At-Large FY14 Community Travel Support Guidelines Workspace

(*) Comments submitted after the posted Close Date/Time are not guaranteed to be considered in any final summary, analysis, reporting, or decision-making that takes place once this period lapses.

FINAL VERSION TO BE SUBMITTED IF RATIFIED

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FINAL DRAFT VERSION TO BE VOTED UPON BY THE ALAC

The ALAC welcomes the consolidation of information regarding travel support in the most efficient way where they can be easily found.

The ALAC supported travelers are the 15 ALAC members plus 2 regional leaders per RALO (2X5=10) plus 2 bylaw-mandated Liaisons (to GNSO and ccNSO) , as well as additional nights for the SSAC Liaison when he/she is already travelling to an ICANN meeting through funding elsewhere.. The total number of the ALAC supported travelers is: 27 (15+10+2) plus an option, and not 25 as mentioned in the proposed Guidelines.

Regarding the proposed modifications to the travel support policy, the ALAC thinks that it is a positive measure to fix firm deadlines for the supported travelers to reply to the mails concerning their participation and the itinerary to be booked. It will make the meeting planning easier and more accurate.

Nevertheless, the ALAC believes that all the wire transfer fees should be reimbursable whatever their value is. $50 may not be an important amount to ICANN, but it is to many volunteer travelers as this sometimes corresponds to the majority of a day's per diem.

Also, the ALAC considers that the community members should have normal circumstances for working during their stay. The approved arrival date should be one day before their first working day with sufficient time for rest before starting the work, and their approved departure date should be the day after their last working day. It should be clearly mentioned in the community travel support guidelines that the approved travel dates must be defined according to each constituency schedule and in close coordination with the constituency officers and the related staff.

While the ALAC recognizes that securing visas is the responsibility of the supported traveler, it strongly believes that ICANN should take all necessary actions to facilitate the granting of visas for all the community members. ICANN should negotiate with the host country the modalities for visa procurement for the ICANN community that make it easy for the traveler to apply and to obtain the visa.

FIRST DRAFT SUBMITTED

The ALAC welcomes the consolidation of information regarding travel support in the most efficient way where they can be easily found.

The ALAC supported travelers are the 15 ALAC members plus 2 regional leaders per RALO (2X5=10) plus the liaisons mentioned in the bylaw (to GNSO, ccNSO and SSAC). The total number of the ALAC supported travelers is: 28 (15+10+3) and not 25 as mentioned in the proposed Guidelines, or 27 as was used for the FY13 Draft Guidelines (the final version could not be located on the ICANN web site).

As for the proposed modifications to the travel support policy, the ALAC thinks that it is a positive measure to fix firm deadlines for the supported travelers to reply to the mails concerning their participation and the itinerary to be booked. It will make the meeting planning easier and more accurate.

Nevertheless, the ALAC believes that all the wire transfer fees should be reimbursable whatever their value is. $50 may not be an important amount to ICANN employees, but it is to many volunteer travelers.

Also, the ALAC considers that the community members should have normal circumstances for working during their stay. The approved arrival date should be one day before their first working day with sufficient time for rest before starting the work, and their approved departure date should be the next day of their last working day. It should be clearly mentioned in the community travel support guidelines that the approved travel dates must be defined according to each constituency schedule and in close coordination with the constituency officers and the related staff.

Although the ALAC appreciates the complexity of providing travel support for so many volunteers, and the exception process which allows variances, the ICANN staff interacting with travelers shouldbe given the flexibility to accommodate travel needs, at least up to the amount allowed by ICANN if the traveler were to book their own airfare.

While the ALAC recognizes that securing visa is the responsibility of the supported traveler, it strongly believes that ICANN should take the necessary actions to make the visa obtainment granted for all the community members. ICANN should negotiate with the host country the modalities for visa procurement for the ICANN community that make it easy for the traveler to apply and to obtain the visa.