[alac] ALAC bylaw change approved
The following resolution was just unanimously approved by ICANN's Board. A special thanks to ALAC Liaison, Roberto Gaetano, for guiding this resolution to passage. Denise michel@xxxxxxxxx Proposed ICANN Bylaws Changes on Interim ALAC's Certification of At- Large Structures Whereas, groups of individual Internet users throughout the world are encouraged to register as "At-Large Structures" and participate in ICANN decisions critical to the Internet's end users. Whereas, user groups that meet a few simple criteria can be certified as “At-Large Structures” by completing and submitting an application form to the At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC), and the ALAC reviews these applications, conducts due diligence, and votes via email on certification. Whereas, the ICANN Bylaws require 2/3 of all ALAC members to vote “yes” in order to certify groups as “At-Large Structures.” Whereas, after using and trying to improve this certification process for two years, and voting on 26 applications, the ALAC has found that the “super-majority” threshold for certification (10 votes) is cumbersome and unnecessary and can impede progress in building an At- Large network of user groups. Whereas, recently, three applications did not receive the required 2/3 votes, even though a majority of members voting supported the applications and only 1 "no" vote was cast against certification of one applicant. Whereas, the ALAC has determined that a change to these Bylaws is needed, and has discussed changes to the certification process at multiple open meetings and on publicly archived email lists. Whereas, to better enable the At-Large framework envisioned in the Bylaws to be created, the ALAC has unanimously recommended a change to the Bylaws that will require a 2/3 majority among all of the members of the ALAC who cast a vote to certify a group as an “At- Large Structure,” provided at least nine members of the ALAC cast a vote according to procedures adopted by the ALAC. Whereas, the ICANN Ombudsman recommended that the Board adopt this proposed Bylaws change. Whereas, the proposed ALAC Bylaw change has been posted for public comment on the At-Large ICANN webpage for over a month, and a notice requesting public comments also was posted on the ICANN homepage, and no comments opposing the bylaw change were received. Resolved (05.___) that the Bylaws change proposed by the ALAC is approved. |