[ALAC] ALAC in an evolving ICANN.

Alan Greenberg alan.greenberg at mcgill.ca
Sat Jun 30 17:13:17 UTC 2012


Gee, some of you people do not know how to take a weekend off after a 
rather tiring ICANN week.

I will be commenting on this at some length, but not today!

Not sure why this is on the regular list and the internal one, but 
keeping my reply on the regular list.

Alan

At 30/06/2012 12:41 PM, Wolf Ludwig wrote:
>Dear Fouad, Jean-Jacques and all,
>
>as sb. who has no say here neither, I dare to express my opinion as well:
>
>* to me, JJ's suggestions seem to be well measured and appealing 
>with a clear diversification of roles, commitments and 
>sub-responsibilities as an accomplishment - or discharge - of the 
>multi-multi functions of the Chair. I am often wondering how one 
>person / Olivier can meet all those expectations and roles without 
>sliding into a burnout sooner or later?
>
>* I have not understood that JJ suggests more positions or any 
>sounding titles but is advocating for a clearer assignment of 
>complementary functions to make the ALAC leadership more effective 
>and prepared for new and increasing challenges!
>
>Therefore, I entirely agree with his suggestions what may also 
>strengthen regional aspects and concerns.
>
>I would have strongly appreciated such moves, models and discussions 
>in Prague -- instead of repetitive briefings and permanent dancing 
>in a round (like secondary language or procedure issues etc.), as 
>mentioned at the ExCom meeting ;-)
>
>Kind regards,
>Wolf
>
>
>Fouad Bajwa wrote Sat, 30 Jun 2012 11:03
> >Dear JJS,
> >
> >I believe we are At-Large and not extra ordinary. Why not allow the Chair
> >to appoint Special Advisors instead of so many Vice Chairs should the Chair
> >require it on adhoc basis and that ends as soon as the task ends.
> >
> >Even appointing more Vice Chairs would be a legal concern and would require
> >equal consensual deliberation.
> >
> >In today's world flatter organizations achieve more because of remote
> >dispersion but 24/7 Internet based availability. Highly structured
> >organizations are a vision and bureaucracies of the past and are crumbling.
> >
> >ALAC has wonderfully pragmatic and ethically sound members from my POV and
> >they do not need additional VP posts as such posts are to boast and do not
> >add to the great meaningful contributions they make.
> >
> >ALAC would sound like a bank with such designations in a large number and
> >it feels that we want to make another structured ICANN in ICANN.
> >
> >Though I do not know the fine print in details of what provoked such a
> >motivation but WG and their Chairs work so make 3 or more alac WGs with 3
> >or more Chairs.
> >
> >You should look at the ICANN board. There is one Chair with the rest as
> >members of the board where as the board members chair a number of board
> >committee.
> >
> >Let us be At-Large and not Extraordinarily Structured.
> >
> >Fouad Bajwa
> >On Jun 30, 2012 6:22 AM, "JJS" <jjs.global at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >> *This is to follow up on comments by Carlton and Fouad:*
> >> *
> >> *
> >> *Dear Carlton,*
> >> *- thanks for supporting the general idea.*
> >> *- You suggest this be discussed at the next ALAC meeting, and taken to
> >> the ALAC RoP WG: I agree. As I'm not a member of the RoP WG, I would
> >> appreciate being associated with its work if my proposal is taken up.*
> >> *
> >> *
> >> *Dear Fouad,*
> >> *- thank you for your support.*
> >> *- Number of Vice Chairs: I do not hold any religious belief about this.
> >> I say no to 5 because representation of regions is not the point here. I
> >> put forward the figure 3 because, IMO, the main tasks of ALAC fit into 3
> >> categories.*
> >> *- You suggest entrusting these 3 lines of responsibility to RALO
> >> representatives, and not to ALAC members. This requires legal advice on
> >> whether the two solutions are really equivalent (voting rights, etc.).*
> >> *
> >> *
> >> *Best regards,*
> >> *Jean-Jacques.*
> >> *
> >> *
> >> *
> >> *
> >> 2012/6/30 Fouad Bajwa <fouadbajwa at gmail.com>
> >>
> >>> As an observer with no say in this, though I support many of the
> >>> suggestions, I do not support 5 Vice Chairs for ALAC. There 
> should be just
> >>> one vice chair to help the chair or two to sit in on his behalf if
> >>> anything
> >>> arises.
> >>>
> >>> Why have so many vice chairs when there are reps to the alac from the
> >>> ralos. They are already helping the chair. You can have more reps on the
> >>> alac if the work increases. Creating more positions in alac 
> should reflect
> >>> ralo needs and not a new organizational structure on the top to honour
> >>> people.
> >>>
> >>> Strengthen ralo participation and alac would appear evolving if you see
