add an official mediation program to our organization

rfcs/0009-mediation-program.rst

+========================================
+Organizational change: Mediation Program
+========================================
+
+- Date proposed: 2021-12-07
+- RFC MR: https://gitlab.archlinux.org/archlinux/rfcs/-/merge_requests/9
+
+Summary
+-------
+
+Add an official mediation program to our organization consisting of elected
+mediators to help settle disputes and provide a clear escalation path.
+
+Motivation
+----------
+
+Currently, we lack an established way to settle personal disputes. Furthermore,
+we do not provide a visible escalation path, making resolving a dispute or
+acquiring help for a two-or-more-sided resolution intransparent. Without
+mediators and an escalation path, we risk people emotionally resigning when a
+dispute cannot be resolved independently. The mediation program helps to
+mitigate the risk of losing contributors and aims to prevent social barriers
+between people. Our staff and volunteers are our most valuable resource after
+all.
+
+Specification
+-------------
+
+General expectations
+++++++++++++++++++++
+
+* Do not avoid conflicts, but try to resolve them sensibly.
+* Step in when you see questionable behavior and explain what you do not
+  like about it to those involved.
+* Articulate your problem with someone else's behavior directly, or through
+  someone you trust. That way, a person gets the opportunity to share their
+  view or change potentially problematic behaviour.
+
+Point of contact
+++++++++++++++++
+
+In the event of a problem, you can usually turn to one of the staff available
+who will try to help you with your problem or support you in interacting with
+the other person.
+
+You are, of course, also welcome to contact the elected mediators or the project
+leader to arrange a mediation.
+
+Mediators
++++++++++
+
+- Mediators are elected by all staff for a period of two years.
+
+- The group of mediators consists of three members.
+
+- The tasks of the mediators include:
+    - Be the point of contact for staff members and external persons in the
+      event of disputes or irritations
+    - Liaise between staff members or between staff members and external
+      persons to clarify and help identify concrete issues
+    - Strive to help by clear communication and acceptance
+
+- The elected mediators are part of the clarification body.
+
+- The project leader may not be elected as a mediator. In case a mediator gets
+  elected as project leader, the position as mediator needs to be vacated.
+
+- Mediators are required to be active for their position to hold any ground.
+  As such, inactive mediators are removed by the projecjt leader after a period
+  of two weeks of inactivity when there is a demand of their mediator duties
+  related to their responsibilities. A month of plain inactivity or absence
+  would be a sign of ignoring their duties and would trigger removal.
+
+Clarification Body
+++++++++++++++++++
+
+- The clarification body consists of the mediators and, on a case by case basis,
+  the project leader.
+
+- If required, each affected person is allowed to declare one confidant who
+  additionally participates in the mediation. Each confidant is not expected to
+  take over the clarification on behalf of the persons but instead to assist
+  them in case they do not feel comfortable on their own.
+
+- The task of the clarification body is to clarify disputes amongst the staff
+  members or between staff members and external persons. The goal of the
+  clarification body should be an amicable settlement of the disputing parties.
+  The rules of procedure of the clarification body, which the clarification
+  body gives itself, regulate the details.
+
+- If possible, dispute resolution with the affected parties should, by default,
+  take place with voice or video communication to aid a fluent conversation and
+  provide a personal layer that helps to deescalate. If required, the clarification
+  body should moderate the conversation to give all participants the appropriate
+  room to respond or express themselves.
+
+Escalation path
++++++++++++++++
+
+- If all affected persons and the clarification body consider the mediation a
+  success, the issue is resolved without any further consequences.
+
+- Suppose an issue cannot be sufficiently resolved even after continued effort
+  for a reasonable amount of time. In that case, the issue can be escalated
+  further at the discretion of the clarification body.
+
+- If mediation fails, the clarification body can issue a warning to one or more of
+  the affected parties. Such a warning will usually be communicated privately to
+  the user. The warning needs to be acknowledged in writing. That is required to
+  ensure that the user has read and understood the scope of their transgression.
+
+- If the warning goes unheeded, or in case the occurrence is judged to be especially
+  flagrant, the clarification body can suggest further actions to be taken. Possible
+  actions can be but are not limited to: temporarily or permanently suspending or
+  deleting the user’s account, or in extreme cases, a ban from all Arch Linux projects.
+
+- The suggestion by the clarification body is then taken for consideration by
+  the appropriate group of Arch Linux staff (e.g. the group of Forum administrators,
+  developers, all staff, etc.). Private mailing lists should be preferred for this
+  purpose to respect the privacy of the involved parties.
+
+- If the suggestion put forward finds acceptance by the respective group, it is
+  implemented by the clarification body. The decision is communicated in private
+  to the affected person(s).
+
+Election
+++++++++
+
+The role of Arch Linux Mediator is determined by a vote among eligible members
+of the Arch Linux Team.
+
+Nomination
+**********
+
+Nomination of candidates for open positions will take place in a two week
+period prior to voting. Nominations require support of two members of the Arch
+Linux Team, which may include the nominee as well as the current project leader.
+If the nominee is neither of the nominators, then they must also agree to be
+nominated. All Team members are eligible for nomination.
+
+Voting
+******
+
+When more candidates than open positions are nominated, voting will be
+conducted using the instant-runoff voting system. Ballots with candidates
+ranked in order of preference will be collected and tallied by a team member
+who is neither a candidate nor has nominated a candidate. Voting shall take
+place over a two week period, with no quorum in effect.
+
+When less candidates than open positions are nominated, the voting system is
+changed to combined approval voting, in which candidates receive either an
+approval or disapproval vote. If a nominee has more approval votes, than
+disapproval votes, then they are approved for one position. If, on the other
+hand, a nominee has more disapproval votes, than approval votes, they are not
+approved for the position, regardless if they are the sole contender for it.
+
+Team members eligible for voting are:
+
+* Arch Linux Developers
+* Arch Linux Trusted Users
+* Arch Linux Support Staff
+
+The complete list of individuals in these roles is defined on the Arch Linux
+website, fixed at the beginning of the voting period. People who have roles
+in multiple of these categories are only eligible to vote once.
+
+Drawbacks
+---------
+
+Handling disputes with external persons may create additional load on the
+mediators. However, having a total of three available mediators to balance
+between should mitigate potential burnout. By covering the interaction between
+staff members and external people we ensure that we achieve both: protect our
+staff members across all aspects of Arch Linux as well as protect the values of
+our community and their participants.
+
+Unresolved Questions
+--------------------
+
+None.
+