While there are certainly various reactions being contemplated in regards to the ICANN travel policy, this message is specifically intended to call attention to one interesting detail from Wednesday's teleconference on the issue. I refer to the summary minutes of the meeting: https://st.icann.org/alac/index.cgi?summary_minutes_20_august_2008 and the 12th paragraph, which currently begins:
D Michel wanted to address a couple of issues. First of all, she noted that nothing will essentially change for At-Large until a year from now.
This is very significant, if it is accurate, for it indicates a substantial change in policy from what we have been told to date. What I have been explicitly told by ICANN staff is that -- starting IMMEDIATELY with the Cairo meeting -- only the 15 ALAC members people would be funded. No liaisons, no RALO chairs or secretariats, and no regional ALS reps. I can understand the lack of regional rep funding for Cairo given that the Summit takes place the following meeting, and it is intended to welcome ALSs from everywhere. However, the cut off of Chair, Secretariat and Liaison funding is definitely not the "status quo" for At-Large. Denise's statement above, as reported in the summary minutes, appears to contradict the announcement of earlier cuts. However, I am informed that what she really meant to say (as was Doug in speaking of "maintaining the status quo") is that nothing will change **FOR ALAC ONLY**. An examination of the recording will confirm or deny what Denise was reported as saying, which means that either: - Indeed, nothing is changing for the next year, which means Liaison and RALO leadership funding for Cairo, Mexico City, and June 2009 in AsiaPac or - There is some doublespeak going on, which suggests that the status quo for At-Large is being maintained when it clearly is not. If even the ICANN staffer taking the summary minutes had not caught any intended nuance that distinguished between "ALAC" and "At-Large", why would we? As far as I know, ALAC and At-Large are not separated as budget categories. In any case, I look forward to the clarification of this matter. If, indeed, the At-Large status quo will not change this year, I applaud ICANN staff on this show of good faith, and look forward to its constructive engagement with At-Large on this and other issues. - Evan PS: I am very aware that Denise explicitly said that a few Summit organizers and two of the Liaisons would be funded to go to Cairo. But there is a difference between making some arbitrary exceptions to the cuts, and saying there is no change to what had been done before.