> >>> ralo leaders rising up to share the alac burden, not the other 
> way around.
> >>>
> >>> vice chairs from ralos should then be allowed to participate in alac work
> >>> if there is too much burden. Have the vice chairs from ralos come in as
> >>> additional vice chairs to alac should the need arise but 5 vice chairs in
> >>> alac is out of the question and gives undue authority to members to male
> >>> public statements without following the bottom up process. No more
> >>> structures should be made. The new gtlds do not call for more structures,
> >>> they call for efficiency while sustaining transparency. Resolve the
> >>> process
> >>> obstacles and you will he happy without more structures.
> >>>
> >>> If our regional reps made such suggestions for new vice chairs without
> >>> discussing with their ralo then I will be disappointed.
> >>>
> >>> Fouad Bajwa
> >>> On Jun 29, 2012 4:07 PM, "JJS" <jjs.global at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> > *Dear Olivier & Colleagues,*
> >>> > *
> >>> > *
> >>> > *at the end of today's ExeCom meeting, under AOB, Olivier 
> kindly gave me
> >>> > the opportunity to present some views on ALAC in an evolving ICANN. *
> >>> > *
> >>> > *
> >>> > *Background & rationale *
> >>> > *
> >>> > *
> >>> > *At the age of 10, ALAC naturally shares many characteristics with its
> >>> > parent, ICANN. One striking characteristic is the pioneer spirit in
> >>> > approaching major challenges and more routine work alike.*
> >>> > *
> >>> > *
> >>> > *Times are changing. Youth want to be included. Though faulty, the new
> >>> gTLD
> >>> > programme is about to provide a sizeable increase in ICANN revenue, the
> >>> > allocation of which has not yet been prioritized according to clear
> >>> > principles. In some areas, project overlay and the constraints of PDP
> >>> are
> >>> > making us susceptible to burnout. And the concerns of the wider
> >>> community
> >>> > are still not in focus in our house, in which terms like globalization
> >>> and
> >>> > the public interest ring empty in the large corridors.*
> >>> > *
> >>> > *
> >>> > *Change in ICANN is coming. The international dimension of ICANN will
> >>> > impose its logic, even without the full consent of this corporation.
> >>> > Echelons of decision will be simplified, because failing to accomplish
> >>> this
> >>> > would push our structures into irrelevance. The new CEO seems committed
> >>> to
> >>> > accomplishing tasks begun, before being drawn into new areas.*
> >>> > *
> >>> > *
> >>> > *The ALAC should seize this moment to examine its efficiency, and
> >>> therefore
> >>> > its structures. My proposal is based on a few simple ideas whose
> >>> > implementation has proven efficient elsewhere.*
> >>> > *
> >>> > *
> >>> > *Clear, committed lines of responsibility. *
> >>> > *
> >>> > *
> >>> > *ALAC's tasks can be handled under three main lines. Each line would be
> >>> led
> >>> > by a Vice Chair, and each member would be required to join at least one
> >>> of
> >>> > the three lines:*
> >>> > *1) Community, Outreach, Communication*
> >>> > *2) Policy, Process, Legal*
> >>> > *3) Finance, administration*
> >>> > *
> >>> > *
> >>> > *Naturally, this would remain under the overall guidance of the Chair,
> >>> > whose responsibilities would not change, but he/she would no longer be
> >>> > expected to accept being constantly submerged. Support Staff, a crucial
> >>> > element for ALAC, would not require more people, at least in the first
> >>> > stage.*
> >>> > *
> >>> > *
> >>> > *Why 3 Vice Chairs? Why not 5, which would make regional representation
> >>> > comfortable? I believe that the challenges facing ALAC are well beyond
> >>> the
> >>> > pale of regions, and require both a holistic approach and equal
> >>> engagement
> >>> > from all. My proposal is to concentrate on the efficiency of our
> >>> > structures, rather than on representation, as the latter is ensured at
> >>> > other levels.*
> >>> > *
> >>> > *
> >>> > *This is, in a few lines, what motivated my brief presentation this
> >>> morning
> >>> > at the end of the ExeCom meeting. I'm looking forward to your 
> comments.*
> >>> > *
> >>> > *
> >>> > *Best regards,*
> >>> > *Jean-Jacques.*
> >>> > *
> >>> > *
> >>> > *
> >>> > *
> >>> > *
> >>> > *
> >>> > *
> >>> > *
> >>> > _______________________________________________
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> >>> >
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> >>> >
> >>> 
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> >>> >
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> >>> >
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> >>
> >>
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>
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