Hi Izumi
100 ALS members at one meeting isn't an extreme counter case - it was discussed in the teleconference today as a suggestion brought up by Sebastién for the October meeting.
I AGREED with Alice about the per diem. I'm one of the poor ones who cannot easily find $800 US in a couple of weeks. I've already brought it up as a problem with the travel staff. However, the UN uses this system, and a lot of orgs follow the UN system with regard to travel.
I disagree that we could have multiple systems that people could pick from - that's a recipe for disaster - per diem is perfectly reasonable and applied in a lot of organizations worldwide; the requirement to use one travel agency is not a major hardship given that it is a large, multilingual international agency. People can use a different agency, with permission from ICANN in advance. That's in the policy!
The problem is the implementation in a short timeframe of a whole new travel system. There will be bugs. I've addressed the two items of Alice's email separately. The question about upgradeable tickets was addressed - if you want it and it isn't more expensive, you ask for and get permission from ICANN. Similarly if you have other travel issues. People get adjustments all the time.
Those who have problems (including myself) need to talk to the travel staff and get them sorted out.
It isn't a conspiracy, it isn't a major drama, it isn't something that is designed to screw ALAC as opposed to everyone else. It's an administrative issue - some bugs with the implementation of a new system in a short period of time.
Jacqueline
-----Original Message-----
From: Izumi AIZU [mailto:iza@anr.org]
Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2007 1:47 PM
To: jam@jacquelinemorris.com
Cc: alice; Wendy Seltzer; At-Large Worldwide
Subject: Re: [At-Large] Add to agenda for teleconf: travel policy to exclude participation
2007/6/13, Jacqueline A. Morris <jam@jacquelinemorris.com>:
> However, this is a new system and there will be kinks - I don't think that
> any of this is part of a nefarious plot to prevent participation. Rather,
> the whole new system is part of the plan to be able to handle more and more
> AtLarge participation. Can you imagine the admin overhead of a reimbursement
> system if we have 100 AtLarge ALS reps attending a meeting? Or ICANN paying
> 100 different travel agencies for the same 100 travellers?
I think bringing the extreme case counter-argument is not productive,
Jacqueline.
What I would see as a pragmatic solution is, for those who can abide with
the standard system, like per-diem, it can be the default.
So maybe out of 100 ALSes, 60 may accept that and 40 may go differently.
Which is still far better than all 100 individual handling.
What Alice is saying is more on per-diem, not the travel agency arrangement.
Mixing the two different issues may also not be productive.
I have organized some regional meetings in Tokyo for WSIS and supported
some 40 people for travel fellowship and visa and all arrangements, actually
twice. I understand what kind of burden ICANN staff and travel agent
have. But that is part of work and good system and experience with
learning and
cooperation will help. I hope that will be the case here, too.
izumi
> So I would urge patience and to work with Nick to get to San Juan.
> Jacqueline
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: alice [mailto:alice@apc.org]
> Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2007 12:56 PM
> To: Wendy Seltzer
> Cc: At-Large writ small
> Subject: Re: [At-Large] Add to agenda for teleconf: travel policy to exclude
> participation
>
> Was not called for the teleconference at all today so missed it entirely!
>
> among other things, I had wanted to add my concerns regarding the
> recent travel policies. Indeed, there has been a need to have a clear
> uniform travel policy for the ALAC, however, I do agree with Wendy.
> Some aspects of the new travel policy are indeed ridiculous and
> unacceptable. For example, there is provision for per diem system but
> the per diem is refunded after the event, how is that supposed to work?
> further, tickets being purchased through the new travel agency are not
> upgradeable. tickets that can be upgraded as well as timely
> communication regarding accommodation, should be minimum. ALAC members
> attend these meetings to work and it is unacceptable to have volunteers
> treated in this manner!
>
> alice
>
>
> Wendy Seltzer wrote:
> > Unless ICANN has dealt with them by the call, I'd like to take 2 minutes
> > to raise my concerns about ridiculous implementation of the new travel
> > policies. So far, I've seen a use of process to exclude participation,
> > which I'd hate to think was ICANN's intent in streamlining its policies.
> >
> > --Wendy
> >
>
>
>
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--
>> Izumi Aizu <<
Institute for HyperNetwork Society
Kumon Center, Tama University
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<< Writing the Future of the History >>
www.anr.org
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