Selection Committee Charter

Status: v1.0 draft. The Committee is the platform's independent panel for material Treasurer decisions — promotions to Community Architect and Circlworld Ambassador, demotions below Community Organiser, removals from the TEP, material conduct breach findings, and appeals from Treasurer Council decisions. Counsel posture confirmed by Drew 2026-06-05; counsel review continues as a parallel workstream.

Preamble

Some Treasurer matters are too significant to be decided by the Treasurer Council alone. They affect the Treasurer's tier, their professional standing, their continued participation in the TEP, and (potentially) their reputation in the open profession. They deserve an independent panel — peers and Members of the Circles affected, balanced by an independent chair — applying procedural protections proportionate to the stakes. That panel is the Selection Committee.

The Committee exists to ensure that material Treasurer decisions are made under structured procedure, with the affected Treasurer's full participation, and with reasoned written outcomes that can be appealed to the Dispute Settlement Centre.

Section 1 — Jurisdiction

1.1 Material decisions

The Selection Committee has jurisdiction over:

(a) Material tier promotions — applications for promotion to Community Architect (tier 4) and Circlworld Ambassador (tier 5).

(b) Material tier demotions — demotion below Community Organiser (tier 2) on grounds of conduct or sustained performance failure.

(c) Removal from the TEP under TEP Methodology §6.4 grounds (i), (ii), (iii), or (v) — sustained material breach, upheld AUP violation, criminal activity in connection with Treasurer duties, Selection Committee finding of unfitness.

(d) Material Code of Conduct breach findings — breaches that may warrant tier demotion, programme suspension, or removal under §1(c) above.

(e) Appeals from Treasurer Council decisions under Council Charter §6.4.

1.2 Matters outside the Committee's jurisdiction

The Selection Committee does NOT have jurisdiction over:

(f) Routine tier progression (Treasurer Council under Council Charter §1).

(g) Minor conduct issues that the Treasurer Council can address through remediation.

(h) Disputes between Members of a Circle (the Dispute Settlement Centre).

(i) Circlworld's regulatory obligations (Circlworld implements directly).

(j) Programme parameter changes (Town Hall + Treasurer Council consultation).

1.3 Concurrent proceedings

Where a matter falls within the Committee's jurisdiction but is also under proceedings in the Dispute Settlement Centre (a Circle-arising dispute), the Selection Committee may:

(a) Stay its own proceedings until the DSC matter concludes, where the DSC outcome will materially inform the Committee's decision.

(b) Proceed in parallel where the matters are independent.

(c) Refer parts of the matter to the DSC where the dispute substance is more appropriate to that venue.

Section 2 — Composition

2.1 Standing composition

The Committee is composed of five (5) members for each proceeding:

(a) Two senior Treasurers nominated by the Treasurer Council from currently-serving Treasurers at Community Leader (tier 3) or above.

(b) Two Members nominated by Town Hall from currently-serving Members in good standing.

(c) One independent Chair appointed by the Help Office from an external panel of qualified independents (typically retired Treasurers, qualified mediators, or independent professionals with relevant experience).

2.2 Per-proceeding constitution

The Selection Committee constitutes for each proceeding rather than as a standing body. The Treasurer Council nominates fresh senior Treasurers for each matter; Town Hall nominates fresh Members; the Help Office appoints the Chair from a rotating panel.

This per-proceeding constitution prevents the Committee from becoming a quasi-permanent disciplinary body whose members develop bias from cumulative exposure.

2.3 Eligibility for nomination

Senior Treasurer nominees

A Treasurer is eligible for Selection Committee nomination if:

(a) currently serving at Community Leader or above; (b) holding the current tier for at least 24 months; (c) no upheld conduct violations in the prior 60 months; (d) not a current member of the Treasurer Council; (e) not currently subject to a Selection Committee proceeding (in any role).

Member nominees

A Member is eligible for Selection Committee nomination if:

(f) currently serving as an active Member of at least one Circle for at least 12 months; (g) in good standing on the platform (no upheld AUP violations in the prior 36 months); (h) Standing of 50 or above on the 0–100 scale; (i) not a Treasurer in any Circle (to preserve the Member perspective).

Independent Chair nominees

An Independent Chair candidate is eligible if:

(j) qualified in mediation, dispute resolution, or governance from a recognised professional body; (k) no current affiliation with Circlworld other than as panel-roster member; (l) at least 5 years' experience in panel adjudication or equivalent.

