[kictanet] Proposed ICANN Bylaws Revision Open For Comment

[alice at apc.org]

Proposed Bylaws Revision Open For Comment

23 September 2008

Today ICANN is opening a public comment period on a proposed bylaw  
revision [PDF, 21K] from the ICANN Nominating Committee. The proposed  
revision would update the diversity requirements for selecting ICANN  
Board members to include domicile with country of citizenship.

Over the past several years, the Nominating Committee has expressed  
concern that being required to count more than one country of  
citizenship for diversity purposes often makes it difficult to select  
the best candidates for the Board seats that the Nominating Committee  
is mandated to fill. In carrying out its responsibilities to fill  
Seats 1 through 8, the Nominating Committee shall seek to ensure that  
the ICANN Board is composed of members who in the aggregate display  
diversity in geography, culture, skills, experience, and perspective,  
by applying the criteria set forth in Bylaws.

The Nominating Committee also noted that some of the candidates have  
often lived in a country for many years, and thereby better represent  
the interests of that country than any country of which the candidates  
may be citizens.

In the proposal, domicile, not just citizenship, is to be considered  
in the diversity calculation. The Nominating Committee members  
unanimously agreed that the proposed Bylaws revisions would alleviate  
the concerns.

During the 28 August 2008 meeting of the ICANN Board of Directors, the  
Board passed the following resolution:

Whereas, the Nominating Committee has expressed concern that, pursuant  
to the Bylaws mandated diversity requirements that no more than five  
Board members be citizens of any one geographic region, the Nominating  
Committee is required to count all countries of citizenship for each  
candidate.

Whereas, the Nominating Committee has noted that the requirement to  
count all countries of citizenship has caused some selection  
difficulties each year over the past several years.

Whereas, the Nominating Committee has also expressed concern that the  
calculation is presently limited to citizenship given that many people  
have lived for long periods of time in, and represent the interests  
of, countries in which they may not be citizens.

Whereas, making a diversity calculation pursuant to the ICANN Bylaws  
as it relates to Board member selection for seats 1 through 14 should  
be consistent.

It is hereby resolved (2008.08.28.03) that the following proposed  
revisions to Article VI, Sections 2.2 and 2.3, shall be posted for  
public comment in accordance with ICANN's normal process for proposed  
Bylaw revisions.

Comments on the proposed bylaw revision may be submitted to  
nomcom-bylaw-revision at icann.org will be considered until 23 October  
2008 23:59 UTC. Comments may be viewed at  
http://forum.icann.org/lists/nomcom-bylaw-revision/.