Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee Elections December 2015/Candidates/Kudpung/Statement

Kudpung[edit]

I've been 'on' Wikipedia for nearly 10 years. A lot of people say things like that. In fact I didn't start editing in earnest until I retired in RL 7 years ago. As an admin for five years now, I have had longish periods of intense activity in pretty much each area of admin duty including SPI, RFPP, AIV, PERM, COPYVIO, COI, etc., while also being fairly consistently (but not predominantly) in the trenches at ANI, a spell on WP:OTRS, and over 1,000 requests for help answered at EAR. I like doing detailed research which often turns up unexpected trails of odd editing behaviour.

I very rarely participate in Arbcom but I certainly follow the high profile cases; I only post when I really feel that what I say will be useful – I've never been subpoenaed to appear there. I'm here because my arm was twisted last year but I made a mess of transcluding just when the bell rang, and because I've had it twisted again this year. Missing the deadline last year was no big issue because being an Arbcom member is definitely 'no big deal' but If I am elected I will put body and soul into it and if not elected I will simply continue to pursue my quests for reform and improvement of RfA and NPP and my gnomish CSD and AfD work, and maintaining our school project and its tens of thousands of articles. I have no designs on reforming the Arbcom, but simply to contribute towards making the process as expedient and as equitable as possible.

Over the years I've made some enemies - it comes with the job but if they were truly honest with themselves they know that I am fair without being lenient, and firm without being possessed of power. My career as a teacher, university lecturer, and linguist has led me along a cosmopolitan course, helping me to resolve issues that otherwise get stuck on some cultural or social dichotomy. My interest in the management of Wikipedia and the volunteers who contribute the content and who make it work has also led me physically around the globe in the quest to help make this the biggest and best knowledge base ever.

I'll answer any questions I think are appropriate, provide silly answers to the silly ones, and pass on the others. I am already identified to the WMF, not only for my former stint on OTRS but also for some other delicate matters on other Wikimedia projects. I have the following other accounts that are extremely rarely used: Kudpung2, KudpungMobile, and Kudpung.wikimania.

Arbitration Committee Election 2015 candidate: Kudpung