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## Introduction

*As part of the community engagement process adopted by the Free
Software Foundation (FSF) board on January 18, the board of directors
of the FSF has published a [board matrix][1] with fundamental
requisites and valuable attributes that will be used to evaluate
nominees, as well as a preview to the nomination form.*

*As a valued community member, we're sharing this press release with
you to keep you updated about the upcoming nomination process. We
appreciate your thoughts on any part of the process thus far, as well
as on the [form][2] associate members will use to suggest new nominees
for the FSF board. The FSF has also created a dedicated [fsf.org][0]
page so associate members can remain informed on the board progress.
You can send your feedback on any of the processes, documents, or
forms by June 1st to <[email protected]>.*

[0]: [link removed]

## Press release

**BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA -- Tuesday, May 10, 2022 -- The board of
the Free Software Foundation (FSF) today published a [board matrix][1]
of fundamental requisites and valuable attributes that will be used to
evaluate nominees for the FSF board of directors. Nominations are not
yet open, but the board also published [a preview of the form][2] that
associate members will soon use to submit their nominations of
candidates for the board.**

[1]: [link removed]
[2]: [link removed]

"As we prepare to add new directors to the FSF board, the board needs
to state the requirements and qualities that should be used to assess
nominees," said FSF president Geoffrey Knauth. "Current board members
who wish to continue to serve the FSF will also be reviewed based on
these expectations, once new directors are on the board."

Both the board matrix and the draft nomination form are tools for a
new community engagement process adopted by the [FSF board on January
18][3]. They follow a consultant-advised process of strategizing about
making FSF governance and recruitment practices more transparent and
participatory. The two documents will guide associate members of the
FSF in evaluating board candidates, a historic change for the FSF.

[3]: [link removed]

The board matrix lists the three fundamental requisites for board
members. It also lists other qualities considered valuable for board
members to have when it comes to expertise, capacity, relationships,
and diversity, as well as skills and experiences. Of these additional
qualities, the board will periodically consider its current
composition and choose a few to highlight as desirable in current
board candidates.

Current associate members are eligible to nominate potential board
members. They may also nominate themselves.

Discussions on the nominated board candidates will be held in a
private forum open to the eligible participants. The discussion
platform is being developed by the FSF staff, who will also moderate
the discussions with the help of volunteers. Staff, voting members,
and board directors are excluded from participating.

"The board matrix and the nomination form are key elements for the new
nomination process, which in future years we hope to be able to use
again and again. We welcome community reaction and feedback before we
launch the new process this summer," Knauth said. "These efforts are
important steps toward making FSF governance and recruitment practices
more transparent and participatory, and systematically ensuring a
commitment to the FSF's values and principles."

The FSF expects to launch the new process to nominate and
evaluate potential new board members this summer with the goal of
increasing the size of the board from the [current number of six
directors][4]. After new directors are selected, the FSF will run
a similar review process for all sitting directors.

[4]: [link removed]

These steps toward a new recruitment process are the latest
governance-related improvements made by the FSF board, coming after
the [Board Member Agreement][5] and the [Code of Ethics][6], published
on December 16. The FSF would appreciate feedback on any of the
processes, documents, or forms by June 1st. Detailed information about
the nomination process, and following steps, will be published to the
FSF Web site at <[link removed]>.

[5]: [link removed]
[6]: [link removed]

# About the Free Software Foundation

The Free Software Foundation, founded in 1985, is dedicated to
promoting computer users' right to use, study, copy, modify, and
redistribute computer programs. The FSF promotes the development and
use of free (as in freedom) software -- particularly the GNU operating
system and its GNU/Linux variants -- and free documentation for free
software. The FSF also helps to spread awareness of the ethical and
political issues of freedom in the use of software, and its Web sites,
located at <[link removed]> and <[link removed]>, are an
important source of information about GNU/Linux. Donations to support
the FSF's work can be made at <[link removed]>. Its
headquarters are in Boston, MA, USA.

# MEDIA CONTACT

Zoë Kooyman
Executive Director
Free Software Foundation
+1 (617) 542 5942
<[email protected]>

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