Dear BC Members, Please find below a note from the Chair, Marilyn Cade, following ICANN's request of community input on academia representation on the NomCom. Kindest Regards,Benedetta RossiBC Secretariat ============= Dear BC Members: As BC Chair, I do strongly recommend that the choice of academic representative to the NomCom is significant. An academic from a CIO role, or CTO role, or who engages in privacy or technical research will have a different perspective, and contacts, from an academic who is studying ICANN. We are more accustomed to that latter -- or academics who are studying Internet Governance. The vast majority of academics, and the CIOs/CTOs who might make a constructive contribution to ICANN are not aware of, or following its work. I am not sure that a single academic entity with presence/representation globally can be identified to play this role. In the US, EDUCAUSE/Internet2 would be a logical entity, but they would have to commit to undertaking global outreach. IF they would be willing to engage in an effective process, that might be useful. Internet2 might be the most logical to organize such an effort.... If it is not possible to have an effective and neutral approach, the seat on the NomCom will lapse. Marilyn CadeBC Chair ============= Public Comment: Community Input Requested on Academia Representation on NomCom30 April 2011On 21 April 2011, the ICANN Board approved the initiation of a 30-day period of public comment to obtain community input to inform the BGC's future work on the feasibility of identifying an entity to make appointments to the NomCom as called for in Article VII, Section 2.8.c of the Bylaws. The public comment will also address the potential proposed Bylaws amendments[PDF, 64 KB] regarding the removal of this Bylaws provision in the event that the public comment does not result in the identification of an appropriate entity or process for identifying such an entity.Staff Responsible: Amy A. Stathos, Deputy General CounselDeadline and How to Submit Comments: The Staff is opening a 30-day public consultation forum, from 30 April 2011 through 23:59 UTC, 30 May 2011, on this matter. During this period, the ICANN community and public are invited to submit comments via e-mail to academia-nomcom@icann.org.To view comments: An archive of all comments received will be publicly posted athttp://forum.icann.org/lists/academia-nomcom/.