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June 4, 2001 To: ICANN Board of Directors From: Carl Bildt, on behalf of the At-Large Membership Study Committee (ALSC) Subject: Status Report for the At Large Membership Study Committee
The ALSC has been conducting a worldwide outreach, discussion, research, and consensus-building campaign that will culminate with a draft report in September, and a final report for the Board in November of this year, on the best method for representing the world's Internet users as individuals within ICANN and its decision-making process. We are still receiving input before coming to any conclusions. The Committee is encouraged by the active participation of so many people, which is helping us to understand the issues - background and challenges - before we look for consensus on what particular means of participation we should recommend to the Board. Since the Committee's previous report to the Board in March, the ALSC's proposed membership and budget was approved by the Board, results from our outreach meeting in Melbourne were posted on our website along with additional aggregate election data, we issued a "call for studies", solicited input and encouraged participation through email and other outreach mechanisms (including emails to ICANN's At-Large mailing list, previous members of the Membership Advisory Committee and the Membership Implementation Task Force), and we held our first ALSC working meeting on May 5 and 6. We also have had periodic conference calls to discuss our work and, our outreach efforts are augmented by informal outreach events. To date, ALSC Members have participated in nine informal outreach events in eight countries to generate interest and elicit views:
Our primary means of receiving and disseminating opinions and information, however, is through email (to increase global accessibility). The ALSC established an announcement mailing list, which now contains 5700 names, as well as an on-line forum to further enable people from around the world to discuss At-Large issues. Our website (www.atlargestudy.org) also has been an effective means for distributing information and facilitating involvement. It enables people to join our mailing list, share comments and discuss issues, learn about the Committee and its activities, and it also contains links to other relevant At-Large information and study efforts. The "call for studies" issued by the ALSC in April successfully solicited research examining roles, requirements, processes, and structures relating to individuals' involvement in international organizations. Some of these studies, as well as critical At-Large issues, will be discussed at the ALSC outreach meeting at the Stockholm International Fairs on June 5. At the Committee's June 3 and 4 working meeting, Members will determine where they are in agreement on certain defined key issues, and where there is more work and thought needed. The ALSC also will discuss conducting an analysis of the At-Large election, and will receive briefings on issues related to the PSO and the DNSO.
In the last three months, Members have had in-depth discussions on a
wide range of At-Large issues. A range of options are being examined
for involving individual users in ICANN -- from providing input through
the existing ICANN structure, to creating a new At-Large structure --
from electing all Directors via an At-Large membership, to electing
none. As directed, we are conducting a "clean sheet" study.
By examining all of the issues, decisions and activities related to
At-Large, and leaving no question un-asked, we believe our final product
will be more defensible, executable, and effective. Any inference that the term "clean sheet study," or the
terms of reference for the study issued to the ALSC by the Board,
indicates a bias on the part of the ALSC for or against the current
structure of At-Large membership or Board Going forward, we expect our meeting and work schedule to include:
(Note: events in parentheses are informal outreach events involving 1-2 ALSC Members) |
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