Merge pull request #954 from carpentries/kariljordan-patch-2

Updated task force guidelines

topic_folders/governance/task-force-guidelines.md

@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+## The Carpentries Task Force Guidelines
+
+These guidelines provide the recommended process for establishing a task force to ensure transparency, accountability, and sustainability of task forces' activities.
+
+### Task Force Proposal
+A task force proposal should:
+- explain the need for or the context of the task force
+- list the aims and objectives of the task force
+- set a timeline for starting and completing the task force's activities/deliverables.
+
+Task force proposals can be submitted by [creating an
+issue](https://github.com/carpentries/task-forces/issues) in the 
+[*task forces* repository](https://github.com/carpentries/task-forces) in [The Carpentries GitHub](https://github.com/carpentries/) or
+by emailing the proposal to the [Core Team](mailto:[email protected]).
+
+### Task Force Formation
+Task force proposals do not require formal approval, though the [Core Team should be informed](mailto:[email protected]) of task force formation. Active task forces are listed in [The Carpentries task forces repository](https://github.com/carpentries/task-forces) with a link to its public documentation.
+
+### Task Force Operations
+The following are recommended guidelines for committees. Each committee should:
+
+- Create the official [task force charter](https://github.com/carpentries/task-forces/blob/main/task-force-charter-template.md), 
+including the task force's roles and responsibilities
+- Appoint the task force chair and, optionally, a co-chair
+- Request a [Core Team](https://carpentries.org/team/) member liaison to serve as a point of contact and (optionally) attend the task force meetings
+- Create a public space for the task force, including:
+  - The task force's charter and its current status (e.g., active, completed)
+  - Contact information for the task force
+  - Other public materials (if available)
+  - Information on when the task force meetings are held
+  - Meeting notes (if appropriate)
+  - Name of the Core Team liaison 
+  - Information on how to apply to join the task force
+- Create internal [documentation for operational procedures](https://github.com/carpentries/task-forces/blob/main/task-force-charter-template.md#task-force-charter-name-of-task-force) (which may also be made public), including:
+  - Process for recruiting and/or selecting new members
+  - Decision-making process
+- Maintain internal and public-facing communication:
+  - Organise regular meetings to progress with the task force's activities and post meeting notes in a consistent location (meeting notes should be public unless the work of the task force requires them to remain private)
+  - Post meetings in the community calendar (note that meetings do not necessarily need to be open to the public to attend even though they are added to the calendar)
+  - Utilise other [Carpentries community communication pathways](https://docs.carpentries.org/topic_folders/communications/index.html) to engage with the community as needed
+
+The task force's public documentation should be stored in a folder within the [`task-forces` repository](https://github.com/carpentries/task-forces) 
+in [The Carpentries GitHub](https://github.com/carpentries/).
+
+### Task Force Termination
+A task force will naturally cease to function upon fulfilling its goals, in which case the Core Team should be notified. 
+
+### Past & Current Task Forces
+
+- [CarpentryCon Task Force](https://carpentries.org/carp-con-tf/) - a recurring task force that gets periodically
+  reformed to organise the international [CarpentryCon](https://carpentries.org) conference on behalf of The Carpentries.
+- Other past and current task forces can be found in [The Carpentries Task Force Repository](https://github.com/carpentries/task-forces).
+
+### Update Log
+- 2024-01-25: Renamed Task Force Policy to Task Force Guidelines, including recommendations and removing requirements for task forces.
+- [Approved on 2022-12-02](https://github.com/carpentries/executive-council-info/blob/main/minutes/2022/EC-minutes-2022-12-02-Q4.md) by the Executive Council. 
+- [Approved on 2020-09-23](https://github.com/carpentries/executive-council-info/issues/44) by the Executive Council.