Joomla Considers IOA Standards for Ombuds Program

The oversight board for the open-source content management system is looking at changes to its two-year old Executive Ombuds program. Minutes from recent board meetings reveal that directors are considering IOA standards for the Ombuds position, currently held by Jennifer Gress. 

In 2018, Open Source Matters, Inc., the New York not-for-profit that manages Joomla, appointed an Ombudsman, "to act as an oversight and appeals function for the community at a large." In addition, the Joomla Ombuds also was responsible for the organization's Code of Conduct:

If anyone is seen or believed to have breached the Code of Conduct they can report it to the ombudsman structure that will then deal with it and assess it. If it is found to be assessed as there has been a breach of the CoC the ombudsman can put the case on the next meeting of the Board of Directors for handling.

Kenneth Crowder served as the first Ombuds and Jennifer Gress, a website developer and long-time Joomla volunteer, was appointed in February 2020.

At its most recent meeting, the Open Source Matters Board of Directors approved the Gress's request to Join the International Ombudsman Association. In addition, the Board approved a budget for potential legal expenses and began revising its bylaws to "fix some lack of rules in the Ombudsman definition and escalation procedures." (Joomla Ombuds; OSM Board Minutes 7/30/20.)