- Category: Administration and Budget
- Topic: Travel Expenses for President's Strategy Committee
- Board meeting date: 1 October 2008
- Resolution number: 2008.10.01.20
- URL for Board minutes/resolution: http://www.icann.org/en/minutes/minutes-01oct08.htm
- Status: Completed
Summary
Board authorizes travel support for Board Members in the President's Strategy Committee.
Text
The Chairman noted that the PSC had decided to conduct research on improving institutional confidence issues before them and that such outreach had been conducted at the LACNIC Meeting in Uruguay, APNIC Meeting in Christchurch, and that others were planned including a meeting scheduled for Washington DC, the following day, where approximately 150 people were expected.
The Chairman introduced the item clarifying that although specific line-item approval is not required for the Board to approve the President's Strategy Committee work, that there were a number of Board Members that were involved and that the Board should approve their individual travel.
John Jeffrey noted that this was not an extraordinary request for approval and that the Board and the Executive Committee regularly approve Director's travel expenditures.
Steve Goldstein indicated that he disagreed and that he had raised concerns previously about Board Members individually participating in the PSC. He noted that he believed the line between management oversight and board oversight, was blurred when it came to the PSC. Steve Goldstein noted that since he had raised this concern in the past and that although he honors the work conducted by his colleagues, he would be voting against the expense approvals.
Paul Twomey acknowledged Steve Goldstein's position, but indicated that there will be opportunities to put forward the questions that he is raising as part of the board review process. Paul Twomey noted that the Board Reviewers had indicated that they would likely have a final report to present in Cairo. He indicated that he believed the board review process was a good place to raise such concerns in the future regarding board versus management roles. Steve Goldstein noted that no matter what happens in the future, he would still vote against the expenditures during the current meeting.
Dennis Jennings added that he is uncomfortable providing an advisory committee to the President, a consultative role. He indicated concern that he is not clear who is responsible for the outcomes from the PSC. He noted further that he has no problem with board members being involved but is more concerned about the conflation of board and management activity. Dennis Jennings noted that he will not vote against the expenditures but did want to state his discomfort with this issue.
The Chairman noted that this could be discussed in more detail at the Board Workshop in Cairo, if others wanted to discuss it.
Harald Alvestrand noted that he is uncomfortable with putting some Board members in a position of being on the PSC, and that he was even more uncomfortable with non-members of the Board being on the PSC.
Paul Twomey noted that Board members who joined the Board since the PSC was chartered have made these observations. He noted that it is quite appropriate to have this discussion again at Cairo and that he supported having the discussion there.
The Chairman moved the following resolution and Dennis Jennings seconded:
Whereas the following Board members are also members of the President's Strategy Committee; Peter Dengate Thrush, Raimundo Beca, Jean-Jacques Subrenat;
Whereas travel authorization is required to support these members' participation in planned outreach activities during the consultation process on Improving Institutional Confidence in ICANN, including to specified meetings in Montevideo (Raimundo Beca), Washington D.C. (Peter Dengate Thrush, Raimundo Beca, Jean- Jacques Subrenat), Brussels (Jean-Jacques Subrenat), expected forthcoming in Middle East region (two Board/PSC members TBA, post-Cairo meeting) and Addis Ababa (Afrinic meeting, Raimundo Beca);
Whereas explicit authorization is required to approve travel support for these global outreach activities by Board members;
It is, Resolved (2008.10.01.20), that the Board authorizes travel support for Board Members who are also members of the President's Strategy Committee to attend meetings and consultations during the FY08-09 'Improving Institutional Confidence' outreach process.
Implementation Actions
- None
- Responsible entity: None
- Due date: None provided
- Completion date: None
Other Related Resolutions
- Board directed the President to appoint a President's Strategy Committee to give advice to the Board, available at: http://www.icann.org/en/minutes/minutes-04dec05.htm.
- Board recognized the President's Strategy Committee Recommendations and requested that the Committee provide further detail, available at: http://www.icann.org/en/minutes/resolutions-30mar07.htm.
- Board accepted President's Strategy Committee's report and directed ICANN staff to undertake the the public consultation recommended in the action plan, available at: http://www.icann.org/en/minutes/resolutions-26jun08.htm.
- Other resolutions TBD.
Additional Information
- A copy of the Committee's report is available at: http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-16jun08-en.htm.
- More information about the report, including public comments, is available at: http://www.icann.org/en/jpa/iic/.
- The resolution approves funding, but does not identify its source.
Explanatory text does not modify or override Resolutions. See Board Resolutions Page for more information.
