[ALSC-Forum] Re: The At Large Seats Should Not Be Eliminated

[Esther Dyson]

thanks!

a useful answer!

But note that at this point the committee is still asking questions and 
*soliciting* answers.

Esther

At 13:58 22.05.01, you wrote:
>Esther Dyson wrote:
> > I'm sorry, but I don't think there should be forbidden questions.  Our job
> > is to consider the arguments, and the justifications.
>
>Then take the rationale behind my comment as an answer to your question.
>Here's a draft answer to the question raised in the Committee's May minutes.
>
>   "Should At-Large Director seats be eliminated and individual
>    involvement and representation addressed through the existing
>    ICANN structure?"
>
>No. The seats should not be eliminated. The representational structure of
>ICANN that existed at the time it was initially recognized by the U.S.
>Department of Commence called for an 18 member Board, with nine Directors
>elected by the Supporting Organizations and nine elected by the At Large
>Internet community. To date, ICANN has elected only five Directors from the
>At Large, and the model initially agreed among ICANN's founders, the
>Department of Commerce, and members of the Internet community who
>contributed to the organizational process has never been tried.
>
>To eliminate some or all of the At Large Director seats prior to the time
>that all nine At Large Directors had been elected and seated would create a
>deep and lasting distrust of the organization that it might never overcome.
>Members of the Internet community might rightfully claim that the At Large
>seats were eliminated because the Board had been captured by the Supporting
>Organization interests who were elected first.
>
>While it may be appropriate to reexamine the representational structure of
>the ICANN Board in the future, the ALSC believes it would be highly
>inappropriate to eliminate any At Large representation at this time -- when
>the seats to be eliminated have not yet been filled with duly elected
>representatives. In the Committee's opinion, ICANN's most valuable asset is
>the trust that it establishes with the Internet community, trust that would
>be undermined, perhaps forever, by breaking the initial promise made to the
>community for a Board equally balanced between Supporting Organization
>special interests and the more general interests of the worldwide Internet
>community.
>
>    ----
>
>Feel free to cut and paste.
>
>        -- Bret
>
>--
>Bret Fausett | fausett@lextext.com | http://www.lextext.com
>  HANCOCK, ROTHERT & BUNSHOFT, LLP
>  515 So. Figueroa Street, 16th Floor, Los Angeles CA 90071
>  Follow the ICANN Blog: http://www.lextext.com/icann
>___________________________________________________________



Esther Dyson			Always make new mistakes!
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