Timeline for the the Data Carpentry & Software Carpentry Reorganization

This post originally appeared on the Data Carpentry website

On Jun 8 & 9, we met in-person to continue discussing how to proceed with the merger of the Software Carpentry and Data Carpentry organizations to best achieve our strategic goals and serve our communities. We are happy to report that is was a very productive meeting.

We spent most of the meeting discussing the structure of the future organizational leadership. We have drafted a number of motions that we will present to our respective steering committees for approval at our next meetings. Among the motions, we will propose that the combined Carpentries governing structure be made up of both appointed and elected members. Additionally, we propose that it is in the best interest of the organization to seed the future steering committee with bylaws, which will be enumerated, written, and approved in the coming months.

Below is a timeline for the merger process. Various steps in this timeline require approval by both steering committees, and are dependent on results of previous steps, so this may change as we proceed.

| Month | Merger Process Milestones | redirect_from: /blog/merger/ | — | — | |June | Communicate the in-person meeting outcomes and proposed governance structure to staff and community members. | |July | Present motions to approve the proposed goverance structure, executive leadership, and transfer of assets (e.g. finances, cross-organization subcommittees). Enumerate required bylaws.| |August | Present and approve an official motion to combine Software Carpentry and Data Carpentry into a unified organization. Approve nominations for the appointed seats to the steering committee.| |September | Approve a unified budget. Approve the transfer of assets. | |October | Call for candidates for elected members of the steering committee. Approve motions to dissolve the current steering committee and transfer assets as of January 1. | |November | Community call to announce candidates for the elected seats on the steering committee.| |December | Elect new elected steering committee members.| |January | New organization with new steering committee commences. |

We are grateful for all the input we have and will to continue to received from community members, from staff, and from colleagues outside the Carpentries during this decision-making process. Please stayed tuned for updates and feel free to contact us with questions or concerns.