2.4 Conflict-of-interest screening

Each nominated member discloses to the Help Office:

(a) Any prior or current Circle relationship with the affected Treasurer.

(b) Any personal, business, or family relationship with the affected Treasurer.

(c) Any prior public statement on the substance of the matter or on the affected Treasurer.

Where a conflict is disclosed, the nominee is replaced and a fresh nomination sought.

2.5 Subject Treasurer's right of objection

The affected Treasurer may object to any nominated Committee member within 7 days of receiving notice of the constituted Committee. The objection must state reasons (relationship, perceived bias, prior involvement). The Help Office considers the objection within 14 days and either:

(a) Sustains the objection and requests fresh nomination from the relevant nominating body.

(b) Rejects the objection with written reasons.

The Treasurer may renew the objection in respect of the replacement nominee on the same grounds; second-round objections are decided by the Independent Chair.

Section 3 — Proceedings

3.1 Initiating a proceeding

A proceeding is initiated by:

(a) Treasurer Council referral — where a matter exceeds the Council's routine jurisdiction.

(b) Circle Member vote — under TEP Methodology §6.4(d).

(c) Application by the Treasurer themselves — for material tier promotion.

(d) Circlworld referral on regulatory grounds — where Circlworld's regulatory obligations require Committee involvement (e.g. confirmed criminal activity).

(e) Dispute Settlement Centre referral — where a DSC dispute has Code-of-Conduct dimensions warranting Committee review.

3.2 Procedural protections

The Treasurer subject to a Committee proceeding has the right to:

(a) Written notice — describing the substance of the matter, the grounds, the proposed outcome being considered, and the timeline.

(b) Access to evidence — full copies of all evidence the Committee proposes to rely on, with reasonable time to review.

(c) Written response — at least 30 days to submit a written response, with reasonable accommodations for jurisdictional difference and other access barriers.

(d) In-person hearing — for material conduct findings, demotions below Community Organiser, removals from the TEP, and appeals from Council decisions, the Treasurer is entitled to address the Committee in person (or by video where in-person is impractical).

(e) Representation — the Treasurer may be supported by: (i) the Treasurer Council (in its institutional capacity); (ii) the Help Office; (iii) independent advice of the Treasurer's choosing, including legal representation at the Treasurer's expense.

(f) Witnesses — the Treasurer may call witnesses or submit witness statements on questions of fact.

(g) Cross-examination — the Treasurer may put questions to witnesses the Committee hears.

(h) Reasoned written decision — within 30 days of conclusion, the Committee issues a reasoned written decision setting out: (i) the grounds considered; (ii) the evidence relied on; (iii) the Treasurer's response; (iv) the Committee's analysis; (v) the decision; (vi) any conditions, remediation requirements, or transitional provisions; (vii) the appeal route.

(i) Right of appeal — to the Dispute Settlement Centre's appellate procedure within 30 days of the written decision.

3.3 Standard of decision

The Committee decides material matters on the balance of probabilities. Where the matter alleges criminal conduct, the Committee may apply a higher standard appropriate to the seriousness — but the Committee's findings are administrative, not criminal; criminal liability is for the criminal courts.

3.4 Voting

(a) Decisions are by majority vote of all five Committee members.

(b) The Independent Chair votes in all matters.

(c) Tied votes do not occur with a five-member panel; where a member is recused mid-proceeding and cannot be replaced, the Committee proceeds with four members and tied votes default to no-action.

(d) Each member's vote is recorded with the written decision (with reasons where the member's view differs from the majority).

3.5 Timeframes

| Stage | Default time | |---|---| | Notice to Treasurer of constituted Committee + opening of proceeding | 14 days from initiation | | Treasurer objection to nominees | 7 days | | Help Office decision on objection | 14 days | | Treasurer written response | 30 days | | In-person hearing | 60–90 days | | Committee written decision | 30 days after conclusion | | Treasurer appeal to DSC | 30 days |

Extensions granted on reasonable request from the Treasurer where access barriers exist (jurisdiction-specific issues, language, illness, etc.).

3.6 Public record

The Committee publishes:

(a) The constituted Committee composition for each proceeding (members named).

(b) Procedural outcomes (objections sustained / rejected; Treasurer's response received; hearing held).

(c) The final reasoned decision — substantive content anonymised where appropriate, but the decision, the outcome, and the precedent value preserved.

The Committee does NOT publish:

(d) Confidential personal or financial information about the Treasurer or any third party.

(e) Substance of the matter before the final decision is issued.

