'''Decision panels''' are defined [[Sugar Labs/Governance#Decision Panels|in the Sugar Labs governance documents]] as temporary bodies set up to study a specific controversial or politically sensitive issue, and produce a report about their conclusions as a recommendation to the Oversight Board. They are formed by a decision of the Oversight Board, generally after a call for volunteers, and given specific topics and questions to address.
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'''Decision panels''' are defined [[Sugar Labs/Governance#Decision Panels|in the Sugar Labs rules of governance]] as temporary bodies set up to study a specific controversial or politically sensitive issue, and produce a report about their conclusions as a recommendation to the Oversight Board. They are formed by a decision of the Oversight Board, generally after a call for volunteers, and given specific topics and questions to address.
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From the Rules of Governance draft as of September 2009:
On the rare occasion of a contentious issue on which no general consensus can be reached, the Oversight Board is responsible for convening a Decision Panel. The Oversight Board will be responsible for determining when a Decision Panel is required and for selecting members for the Decision Panel. Members of the Oversight Board are not permitted to serve on a Decision Panel. A Decision Panel will solicit community input, discuss (in private if they deem it necessary), reach a conclusion internally, and produce a report documenting their conclusion. (Anyone may submit advice to a Decision Panel.) The Oversight Board will review and ratify Decision Panel reports.