[Chapter-delegates] An invitation to the Webinar re. LoA/Dashboard and New Tools available

[Christian de Larrinaga]

Dear Anne

I have sympathy for you dropping into this at a late date. I dropped out in c. 2002 and only now taking another peek. So I am lost. I can see lots of procedural work but not a clear rational to move forward on. Can you help me get up to speed as I think I must have missed some important work by the Trustees?  

I am clear that before the local board can seriously engage with this issue it would be important to know how ISOC views the status of its own members. 
 
What is an ISOC global member?

- in relation to a chapter that member signed up for through the ISOC site
- in relation to ISOC (voting rights etc)
- in relation to chapter members who signed up directly at the local internet society organisation service.

I note that the voting rights of individual members of ISOC have remained suspended for a very long time. http://internetsociety.org/who-we-are/board-trustees/policies-and-procedures/selection

Some clarity over the intended status of members of ISOC is absolutely crucial to how chapters need to respond. I think this is a matter for the Trustees and if Staff are engaged on an urgent quest for Affiliation / Franchise style agreements that makes it urgent for the Trustees to grasp these questions too. 


best 



Christian


On 5 Mar 2012, at 03:56, Anne Lord wrote:

> Hi Everyone,
> 
> Thank you to those of you who have responded on the topic of the webinars.   Let me step back for a minute and try to offer some background and a recap of how we got here and where we go to from here and the purpose of the webinars.  I apologise as this email might be a bit lengthy - I will try to keep it as brief as I can.
> 
> 1. Purpose
> 
> Where did it start? The LoA has been requested both the Chapters and the Board of Trustees for as long as I can remember! (that is back to 2007). It's purpose  is to describe the  minimum performance standards necessary to be considered an active Chapter and to define a set of minimum performance standards for ISOC headquarters.  It describes a commitment to a shared vision, with a clear framework for expectations, obligations, roles and responsibilities for everyone.  In so doing and with supporting documentation and tools, it is intended to be helpful.
> 
> 2. Process
> 
> In November 2009 we conducted a series of consultations asking questions to Chapter leaders around what "success" meant to their Chapter, "Operating principles", "services to support chapters" etc.These are all archived at: http://wiki.chapters.isoc.org/tiki-index.php?page=Titles+Labels+Images&bl=y. These consultations were voluntarily attended and laid the groundwork for defining the performance based framework.
> 
> In April 2010, we assembled a Taskforce comprising Chapter leaders and ISOC staff. The taskforce met for 2 days in a room and mutually agreed the framework for performance. Version 1 of the Letter of Affiliation was put out for feedback for one month in May 2010. Version 2 was put out 2nd September 2010 and feedback was until 29th October 2010. The work was done initially with a self-appointed group "sphere-labels" but everything was cross posted into the chapter-delegates mailing list.   The taskforce met on November 2nd 2010 to consider the feedback received to date, and their response is documented : http://wiki.chapters.isoc.org/tiki-index.php?page=Notes+from+the+taskforce&bl=y.    This is where we were at the end of 2010: http://wiki.chapters.isoc.org/tiki-index.php?page=Sphere+Project .
> 
> The feedback process highlighted that we needed to work on providing tools and materials to help chapters to meet and to exceed the performance requirements. So in 2011 work concentrated on two things: 1) Chapter guide - to provide supporting information  and 2) dashboards, to help objectively measure against the performance indicators.    We now have a wroking demo of Chapter Dashboard. The dashboard for ISOC HQ is under development still but we have slides.  Both are work in progress. We want your feedback.
> 
> We recognise that we were quiet on the actual LoA in 2011 in terms of formal review processes.  However, at the Chapter workshops and Chapter meetings in 2011 we introduced the Letter of Affiliation and the work on the supporting documentation and tools.  As most of the work was on the supporting tools, it was indeed quiet last year.
> 
> 3. Where are we now?
> 
> Starting in February 2012 we began with the webinars.    The idea and purpose of the webinars is to help "fill the gap" by  familiarizing as many chapter leaders as possible with the history of the LoA, the performance standards for chapters and HQ and to demonstrate the supporting chapter guide and tools and to informally get feedback on the revised "package" (ie. tools, guide and LoA).  The small group personal setting of webinars was chosen to reach as many people as possible and to answer any questions and queries and to gather feedback on how we are doing to allow us to make tweaks primarily to the tools and guide prior to any public review process.
