update: OFB mtgs - for NARALO Sept. 2024

Items ratified by ALAC:

* IRP-IOT  (Independent review process - implementation oversight team) -- this concerns the work of a panel to develop dispute rules that conform with international arbitration norms, are easy to understand and fair to all parties. There has been a by-law amendment which requires some revision of supplemental procedures. The team of Greg Shatan, Pari Esfandiari, Bukola Oronti, and Claire Craig produced a comment which was open for further suggestions until Sept.6 and which is now being voted on by the ALAC. That comment is supporting most of the proposed revisions but adding the following reservations:
•	Rule 3.3 - Definition for "capacity", further clarity could be helpful.
•	Rule 3.5 - The 7-day window for conducting thorough conflict checks, especially for larger law firms or organizations. A minimum of two weeks is recommended.
•	Rule 4B does not address the delays caused by engaging in the Cooperative Engagement Process (CEP). Additional clarity and procedural alignment are recommended.
•	Rule 4D, the definition of "limited circumstances" is ambiguous. Additional clarity is recommended.

*Draft strategic and operational plan for fiscal years 2026-2030.  There was an on-line questionnaire which received responses from 41 At Large members, including all 15 ALAC members. The drafting team compiled these responses including pie charts visually indicating results from each question and compiled comments included with responses. The individual results and responses were attached are attached to the document for information. This document is currently being ratified by the ALAC

*Proposed fundamental bylaws amendments related to the grant program:  The proposed amendment is designed to specifically exclude the use of the ICANN’s Reconsideration and Independent Review Processes (collectively, “Accountability Mechanisms”) to challenge decisions on individual applications in the ICANN Grant Program. Judith Hellerstein, with the assistance of Maureen Hilyard, prepared a response to this proposal which is currently being voted on by the ALAC. This comment strongly supports the proposed amendment as it is it supports the recommendation of the Cross-community working group on enhancing ICANN accountability.

Ongoing:

*ALAC objection procedure for the next round: Dev Anand Teelucksing is heading the team working through the process of how and when At Large might file comments and objections in the next gTLD round. One item is the issue of standing -- in order to file objections, At Large may require standing to do so. There is currently a request for info to the board on this issue. There are currently 2 sub work teams: one looking at the process workflow by which the ALAC/At Large can submit comments and file objections to new gTLD applications while satisfying criteria set by ICANN to obtain objection funding, the second sub team is a scoring subteam looking at how At Large can quantify what is perceived as a community or a limited public interest objection. Dev has also obtained the previously unaccessible report from the Independent Objector in the 2012 round which contains a number of useful recommendations. 

*Continuous improvement: Cheryl Langdon Orr has been shepherding us through evolution of the regular organizational reviews into a Continuous improvement program. At Large reps have been chosen and there has already been considerable work done on documenting improvement at both the ALAC and RALO levels -- reflected in the CIP workspace At-Large Continuous Improvements Program Community Group (CIP-CCG) Workspace - ALAC - Global Site (icann.org) 

*Pilot holistic review:  The ALAC appointee selection subcommittee (AASC) reviewed the qualifications of the 31 candidates who volunteered to serve as At Large reps on the Pilot Holistic Review. 3 primary and 4 alternates were chosen  to serve. They are:
Primary: Sebastien Bachollet, Eduardo Diaz, Vanda Scartezini
Secondary: Cheryl Langdon-Orr, Seun Ojedeji, Carlton Samuels, Bukola Oronti
Alternate: Harold Arcos

*How we meet: The ALAC Chair and Co-Vice Chairs will, beginning on  , review the initial round of questions, inputs, comments received and advise the At-Large community of next steps, vis a vis a phased dialogue approach being driven by ICANN Org.

*Ombuds office: The last OFB meeting (Sept. 5) also included a presentation by Sebastian Bacholett about the current process looking to fill the Ombuds office which has now been going on for one year. He did present an indepth review of the background of the Ombuds office (which came out of a WS2 recommendation). His presentation was asking why all the work suggested by WS2, such as the establishment of an Ombuds advisory panel had not yet been done -- given that the org. was currently in the process of fulling the office. JZ will do some outreach to see where the org. is on this process. 

*Progress in global internet governance meetings -- This has recently centered around the negotiation of the Global Digital Compact which is currently in a holding pattern while states renegotiate some elements of a proposed agreement known as rev.4.  The agenda for the UN meeting in September 22-23 known as the Summit of the Future is out. The GDC is an annex to the Summit. Re: IGF activities -- registation is open for the global IGF in Saudi Arabia, various proposals accepted from the At Large Community,  Canadian IGF registration (Nov. 27 - Canada on the World Stage), French IGF - Oct.3.