[At-Large] Proposal: Rotating Chair for ALAC

[Thompson, Darlene]

BRILLIANT idea, Brett.

________________________________

From: alac-bounces at atlarge-lists.icann.org on behalf of RJGlass | America at Large
Sent: Sat 7/7/2007 10:43 PM
To: Bret Fausett
Cc: At-Large Worldwide
Subject: Re: [At-Large] Proposal: Rotating Chair for ALAC


I like the idea.

Randy Glass
A at L


On 7/6/07, Bret Fausett <bfausett at internet.law.pro> wrote: 

	Dear Colleagues,
	
	A few years ago, before the RALOs were formed, I proposed an idea to 
	the then-ALAC that I think is worth reconsidering.
	
	It occurred to me at ICANN's meeting in Mar del Plata, Argentina,
	while listening to our very good and very Italian Chair, Vittorio
	Bertola, address the Board, that it would have been a nice thing had 
	our *Argentinean* ALAC member, Sebastian Ricciardi, been the Chair
	and ALAC spokesperson for the Mar del Plata meeting *in Argentina.*
	This was nothing at all against Vittorio, who was a very good Chair
	for us at that time, but more a feeling that we could be doing more 
	to highlight the international nature of the ALAC by rotating the
	Chair among the five regions, in step with ICANN's meeting calendar.
	In recent discussions with ALAC members, I proposed the idea again,
	and because it was well received, I wanted to propose it formally on 
	the list. As long as we are revising our internal working rules, this
	is worth discussing.
	
	Here's the idea. At the end of every ICANN meeting, the members of
	the region that will host the *next* ICANN meeting select one of them 
	to act as Chair from that point through the last day of the next
	meeting. This will have a couple of positive effects. First, it will
	take the burden of acting as Chair off of a single individual and
	allow the ALAC to share the work among its members. Second, it will 
	give each region a chance to have one of its members serve as Chair,
	providing greater perspective and diversity to our work. It also will
	assist us in our outreach efforts, as this rotation will highlight
	for the regions the international nature of the ALAC. 
	
	The downside of the proposal, as I presented it in Argentina, was
	that we would lose some continuity at a time when we were trying to
	get the RALOs formed and get the ALAC up and running. Even though we
	are past the formational stages of the ALAC, I can still see the 
	continuity issue. Fortunately, one of my North American colleagues
	told me about the way the European Union handles *its* rotating
	Chair, and I immediately knew we had found our solution.
	
	If we follow the EU model of rotation, the ALAC would have an 
	Executive Committee consisting of the immediate Past Chair, the
	Current Chair, and the Prospective Chair. At the end of every ICANN
	meeting, the Past Chair would drop off the Executive Committee, the
	Current Chair would become the Past Chair, the Prospective Chair 
	would become the Chair, and a new Prospective Chair would be
	selected. The "Prospective Chair" would act as Vice-Chair of the ALAC.
	
	If applied to our current ALAC at the present time, the Executive 
	Committee would consist of Jacqueline Morris as Past Chair (she was
	Chair in Puerto Rico), a Chair from among the three North Americans
	(NA hosts the October, 2007 meeting), and a Prospective Chair from
	among the Asia Pacific representatives (AP hosts the February, 2008 
	meeting). When the ICANN meeting in Los Angeles closes, Jacqueline
	would drop off the Executive Committee, the North American would
	become the Past Chair, an Asian-Pacific Islander would become Chair,
	and a European would be selected as the Prospective Chair (Europe 
	will host the June, 2008 meeting).
	
	The nice thing about the EU-style rotation is that it ensures we
	have, at all times, a multinational Executive Committee, and it keeps
	continuity in our leadership, as every person selected will serve a 
	year on the Executive Committee.
	
	I think this would work very well, and I hope you will consider it.
	
	          Bret Fausett
	
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