[icann-eu] At large vs. Constituency

[Thomas Roessler <roessler@does-not-exist.org>]

I think it's time that this list goes into "working group mode"
again.  More precisely, people should have a look at the following
documents:

- http://www.icann.org/dnso/review-tf-report-28jan01.htm
  Preliminary Report from the DNSO Review Task Force.
  
  This document does, in particular, look at the option of creating
  an individuals' constituency with DNSO.  The document also talks
  about the problem how an individuals' constituency could be
  distinguished from the at large membership.

- http://www.icann.org/committees/at-large-study/charter-22jan01.htm
  Charter for the At Large Memberhsip Study Committee.
  
  The committee's mission is to find a "consensus solution for At
  Large participation in ICANN that 
  
  (a) provides an appropriate mechanism for input by the general
  Internet community, while
  
  (b) also permitting effective and efficient management of ICANN
  and the achievement of its specific technical and administrative
  mission."
  
  The committee "may also consider the proper relationship between
  an At Large membership and ICANN's three Supporting Organizations,
  the open policy development bodies charged with the formation of
  consensus policies on the unique identifiers and addresses that
  ICANN is responsible for coordinating."

There are some things worth noting here:

- The mission statement for the study committee mentions _input_
  from the community.  It does neither mention control of the board
  by the community, nor does it mention the (s)election of directors
  at that point.

- There might be an argument that an individuals' constituency of
  the DNSO could replace the at large membership.

So, I think there are some questions we should ask ourselves: Why 
can't an individuals' constituency replace an organized at large
membership?  What's our idea about the relationship between the At
Large and the SOs? etc.

We may even wish to produce some written summary on this topic.

-- 
Thomas Roessler			    <roessler@does-not-exist.org>