Dear all, In view of a few queries we have been receiving, staff thought it might be helpful to compile the following mini-FAQ regarding where and how to find information, and who to direct questions to: 1. Who can join the Working Group (WG) calls? Only WG members may join the weekly calls (unless exceptions are made for certain calls and announced beforehand). Call-in and Adobe Connect details are therefore sent only to WG members via the “ntfy” mailing address – members are requested to not circulate these details without first consulting the WG co-chairs. However, WG sessions held during ICANN Public Meetings are generally open to all – including Observers and members of the public. Remote participation and call-in details for these open sessions are normally posted on the ICANN meeting schedule and also mirrored/compiled by the GNSO Secretariat for the convenience of GNSO community members. 2. As an Observer, if I can’t join the calls how can I follow the WG discussions that take place on the calls? All WG calls – including Sub Team calls – are recorded and transcribed. Along with the weekly agenda, documents and Adobe Connect virtual meeting room chat transcript, these are all uploaded to the WG online wiki space shortly following each call: https://community.icann.org/x/wCWAAw. 3. I’m a WG Member but can’t attend a particular call. Who do I inform and why do I need to do that? If you are not able to be on a call, please inform the GNSO Secretariat (gnso-secs@icann.org)<mailto:gnso-secs@icann.org)> as soon as possible. Please refrain from sending apologies to the whole email list ☺ Per GNSO guidelines and practice, attendance is taken on every call – and in the WG’s Final Report these numbers are reported so being able to record who was absent with/without apologies is helpful for purposes of ensuring accuracy. 4. How do I change my status from Observer to Member (and vice versa)? It’s simple - just email the GNSO Secretariat (gnso-secs@icann.org)<mailto:gnso-secs@icann.org)> with your request. For Observers who wish to become Members, please note that this will entail your filling out a Statement of Interest if you have not done so previously. 5. Who do I contact if I have any other questions? Feel free to contact any of the staff members who are supporting this WG at any time! Besides myself, David Tait and the GNSO Secretariat are also always available to assist if we can. 6. Where can I find more information about how to participate more effectively online? · The next GNSO Working Group Communications Tools webinar is scheduled for 26 July 2016 at 1300 UTC. If you’re new to the GNSO or this Working Group, or simply have questions about Adobe Connect, the WG wiki or other online mechanisms used for ICANN/GNSO policy work, you can sign up for this webinar here: http://goo.gl/forms/mR4HD9XNZU. · There are also several online modules and toolkits that we continue to develop, to assist newcomers with participation - there is a general module at http://learn.icann.org/courses/newcomer-toolkit (about ICANN’s Expected Standards of Behavior and Mailing List Etiquette) and Policy Staff have developed one specifically for the GNSO as well: http://learn.icann.org/courses/gnso (covering the GNSO structure, Council, and the development of ICANN Consensus Policy). Thank you! Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have questions or suggestions. Cheers Mary Mary Wong Senior Policy Director Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) Email: mary.wong@icann.org Telephone: +1-603-5744889