Proposed approach to travel funding in the ICANN operating plan

April 5, 2006

      Hello All,

Based on discussions I have had over the past two ICANN meetings, there
seems to be reasonable support for ICANN to fund some of the travel
expenses for members of the Council and task forces.   

Even though some Council members are employed by members of the Internet
industry that may seem like well resourced organisations, the reality is
that it is becoming increasingly difficult for Council and task force
members to get regular travel support to attend several meetings a year
where there is not a direct commercial return from each meeting.   The
Internet industry is intensely competitive and most organizations in the
industry manage costs very tightly.  Some of these organisations already
feel they are making a significant contribution through the time that
they allow their staff to spend on ICANN matters.   Note that ICANN
already funds some of the travel of members of ICANN's nominating
committee, the Council members appointed by the Nominating committee,
and members of the At-Large Advisory Committee.

Recent experience with meetings in Washington and Wellington have shown
that face-to-face meetings are an important part of making more rapid
progress on complex policy issues.

However I don't believe that ICANN funding of travel should be taken for
granted, and any recipients of funding should ensure that they have done
significant work in advance of travelling to any physical meeting.

I intend to submit feedback to the Kurt Pritz with respect to the
Operating Plan for 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007.

Here is my proposal so far:

(1) GNSO Council 
- All GNSO Council members should receive travel support consistent with
the support provided to other members of the ICANN community (e.g ICANN
Board, nominating committee etc) for the three ICANN meetings per year.
- I assume that there is some sort of consistent ICANN travel policy for
the organisation, with respect to things like class of airline travel,
class of hotel accommodation etc.

(2) For major PDPs that are of strategic significance to the
organisation
- e.g new gTLDs, IDNs, and WHOIS
- that allowance be made for up to three face-to-face meetings a year
separate from the normal ICANN meetings
- that funding be provided for:
-- the chair of the committee/task force
-- one representative from each constituency (not including the chair)
-- one of the three appointees from the Nominating committee (not
including the chair)
-- each representative would need to apply to the Council for funding,
and provide information on the outreach conducted by that
representative, as well as a written summary of material that will be
used as part of the physical meeting.  This application would be public.
If an application was inadequate the Council could decide to deny
funding.
- the location of the face-to-face meetings have a studio-quality
audio-visual environment that allows for effective remote participation

The intent is that meetings may be rotated around the major regions of
the world, and that representatives that are located close to the
location for the meeting would receive no funding for that meeting.
Each rep would also typically have the opportunity to be funded once per
year, assuming that the role is rotated.

Please let me know any feedback, before I submit to Kurt Pritz.

Regards,
Bruce Tonkin

Bruce Tonkin

Philip Sheppard

Marilyn Cade

Philip Sheppard

Sophia B

Ross Rader

Sophia B

Marilyn Cade

Sophia B

Marilyn Cade

Sophia B

Sophia B

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