GAC NomCom WG - Terms of Reference

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The focus of the working group will be to determine if, and how, the GAC could participate in the NomCom process.

Background[1]

The Nominating Committee (NomCom) is an independent committee tasked with selecting eight members of the ICANN Board of Directors as well as key leadership positions within the ALAC, the ccNSO Council and the GNSO Council. (See Bylaws Article VII, Section 1.)

There continues to be one non-voting position for GAC on the NomCom. The GAC has not filled this position since 2008.

The NomCom is designed to function independently from the Board, the Supporting Organizations, and Advisory Committees. NomCom members act only on behalf of the interests of the global Internet community and within the scope of the ICANN mission and responsibilities assigned to it by the ICANN Bylaws.

Members contribute to the NomCom both their understanding of the broad interests of the Internet as a whole and their knowledge and experience of the concerns and interests of the Internet stakeholders that have appointed them. The challenge for the NomCom is to integrate these perspectives and derive consensus in its selections.

Although appointed by Supporting Organizations and other ICANN bodies, individual NomCom members are, under NomCom rules, not formally accountable to their appointing constituencies. Members are, of course, accountable for adherence to the Bylaws and for compliance with the rules and procedures established by the NomCom.

Objectives

The objective of the Working Group to Examine GAC Participation in the NomCom is to assist the GAC to reach a consensus position about potential GAC Participation in the NomCom process. It will achieve this by:

• Providing the GAC with information about the NomCom and how it works.
• Preparing a set of different scenarios for the GAC to consider, including
  • non-participation
  • participation through a non-voting role
  • participation through a single voting position
  • participation through voting positions that may be structured differently in future in terms of numbers and processes
  • contributing by providing selection criteria.
• Facilitating discussion within the GAC about the likely implications and outcomes of each scenario (including a review of the mechanics involved in each scenario, for example how would an individual GAC member vote on behalf of the GAC), to enable GAC Representatives to develop an informed view on the topic.

Working Group Members

The GAC’s Working Group to Examine GAC Participation in the NomCom will be chaired by:

• Dr Olga Cavalli (Argentina)

All GAC representatives and observers are welcome to join the GAC’s Working Group to Examine GAC Participation in the NomCom. Working group participants are expected to be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge or expertise about aspects of the objectives of the working group; and
• Commit to actively participate in the activities of the working group on an ongoing basis.

All participants will be listed in the working group’s online workspace, within the members-only section of the GAC website.

The working group will be assisted and supported by the ACIG GAC Secretariat and the ICANN GAC Support team.

Deliverables and Timeframes

As a first step the working group should establish and adopt an initial work plan and an associated schedule (timeline).

The work plan should include the timing and methods for informing the GAC of progress made by the working group. As a minimum, the Chair of the working group shall update the GAC about the activities of the working group, and its progress towards meeting its objectives, at each face-to-face GAC meeting. The initial work plan and schedule should be published on the web page of the working group. The Chair will be responsible for maintaining and updating the work plan and schedule and for informing the working group and the GAC Leadership Team of changes made to the work plan and schedule.

At the discretion of the Chair an email list may be established to aid the work of the group. Details of how to subscribe to the email list will be published on the web page of the working group.

Process for the development of a Position Paper or Statement

The working group, at its own discretion, may publish an Interim (or draft) Paper, which will contain a review and analysis of the topics it considers relevant, or a draft Statement. The schedule for drafting and decision-making relating to a Position Paper or Statement should be included in the work plan. In developing a working group Position Paper or Statement the working group shall seek to act by consensus. The consensus view of the members of the working group shall be articulated in the paper. If full consensus cannot be reached, the Chair will seek to express the range of views of the WG's members.

Such a paper will be circulated to the GAC for comment, and may be published with a view to seeking input from the wider ICANN community and/or relevant stakeholders outside the community.

Any such Interim Paper or Statement must clearly state that it is produced by an internal GAC Working Group and does not represent a consensus GAC view.

After revising an interim Position Paper or Statement, the working group may seek formal GAC endorsement or support for the document. In the event that the GAC does not support or endorse a Position Paper or Statement, the working group may, at its discretion, reconsider and/or revise the Position Paper or Statement.

When a GAC working group engages in work that is clearly related to ongoing work in other parts of the ICANN community, it should give greater thought to the status or standing of an “interim” GAC paper that does not represent consensus GAC views.

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[1] Sourced 30 March 2015 from: https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/nomcom-2013-12-13-en

Related Pages

• GAC Involvement in the NomCom Call - 2 February 2015
• GAC NomCom WG Members
• GAC NomCom WG - Terms of Reference