At-Large Follow-up Technical Liaison Group Bylaws Revisions Workspace

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FINAL VERSION TO BE SUBMITTED IF RATIFIED

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FINAL DRAFT VERSION TO BE VOTED UPON BY THE ALAC

The At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) is responding to the ICANN Board resolution regarding "Technical Liaison Group Bylaws Revisions" (http://www.icann.org/en/groups/board/documents/resolutions-07feb14-en.htm#1.c) and its accompanying rationale (http://www.icann.org/en/groups/board/documents/resolutions-07feb14-en.htm#1.c.rationale) dated 7 February 2014. The ALAC had submitted a Statement on the Proposed Bylaws Changes Regarding the Technical Liaison Group https://community.icann.org/download/attachments/43981307/AL-ALAC-ST-1213-01-00-EN.pdf on 16 December 2013.

The ALAC has two concerns:

1) removal of the Technical Liaison Group (TLG) delegate to the Nominating Committee (NomCom).

Removing the TLG delegate from the Nominating Committee (NomCom) weakens the coverage and undermines the inclusion of the Internet community in ICANN's governance processes.

The rationale given by the Board ("the Board notes that each of the four organizations that make up the TLG are already engaged in ongoing community outreach efforts. The removal of the NomCom TLG delegate does not prevent these organizations from continuing with their outreach efforts.") misses the purpose of the NomCom. The NomCom is an independent committee tasked with selecting a majority of the members of ICANN's Board of Directors and other key positions in ICANN's Advisory Committees (AC) and Supporting Organisations (SO). NomCom members are not accountable to their appointing constituencies, but for adherence to the ICANN Bylaws and for compliance with the rules and procedures established by the NomCom.

Having a person of technical expertise (such as the TLG delegate) on the NomCom aids the NomCom to:

• Recruit persons with technical expertise for positions in ICANN's structures, not just for outreach for involvement in ICANN's public policy development.
• Evaluate candidates' technical expertise being considered by the NomCom for positions in ICANN's structures.
• Select the best candidates for positions in ICANN's structures.

The outreach component in the NomCom is about getting persons to be IN ICANN, not just bringing information about ICANN to persons who have not heard about ICANN before.

The ALAC cannot find any compelling reason[s] to refute these benefits and therefore advise against removal of the TLG delegate to the NomCom.

2) The rationale of removing volunteer positions to save ICANN money.

The ALAC is very disappointed with the ICANN Board's rationale that the removal of the TLG Liaison to the ICANN Board and the TLG delegate to the NomCom "is anticipated to have a positive fiscal impact on ICANN" and "will provide a financial savings to ICANN".

This is the first time this reason was introduced and contradicts the rationale given by the ICANN Board in its September 28 2013 Board resolution (http://www.icann.org/en/groups/board/documents/resolutions-28sep13-en.htm#2.e) which stated, "This action is not anticipated to have a fiscal impact on ICANN."

It disparages the volunteers, not only those that have served on the TLG as liaisons to the Board or as delegates to the NomCom, but the multi-stakeholder volunteers (especially those not financed by industry players) in ICANN. Such disparagement of volunteers' efforts who contribute time and energy to ICANN's policy work away from their work and family does not portray ICANN in a positive light, especially given ICANN's expanded efforts of engaging with the global Internet community involved in Internet Governance issues.

It is counter-intuitive for ICANN, an organisation that relies on volunteers' goodwill to participate in ICANN's multi-stakeholder model, to advance such a statement.

FIRST DRAFT SUBMITTED

The At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) is responding to the ICANN Board resolution regarding "Technical Liaison Group Bylaws Revisions" (http://www.icann.org/en/groups/board/documents/resolutions-07feb14-en.htm#1.c) and its accompanying rationale (http://www.icann.org/en/groups/board/documents/resolutions-07feb14-en.htm#1.c.rationale) dated 7 February 2014. The ALAC had submitted a Statement on the Proposed Bylaws Changes Regarding the Technical Liaison Group https://community.icann.org/download/attachments/43981307/AL-ALAC-ST-1213-01-00-EN.pdf on 16 December 2013.

The ALAC has two concerns:

1) removal of the Technical Liaison Group (TLG) delegate to the Nominating Committee (NomCom).

Removing the TLG delegate from the Nominating Committee (NomCom) weakens the coverage and undermines the inclusion of the Internet community in ICANN's governance processes.

The rationale given by the Board ("the Board notes that each of the four organizations that make up the TLG are already engaged in ongoing community outreach efforts. The removal of the NomCom TLG delegate does not prevent these organizations from continuing with their outreach efforts.") misses the purpose of the NomCom. The NomCom is an independent committee tasked with selecting a majority of the members of ICANN's Board of Directors and other key positions in ICANN's Advisory Committees (AC) and Supporting Organisations (SO). NomCom members are not accountable to their appointing constituencies, but for adherence to the ICANN Bylaws and for compliance with the rules and procedures established by the NomCom.

Having a person of technical expertise (such as the TLG delegate) on the NomCom aids the NomCom to:

• Recruit persons with technical expertise for positions in ICANN's structures, not just for outreach for involvement in ICANN's public policy development.
• Evaluate candidates' technical expertise being considered by the NomCom for positions in ICANN's structures.
• Select the best candidates for positions in ICANN's structures.

The outreach component in the NomCom is about getting persons to be IN ICANN, not just bringing information about ICANN to persons who have not heard about ICANN before.

The ALAC cannot find any compelling reason[s] to refute these benefits and therefore advise against removal of the TLG delegate to the NomCom.

2) The rationale of removing volunteer positions to save ICANN money.

The ALAC is very disappointed with the ICANN Board's rationale that the removal of the TLG Liaison to the ICANN Board and the TLG delegate to the NomCom "is anticipated to have a positive fiscal impact on ICANN" and "will provide a financial savings to ICANN".

This is the first time this reason was introduced and contradicts the rationale given by the ICANN Board in its September 28 2013 Board resolution (http://www.icann.org/en/groups/board/documents/resolutions-28sep13-en.htm#2.e) which stated, "This action is not anticipated to have a fiscal impact on ICANN."

It disparages the volunteers, not only those that have served on the TLG as liaisons to the Board or as delegates to the NomCom, but the multi-stakeholder volunteers (especially those not financed by industry players) in ICANN. Such disparagement of volunteers' efforts who contribute time and energy to ICANN's policy work away from their work and family does not portray ICANN in a positive light, especially given ICANN's expanded efforts of engaging with the global Internet community involved in Internet Governance issues.

It is counter-intuitive for ICANN, an organisation that relies on volunteers' goodwill to participate in ICANN's multi-stakeholder model, to advance such a statement.