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New PMC member process

This section describes a typical Apache project’s process for handling the vote to add a new PMC member - when it is separate from becoming committer. Templates mentioned in the process appear later in this document. If your PMC adds automatically committers as PMC members, the process for doing both at the same time is described in the New committer

Summary

  1. Discuss the proposed PMC member. If the discussion seems to be going positively, call a vote following the template below.
  2. Close the vote following the template below.
  3. If the result is positive, invite the new committer following the template below.

If they accept, then:

  1. In case the new PMC member is already is already a committer, they have Apache id, you should grant them appropriate PMC privileges. Use the Whimsy tool to update the roster via https://whimsy.apache.org/roster/committee/ or https://whimsy.apache.org/roster/ppmc/
  2. Announce the new PMC member following the template below.

Discussion

We do the discussion and vote on the private@ mailing list to enable a frank discussion. Any PMC member may propose a potential PMC member. This is not the sole responsibility or right of the PMC chair.

We invite people to join as PMC members, not github ids. It is fine to refer to the candidate’s github id for context, but the person should be referred to by their name. It is not necessary to have their full legal name (that will be kept private) but it is important to use their name, as they refer to themselves in email. If a person is known only by their github id, it is ok to ask them for their real name prior to holding a VOTE.

Start a separate [VOTE] thread for each new person. This makes it much easier to review the email archives.

We need to be sure that they are committed people with whom we can work. They will be our peers. We will have already observed that they are committed to the project and graceful toward users and other developers.

Don’t wait too long before proposing and don’t be too hasty. There is a trade-off and something about timeliness. A point is reached where it becomes obvious that we should invite them. This encourages them and keeps them enthusiastic. If we leave it too long, then we risk them becoming disillusioned.

On the private@ list we can each say exactly what we feel about each person, with no holds barred. Keep the discussion concise. The praise part can be done later in public. Keep in mind, however, that if the member becomes a PMC member later, they will have access to this discussion.

Let the Vote thread run for one week.

A positive result is achieved by Consensus Approval: at least 3 +1 votes and no vetoes.

Any veto must be accompanied by reasoning and the vetoer must be prepared to defend it. Other members can attempt to encourage them to change their mind.

New PMC members can be either quiet or active as they choose. If we find that certain people lapse and don’t ever contribute, then the project can take steps to retire them.

After a positive result, record the result on the PMC list with a [RESULT][VOTE] subject and then invite the candidate. We give candidates a chance to decline PMC membership in private. They can post a reply to the PMC mailing list.

After we reach a decision on the private@ list, and after the steps above, we announce the new PMC member on the dev list. We can then each follow up with our praise in public.

Other notes about the process are available on the main Apache site.

Email Templates

PMC member Vote Template

This is the email to commence a vote for a new PMC member.

------------------------------------------------------------
To: private@[PROJECT].apache.org
Subject: [VOTE] New PMC member candidate: Jo Bloggs

[ add the reasons behind your nomination here ]

Voting ends one week from today, i.e. midnight UTC on YYYY-MM-DD
https://www.timeanddate.com/counters/customcounter.html?year=YYYY&month=MM&day=DD

See voting guidelines at
https://community.apache.org/newpmcmember.html

------------------------------------------------------------

Close Vote

This email ends the vote and reports the result to the project.

------------------------------------------------------------
To: private@[PROJECT].a.o
Subject: [RESULT] [VOTE] New PMC member candidate: Jo Bloggs

The vote has now closed. The results are:

Binding Votes:

+1 [TOTAL BINDING +1 VOTES]
 0 [TOTAL BINDING +0/-0 VOTES]
-1 [TOTAL BINDING -1 VOTES]

The vote is ***successful/not successful***

PMC member Invite Template

This is the suggested invitation email to send to the newly elected PMC member candidate, sent after a positive result from the vote for a new PMC member.

------------------------------------------------------------
To: JoBloggs@foo.net
Cc: private@[PROJECT].apache.org
Subject: Invitation to become [PROJECT] PMC member: Jo Bloggs

Hello [invitee name],

The [Project] Project Management Committee (PMC)
hereby offers you membership in the PMC. These privileges are
offered on the understanding that you'll use them
reasonably and with common sense. We like to work on trust
rather than unnecessary constraints.

Of course, you can decline and instead remain as a
contributor, participating as you do now.

This personal invitation is a chance for you to accept or decline in private.
Please let us know in reply to this message whether you accept or decline.

PMC member Announce Template

This is the email to announce the new committer to [PROJECT]-dev once the account has been created.

------------------------------------------------------------
To: dev@[PROJECT].apache.org
Subject: new PMC member: ###Jo Bloggs

The Project Management Committee (PMC) for Apache [PROJECT]
has invited Jo Bloggs to become a PMC member and we are pleased
to announce that they have accepted.

### add specific details here ###

A PMC member helps manage and guide the direction of the project.

PMC Member Done Template 

After the PMC member account is established.

------------------------------------------------------------
To: private@[PROJECT].a.o, ###JoBloggs@foo.net
Subject: account request: ###Jo Bloggs

Please subscribe to the [PROJECT] Project Management
Committee mailing list private@[PROJECT].apache.org.

A PMC member will announce your election to the dev list soon.