Re: [gnso-travel-dt] Re: TRAVEL DRAFTING TEAM COMMENTS NEEDED - Travel funding request from the Vertical Integration WG co-chairs

[Stéphane Van Gelder <stephane.vangelder@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi everyone.

Perhaps a little background info may be useful.

One of the VI WG's 2 co-chairs asked me to put this request to Council. We 
discussed a little amongst the Council leaders (Olga, Chuck and myself) and 
thought it was a topic for this DT. Considering the urgency of the request, we 
could not wait until Brussels to get a response from this DT.

The request was made because otherwise, the co-chair in question would have to 
pay his way to come to Brussels. He has indicated he is unwilling to do so.

Now my own perspective on this.

My initial reaction was exactly Tim's: it sets a precedent and opens Pandora's 
box. Why this WG and not chairs of others? I just don't see how we can defend 
this in front of a community that is constantly asking for tighter budget 
constraints.

I thoroughly understand the request though. Why should the co-chairs or chairs 
of any group pay out of their own pockets to do Icann's work? For some, the 
answer is that their employers or other support entities will pay, because it 
is in their interest to do so. But for others, that possibility doesn't exist. 
That being the case, the question for me then becomes: can the chairs rely on 
Icann's remote participation systems to stay involved? I think Nairobi showed 
the answer to be "yes". But as we all know, there's no substitute for actually 
being there...

So overall, I am not in favour of extra funding for WG and DT chairs, because 
these are (by definition) temporary positions that can be handled remotely and 
because it would then become impossible to determine where to draw the line on 
whom should be funded.

One last thing, I find Avri's proposed solution laughingly unfair. To say "let 
some SG take up this funding by donating their slots, but be warned that our SG 
would never do that" makes that argument very difficult to hear in my opinion.

But the idea in general is good. If there was a way to allow Council to 
allocate a slot for a WG chair, that slot coming from the "general pool" so 
that all GNSO SGs and constituencies participated in giving that slot, I think 
that would be both a fair and elegant way of solving this type of problem. But 
unfortunately I don't think it's possible, is it?

Stéphane

Le 24 mai 2010 à 23:20, Avri Doria a écrit :

> 
> Correction:
> 
> I probably should not have said reallocate funds, but travel slots and 
> support slots.
> Staff has not agreed to let SGs reallocate the funds, but the slots, though 
> of course many have asked for the later.
> 
> Nonetheless, if there is a SG that has not been using all of its slots, this 
> would be a way out of the current problem without creating precedent or 
> starting a new travel policy thread. 
> 
> a.
> 
> PS. NCSG doesn't have any to spare, and even we did we would not be allowed 
> to reallocate half of them. So obviously I am asking some other SG to be 
> magnanimous.  Fortunately neither of the co-chairs is NCSG so I am not asking 
> on behalf of my own SG.  Is there a support fund for ex-board members who do 
> not work in the ICANN business area and who show signs of being afflicted by 
> ICANN addiction (as exemplified by volunteering for tasks when there is no 
> financial gain for self or employer)?
> 
> On 24 May 2010, at 14:54, Avri Doria wrote:
> 
>> 
>> Hi
>> 
>> I believe it would set a precedent.  Perhaps not a bad precedent, but one 
>> that would need to be budgeted for as most WG chairs need to get to the 
>> meeting and some of them do not have persistent sources of support.
>> 
>> Is there money in the budget that is not being used by one of the SGs?  If 
>> so perhaps that SG could be asked to do this with its ability to re-allocate 
>> funds as they desire.
>> 
>> a.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On 24 May 2010, at 14:20, tim@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>> 
>>> Pandora's box I think. Have they requested it? I believe at least one of 
>>> them was planning to be there whether they were chairing a wg or not.
>>> 
>>> If we did this, wouldn't all chairs begin to expect it?
>>> 
>>> Tim
>>> From: Olga Cavalli <olgacavalli@xxxxxxxxx>
>>> Date: Mon, 24 May 2010 14:20:30 -0300
>>> To: K
>>> en Stubbs<kstubbs@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
>>> Cc: <gnso-travel-dt@xxxxxxxxx>; Gomes, Chuck<cgomes@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
>>> Subject: Re: [gnso-travel-dt] Re: TRAVEL DRAFTING TEAM COMMENTS NEEDED - 
>>> Travel funding request from the Vertical Integration WG co-chairs
>>> 
>>> Thanks Ken, other comments are also welcome.
>>> Regards
>>> Olga
>>> 
>>> 2010/5/24 Ken Stubbs <kstubbs@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
>>> Ken Stubbs wrote:
>>> 
>>> Seems like a very good idea...
>>> I am in favor..
>>> 
>>> Ken
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On 5/24/2010 10:06 AM, Olga Cavalli wrote:
>>>> Hi,
>>>> I am resending these emails to the Travel Drafting team list as they have 
>>>> not reached you before.
>>>> I would appreciate if you send comments on whether you think there is a 
>>>> good idea to fund the participation of the VI co-chairs to the Brussels 
>>>> meeting or not.
>>>> Althoug we will have a face to face meeting in Brussels with Kevin and 
>>>> staff to discuss this and other issues of interest, we should give 
>>>> feedback on this regard to the GNSO.
>>>> Best regards and looking forward to hearing from you soon.
>>>> Olga
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 2010/5/21 Olga Cavalli <olgacavalli@xxxxxxxxx>
>>>> Dear WT members,
>>>> In relation with the email below I would welcome your comments on whether 
>>>> you think there is a good idea to fund the participation of the VI 
>>>> co-chairs to the Brussels meeting or not.
>>>> Althoug we will have a face to face meeting in Brussels with Kevin and 
>>>> staff to discuss this and other issues of interest, we should give 
>>>> feedback on this regard to the GNSO.
>>>> I will welcome your comments.
>>>> Best regards
>>>> Olga
>>>> 
>>>> 2010/5/5 Olga Cavalli <olgacavalli@xxxxxxxxx>
>>>> Hi,
>>>> The VI WG co-chairs Mikey O'Connor and Roberto Gaetano have requested 
>>>> funding to be present at the Brussels meeting.
>>>> I would like to know what do our Travel DT think about this and if you 
>>>> think that this request should be submitted to the GNSO Council or not.
>>>> Your comments are welcome as soon as possible.
>>>> Best regards
>>>> Olga
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>> 
>> 
> 
>