# Resolution 2023-08-14.jln.1: Communication committee charter

## Charter for the communication committee

A charter is hereby granted for the formation and operation of a committee
within the guidelines and objectives stated herein. The committee shall
operate in the best interest of the free software community and is
responsible to the board of directors and to the membership of the
Organization.

### Purpose of the Committee

It is the responsibility of this committee to aid the Secretary of Software
in the Public Interest, Inc. in its communication tasks. This includes the
tasks mandated by resolutions regarding SPI's decision-making transparency.

This committee is defined in accordance with Article 10 of the SPI bylaws.

### Operating guidelines

The committee will be chaired by the Secretary and aid them by request or
by craft, when noticing that a task assigned to the secretary regarding
communications were not made. The members of the committee may also propose
new means to communicate with SPI members to the Secretary, and operationalize
them once approved, observing SPI's governance.

While membership in this committee does not include nor preclude any
specific power, right or grant, the Secretary may delegate part of their
powers and responsibilities regarding communication to the committee,
including and not limited to managing social media accounts, writing
minutes, moderating, or posting summaries about SPI's activities in the
relevant mailing lists.

Any power, right or grant directly and expressly attributed to the
Secretary by the By-Laws, such as summoning board directors for meetings,
managing votes and elections, the objective responsibility over SPI's
documents and representation in Board meetings, may not be delegated to the
committee without the Board's express approval.

The committee may not act on behalf of Software in the Public Interest, Inc.,
nor may it sign documents as SPI or its Board of Directors.

### Membership and organization

This committee will be chaired by the Secretary, and will consist of a
group of up to four people including the Secretary, which may be from SPI's
contributing membership or from the Board itself. Members will be determined
by the Secretary or by the Board of Directors.

The secretary may establish guidelines on how the committee will be
operated, the term for the committee members, how contributing members may
join the committee, and may also remove any committee member at their sole
discretion. The Secretary should provide a summary in the next Board
Meeting when any of these happen.