Well, not exactly. The board can remove a member with the PMCs documented policy and recommendation. The full quote is:
How to remove a PMC member unilaterally If a PMC chooses to remove one of its members (without that member's request or consent), the PMC must ask the Board to remove the member. The PMC chair should send an email to the board@ mailing list detailing the request for removal and the justification the PMC has for that removal, and copy the project's private@ list. The board will review the request as well as your project's mailing lists to see if the removal is controversial or opposed, and then make a decision, typically at the next month's board meeting. Emeritus is something different. It is still a member but with no vote. ________________________________ From: Alan C. Assis <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, October 7, 2026 4:02 PM To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [VOTE] Hosting Espressif HAL under Apache umbrella Hi Greg, Yes, I remember they told us that ("Merits never expire," etc.) But see here: https://www.apache.org/dev/pmc.html "Should a PMC remove inactive members? Projects can establish their own policy on handling inactive members, as long as they apply it consistently. It is not a problem to retain members of the PMC who have become inactive, and it can make it easier for them to stay in touch with the project if they choose to become active again." This means if we decide to do it, we legally can. I agree that merits never expire; perhaps we can display pictures of all previous contributors on a wall inside the Apache Foundation, similar to the pictures of previous presidents. Why not? :-D BR, Alan On Wed, Oct 7, 2026 at 6:23 PM Gregory Nutt <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > We can propose removing committers and PMCs who are not involved in the > project (ASF allows this; we need to notify them). > > Are you sure of this. I recall being told that once a committer, you are > a committer for life. I do find this: > > Note it is possible to remove a committer's access to repositories in an > urgent situation, such as their account being taken over by a hacker. > However, the PMC chair should not take this action for situations such as a > committer's extended inactivity. In 2026, the ASF Security team is working > on proposals that may clarify the conditions under which a committer's > rights to commit code can be suspended or removed. > > My case is different.. I am officially emeritus. Emeritus members are > required to be listed on the project page, but did not follow that. See > https://infra.apache.org/committers.html and > https://www.apache.org/foundation/members > > Emeritus members can re-instate themselves immediately without a vote if > the wish to become full members again. Note: A person must ask to be made > emeritus. I don't think that the PMC has authority to modify anyone's > membership. > >
