the results of that vote. In the meantime, any non-voting Leads may temporarily fill a voting representative’s role. If a Lead is removed, the same procedure applies, and an existing member elected by a simple majority of council members may temporary replace the Lead during this period. This temporary replacement may continue voting in their usual capacity during this short interim period.
If a representative wishes to resign before the end of their term, they must appoint a replacement and communicate this change on the forum at least 7 days prior to this change taking effect.
Unless otherwise specified in a Charter, in the event any of the above action cause membership to fall below a pre-determined threshold, or to half of the original membership, operations will temporarily cease, or be transferred to the Foundation. In this case, the Foundation will facilitate a process with the community to assess the best way to proceed.
Representatives should only serve in one elected position per Season. There are no term limits for representatives, but they may be implemented in the future if the need arises.