RE: [ifwp] SO seats on the Board (was Problems)

[Pete Farmer <pfarmer@strategies-u.com>]

David Schutt [mailto:david@speco.com] wrote:
>A pretty big one. The Supporting Organizations (whomever 
>they might be, but I'm assuming Arin, Ripe, Apnic, 
>IETF/IAB, and some yet to be determined Domain 
>Organization) has nine (9) guaranteed seats on the Board 
>of Directors. These seats are appointed by the leadership 
>of the Supporting Organizations. Why? What possible purpose 
>does this serve? I have yet to hear a rational explanation 
>of what positive effect is achieved by giving the 
>Supporting Organizations such enormous power, and 
>oversight over their own operations.

Two points:
1) The seats in question are not to be "appointed by the leadership" of
the SOs.  The nominees to the seats are to be chosen by the SOs via a
method to be chosen by each individual SO (including, quite possibly, a
wholly democratic process).

2) Why do it this way?  I think it's to ensure that the Board will not
be dominated by a single set of interests.  Were all of the seats to be
chosen at large, it's conceivable, for example, that a single interest
group (choose your favorite boogeyman, be it trademark lobbyists,
"domain name rights" groups, or technoweenies) would dominate the Board.

The purpose, as I see it, is to create an appropriate level of detente
among key interests.

I prefer the IANA Draft 5 proposal to an "all at-large" proposal.  To
those who would advocate only having at-large Board members, I warn --
Be careful what you wish for; you might get it.

I favor establishing a membership system and selection of at-large Board
seats by the members -- when there's a good plan for handling this on
the table.  

Which there isn't at present.

Nevertheless, Draft 5 *stengthens* Draft 4's presumption that a
membership structure and a membership voting system will be created.
I'm quite satisfied with Draft 5's language on this issue.

All around, in fact, I am pleased with how Draft 5 incorporates the
latest round of comments.  I expect that even those who, three weeks
ago, were declaring that IANA's drafts needed to be "completely
rewritten" might now find Draft 5 damned close to the mark.

Pete
______________________________________________________________________
Peter J. Farmer                    mailto:pfarmer@strategies-u.com
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