Section 4 — Member conduct on the Committee

4.1 Standards

Each Committee member is bound by:

(a) The Treasurer Code of Conduct (for senior Treasurer members and the Independent Chair if a former Treasurer).

(b) The platform's Acceptable Use Policy.

(c) The Committee's own conflict-of-interest, recusal, and confidentiality rules.

4.2 Confidentiality

Matters before the Committee are confidential until the Committee's written decision is published. Committee members do not discuss pending matters outside the Committee's proceedings.

4.3 Compensation

The Committee members serving in their respective capacities may receive a stipend per proceeding in recognition of the time commitment. Stipend amounts are published in the Help Office's panel-administration record. The stipend is not employment compensation.

Section 5 — Appeals from the Committee

5.1 Appellate route

Appeals from a Selection Committee decision go to the Dispute Settlement Centre's appellate procedure within 30 days of the written decision.

5.2 Standard on appeal

The DSC's appellate review applies a procedural-fairness + reasonableness standard:

(a) Was the Treasurer afforded the procedural protections under §3.2?

(b) Was the evidence reasonably weighed?

(c) Was the decision within the range of reasonable outcomes given the evidence and the procedure?

The DSC does not substitute its judgment for the Committee's on contested factual findings unless the Committee's finding was unreasonable. The DSC may affirm, vary, or remit to a freshly-constituted Committee.

5.3 Effect of appeal

(a) Where the appeal concerns a removal or suspension from the TEP, the Treasurer's removal/suspension is stayed pending the DSC's decision unless the matter involves regulatory compliance requiring immediate effect.

(b) Where the appeal concerns a tier demotion, the demotion takes effect pending the DSC's decision; if the appeal succeeds, the demotion is reversed retrospectively.

(c) Where the appeal concerns a denied tier promotion, the Treasurer's status is unchanged pending the DSC's decision.

Section 6 — Relationship with Circlworld

6.1 Independence

The Committee operates independently of Circlworld's executive decision-making. Circlworld does not constitute the Committee, appoint its members, vote on its proceedings, or veto its decisions.

6.2 Circlworld's administrative role

Circlworld:

(a) Operates the Help Office that maintains the Independent Chair panel and screens Member nominees.

(b) Provides the evidence base and procedural infrastructure for proceedings.

(c) Implements the Committee's decisions (recording tier changes, processing TEP suspension or removal, updating the Treasurer's Registrar of Records, etc.).

(d) Maintains the publication infrastructure for the Committee's reasoned decisions.

6.3 Regulatory carve-outs

Where the Committee's decision conflicts with Circlworld's regulatory obligations (AML, sanctions, court order), Circlworld informs the Committee, complies with the regulatory obligation, and records the conflict. The Committee may consider the matter further once the regulatory obligation has been satisfied.

Section 7 — Amendment of this Charter

7.1 Material amendments

Material amendments to this Charter (changing composition, procedural protections, jurisdiction, appeal route) require:

(a) Treasurer Council recommendation by 5-of-7 vote.

(b) Town Hall consultation.

(c) 60 days' notice to all Treasurers and operating Members.

(d) Counsel review in both jurisdictions.

(e) Help Office sign-off on the operational implementability.

7.2 Minor adjustments

Minor adjustments are recorded in the version history.

7.3 Annual review

The Charter is reviewed annually for alignment with the Treasurer Code of Conduct, the Treasurer Council Charter, the TEP Methodology, the Treasurer Agreement, and the broader platform constitutional framework.

Acknowledgement

By accepting nomination to a Selection Committee proceeding, the nominee acknowledges this Charter as the governing document of the Committee and accepts its standards on member conduct, recusal, confidentiality, and decision-making.

By bringing a matter before the Committee (Treasurer Council referral, Circle Member vote, Circlworld regulatory referral, DSC referral, or the Treasurer's own application), the initiating body acknowledges the Committee's procedural protections and decision standards.

— End of the Selection Committee Charter —

Version history

| Version | Date | Change | Process | |---|---|---|---| | v1.0 | 2026-06-03 | Initial draft | Drafted 2026-06-03; counsel posture confirmed 2026-06-05 + Treasurer consultation before binding |

Plain-language one-line summary

The Selection Committee is the independent panel — two senior Treasurers, two Members, one independent Chair — that adjudicates the material Treasurer decisions (high-tier promotions, demotions below Community Organiser, removals, material conduct breach), constituted fresh per proceeding, with full procedural protections for the affected Treasurer and right of appeal to the Dispute Settlement Centre.