Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee Elections December 2011/Candidates/Roger Davies/Statement

Roger Davies

I’ve been an arbitrator for three years. This has been a stimulating and enriching experience, and I’ve learned a lot about the encyclopedia, about my fellow editors, and about myself.

I’ve heard about fifty cases, and have drafted/co-drafted decisions for ten.

I’ve participated in all aspects of the committee's work, including a year’s service on BASC and a four-month stint on AUSC. For three years I’ve been a moderator/administrator of the committee's mailing lists. I helped draft the committee’s CheckUser and Oversight procedural policy, and have supervised several appointment cycles.

I’ve served as coordinating arbitrator since July 2009, with strong emphasis on improving logistics. In April 2011, I gained support for creating internal teams to decentralise coordination, reduce dependence on individual arbitrators, and speed up the committee’s work. I successfully proposed default timetables for cases for quicker case turnaround. Average times have dropped from 60 days in 2009 to 45 days thus far this year.

For the record, I’m opposed to ArbCom becoming GovCom. As a tangible demonstration of this, I was instrumental in working up the arbitration policy, via extensive community consultation over many months for ratification. The new policy places new constitutional restraints on the committee, limiting its ability to make content decisions or create policy. It was formally adopted by the community in June, with 87% support.

Content-wise, I was very active both at Milhist and FAC. I've added significant content to five FAs, and extensively copy-edited another eight (either for or during FAC). The subjects vary from Shakespeare's Hamlet to Welsh rugby to Emily Dickinson to Maximian to the Battle of Arras. Since joining the committee, I've had less time for my first love, article editing, but I've recently re-discovered sourcing and wiki-gnoming, mainly on articles about British lawyers and French lycées.

If re-elected, I will focus on:

Further improving case management and turnaround;
Opening BASC membership to non-arbitrator members and separating BASC from the ArbCom mailing lists;
Developing ideas with the community for a possible Administrator Review Subcommittee;
Encouraging the Foundation to play a much greater role in dealing with deeply problematic users per the WMF’s new Terms of Use;
Working with stakeholders and the WMF to develop a contingency defence fund for arbitrators, checkusers, oversighters, and administrators.

Mandatory statements: I have never edited from any account other than Roger Davies and (occasionally) User:Red Dragon, which prior to renaming was called Roger Davies II. As a sitting arbitrator, I am already identified to the WMF and will continue to comply fully with the non-public data policy.