Re: [ga] serious participation in ICANN processes

["Michael Froomkin - U.Miami School of Law" <froomkin@law.miami.edu>]

It depends on what "is" is.  If you are trying to answer what the rules
say the GA is, you're right.  I took the question to be asking what the GA
is in practice, in which case your answer is only as helpful as reading
the highway code to understand the behavior of Miami drivers.

On Wed, 4 Apr 2001, Bret Fausett wrote:

> Please explain. My point was to say:  a) this is a subject specific forum,
> so it's different than the "At Large"; b) the other SOs have "GAs" too, but
> they're implemented in a different fashion; and c) here's what the bylaws
> say about the DNSO's GA.
> 
> Now, if the quote from the bylaws was the elevation of form over substance,
> then I definitely agree. The bylaws clearly contemplate a more productive,
> participatory role for the General Assembly than it's been able to muster so
> far.
> 
>      -- Bret
> 
> 
> Michael Froomkin - U.Miami School of Law wrote:
> > Actually, although Bret and I usually agree, I think this elevates form
> > over substance.  The substance of the GA is that it is a debating forum
> > whose outputs do not, so far as I've been able to discern, have any
> > substantial influence on ICANN policy.
> > 
> > Are there counter-examples to this description?
> > 
> > On Wed, 4 Apr 2001, Bret Fausett wrote:
> > 
> >> Cindy Merry wrote:
> >>> This may be posted under the wrong thread but perhaps it's an appropriate
> >>> heading.  Is there a simple explanation about what the purpose of the
> >>> General Assembly is within the ICANN processes?
> >> 
> >> Cindy,
> >> 
> >> "Generally" speaking, a "general assembly" is a meeting place of everyone
> >> who is involved in a given area. There is a "General Assembly" meeting of
> >> the Address Supporting Organization this afternoon, for example, in
> >> conjunction with the ARIN meeting in San Francisco. ICANN's Address
> >> Supporting Organization and Protocol Supporting Organization have elected to
> >> have one "general assembly" meeting a year, usually to present status
> >> reports and elect Board members.
> >> 
> >> The Domain Names Supporting Organization, on the other hand, has chosen to
> >> implement the "General Assembly" concept both as an in-person meeting and as
> >> a virtual space in the form of this mailing list. This particular General
> >> Assembly is subject specific -- the domain name system ("DNS") -- and there
> >> are many aspects of ICANN that are outside its scope and purpose. In that
> >> sense, it is different from the "At Large" concept, which is intended to
> >> find a representative vehicle for Internet users to address the user
> >> perspective on *all* of the issues facing ICANN.
> >> 
> >> The DNSO's General Assembly meets in real space in conjunction with each
> >> quarterly ICANN meeting and continues its discussions on the DNS here.
> >> 
> >> A description of *this* general assembly is included in the ICANN bylaws:
> >> 
> >> Article VI-B, Section 4. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
> >> 
> >> (a) The GA shall be an open forum for participation in the work of the DNSO,
> >> and open to all who are willing to contribute effort to the work of the
> >> DNSO. The participants in the GA should be individuals who have a knowledge
> >> of and an interest in issues pertaining to the areas for which the DNSO has
> >> primary responsibility, and who are willing to contribute time, effort and
> >> expertise to the work of the DNSO, including work item proposal and
> >> development, discussion of work items, draft document preparation, and
> >> participation in research and drafting committees and working groups.
> >> 
> >> (b) The GA shall meet at least once a year, if possible in conjunction with
> >> regularly scheduled meetings of the Board. To the maximum extent
> >> practicable, all meetings should be available for online attendance as well
> >> as physical attendance.
> >> 
> >> (c) The costs of GA meetings shall be the responsibility of the DNSO, which
> >> may levy an equitable, cost-based fee on GA attendees to recoup those costs.
> >> There shall be no other fees required to participate in the GA.
> >> 
> >> (d) Participants in the GA shall nominate, pursuant to procedures adopted by
> >> the NC and approved by the Board, persons to serve on the Board in those
> >> seats reserved for the DNSO.
> >> 
> >> I hope that is helpful.
> >> 
> >>    -- Bret
> >> 
> >> --
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> >> 
> >> 
> 
> 

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