Hello All, Article IV, Section 4 of the ICANN bylaws requires the ICANN Board to organise regular reviews of each Supporting Organisation, Council, and Advisory Committee. The relevant bylaw text is included at the end of this message. The first review is a review of the GNSO Council (rather than the whole GNSO supporting organisation). This is due to be completed before the ICANN annual general meeting in Dec 04. The review must be undertaken by an entity or entities independent of the GNSO Council. The goal of the review is: (i) whether that organization has a continuing purpose in the ICANN structure, and (ii) if so, whether any change in structure or operations is desirable to improve its effectiveness. The criteria and standards for the review are set by the Board. I recommend that the GNSO Council carry out a "self-review" to provide a starting document for the external review. The recommend that the Council form a small sub-committee to establish the process and questions to be considered for the self-review for consideration by the whole Council. A good starting point for such a sub-committee would be to hold a teleconference amongst those that attended a meeting with the ICANN staff in Kuala Lumpur to discuss ways of improving the interaction between the Council and ICANN staff. Regards, Bruce Tonkin http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#IV Section 4. PERIODIC REVIEW OF ICANN STRUCTURE AND OPERATIONS 1. The Board shall cause a periodic review, if feasible no less frequently than every three years, of the performance and operation of each Supporting Organization, each Supporting Organization Council, each Advisory Committee (other than the Governmental Advisory Committee), and the Nominating Committee by an entity or entities independent of the organization under review. The goal of the review, to be undertaken pursuant to such criteria and standards as the Board shall direct, shall be to determine (i) whether that organization has a continuing purpose in the ICANN structure, and (ii) if so, whether any change in structure or operations is desirable to improve its effectiveness. The results of such reviews shall be posted on the Website for public review and comment, and shall be considered by the Board no later than the second scheduled meeting of the Board after such results have been posted for 30 days. The consideration by the Board includes the ability to revise the structure or operation of the parts of ICANN being reviewed by a two-thirds vote of all members of the Board. 2. The first of such reviews, to be initiated no later than 15 December 2003 and to be completed in time for Board consideration at ICANN's annual meeting in 2004, shall be of the GNSO Council and the ICANN Root Server System Advisory Committee. The second of such reviews, to be initiated no later than 15 November 2004 and to be completed in time for Board consideration at ICANN's annual meeting in 2005, shall be of the ccNSO, the ccNSO Council, and such other organizations as the Board may designate. 3. The Governmental Advisory Committee shall provide its own review mechanisms.