Status: Interim / Pending First Collective Vote Effective Date: April 14, 2026

These bylaws serve as the provisional governing framework for the revival of the Western Pennsylvania Linux Users Group (WPLUG). They are designed to transition the group from its founding phase to a fully member-governed collective.

Until the first official election cycle is completed, J serves as the Provisional Chairperson. During this period, the Provisional Chairperson holds full authority to establish infrastructure, define initial roles, and manage the transition to the collective model.

Voting membership is the primary mechanism for directing the collective.

• Eligibility: To be a voting member, an individual must:
  • 1. Have been a member for longer than one voting cycle (members may vote in the cycle immediately following the one in which they joined).
  • 2. Maintain a non-template public Wiki page in the wplug:members namespace.
• Conduct and Exile: Membership is contingent on “good behavior.” A member may be exiled from the collective by a 9/13ths majority vote.
  • Note: Abstainments decrease the total number of votes required to meet this majority threshold.

WPLUG is governed by a Leadership body consisting of specific portfolios. These roles are designed to facilitate both technical operations and legal standing as a non-profit under Pennsylvania law.

• Core Portfolios:
  • Chairperson: The strategic lead and final arbiter.
  • Secretary: Responsible for record-keeping and meeting minutes.
  • Treasurer: Responsible for financial oversight and reporting.
  • Wiki Manager: Oversight of the knowledge base and documentation.
  • Infrastructure Manager: Management of servers, IRC, and network services.
  • FOSS Advisor: Technical guidance on open-source standards and sovereignty.
  • Event Manager: Coordination of local meetups and InstallFests.
• Expansion: Additional roles may be created as needed to meet legal or operational requirements.

The Chairperson is the pivot point between the Leadership and the Collective.

• Mandate: The Chairperson is charged with relying on the Leadership to steer WPLUG forward and ensure the organization always seeks the “next step” in its growth.
• Administrative Duties: Ensures the organization remains in good standing via mandatory monthly meetings and the review of meeting minutes for accuracy.
• Decision Power: The Chairperson has final say on all proposals, subject to the 3/5ths Leadership overrule (as defined in the Voting Procedures).

Leadership is accountable to the membership via a rapid recall process.

• Trigger: A removal process begins when two members bring forth a petition to remove a specific leader.
• Timeline: Once the petition is seconded, a vote must be held no later than three (3) days following the seconding.

These bylaws may be amended through the following chain of approval:

1. **Leadership Proposal:** Approval by **2/3rds** of the Leadership body.
2. **Chairperson Approval:** Approval by the Chairperson (this step may be forced by a **3/5ths** majority of Leadership).
3. **Member Ratification:** Final approval by **3/5ths** of the voting membership.

— *WPLUG: Your data. Your hardware. Your community.*