> 
> Please note: the webinars were not intended to be the formal public review process. Unfortunately the email invitation went to the chapter delegates list as a result of a misunderstanding.
> 
> The webinars are being rolled out twice a week for as long as it takes.  There is no "rush", and I apologise if it seems this way.  If you cant make this weeks webinar, we will invite you to another.  Or you can tell us which one suits you best. We try to hold them on standard days and times and to send personal invitations.  I'm happy to publish a list of time and dates, if this helps.   Rest assured that there will be plenty of time for the formal review. Right now, we are in the "familiarisation" phase to try to bring everyone up to speed, and to provide a framework where people are comfortable giving us feedback.  Overall the webinar approach has so far, been well received.
> 
> Rest assured, we are collecting your comments both on this list and through the webinars and once done, we will publish a summary of the comments and feedback and responses, prior to  any final formal review and eventual sign off.   Regardless of process, with such enormous diversity across the Chapters and particular situations, I fully anticipate that there will be a small number who will not be entirely in agreement with the details. What we are seeking is a balance across the diversity of opinions, noting that it will be impossible to satisfy everyone.  This intense outreach effort is designed to help ensure what we have heard from as many voices as possible, in as personal a setting as possible.   On the webinars, we hope to provide as many clarifying answers as we can and we welcome your questions.
> 
> So to summarise, the webinars will go ahead this week as per the times on the doodle polls (http://www.doodle.com/8y39amd54ff23kan).  There is no rush. If you cant make it, just let us know and we will send you another invitation as there will be more webinars.   To all that have provided feedback thus far - thank you for taking the time to read and to comment.
> 
> Thank you again for your help,
> 
> regards,
> Anne
> --
> 
> On 04/03/2012, at 7:16 PM, Ang Peng Hwa (Prof) wrote:
> 
>> Dear Jacek,
>> 
>> I'm not familiar with the work culture  under which you operate but could you NOT MERELY SEND a document without any explanatory text?
>> 
>> I was wondering when a problem with that above approach would crop up and I see that it has cropped up here, if not before.
>> 
>> I appreciate that you have a rather heavy email traffic volume but a paragraph or two in explanatory text, even in seemingly redundant communication (we need redundant communication to communicate) will be helpful. And, as in this case, could eventually save you more work.
>> 
>> Regards,
>> Peng Hwa ANG
>> (President, Singapore Chapter)
>> ANG Peng Hwa (Professor) | Director, Singapore Internet Research Centre | Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information | Nanyang Technological University | WKWSCI 02-17, 31 Nanyang Link, Singapore 639798
>> Tel: (65) 67906109 GMT+8h | Fax: (65) 6792-7526 | Web: www.ntu.edu.sg/sci/sirc
>> 
>> 
>> From: Marie-Anne Delahaut <delahaut.marie-anne at wallonie-isoc.org>
>> Date: Sun, 4 Mar 2012 08:01:43 +0800
>> To: 'Christopher Wilkinson' <cw at christopherwilkinson.eu>, 'John More' <morej1 at mac.com>, 'Chapter Support' <chapter-support at isoc.org>
>> Cc: 'Chapter Delegates' <chapter-delegates at elists.isoc.org>
>> Subject: Re: [Chapter-delegates] An invitation to the Webinar re. LoA/Dashboard and New Tools available
>> 
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>> +1
>> 
>> Marie-Anne
>> President, ISOC Belgium Wallonia and founding member, ISOC-ECC
>> 
>> 
>> De : chapter-delegates-bounces at elists.isoc.org [mailto:chapter-delegates-bounces at elists.isoc.org] De la part de Christopher Wilkinson
>> Envoyé : samedi 3 mars 2012 22:57
>> À : John More; Chapter Support
>> Cc : Chapter Delegates
>> Objet : Re: [Chapter-delegates] An invitation to the Webinar re. LoA/Dashboard and New Tools available
>> 
>> +1
>> 
>> CW
>> 
>> PS:      Ad. 8.4:  In the European context the relevant Council is the ISOC-ECC.
>> 
>> 
>> On 03 Mar 2012, at 14:37, John More wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> Dear Jacek
>> 
>> I have provided the legal framework for two iterations of the Greater Washington DC Chapter. I spend a fair amount of time with non-profits and nonprofit governance. In the 1970s I helped start a Chapter of the Sierra Club in Rhode Island.
>> 
>> I think the Affiliation Agreement is an extremely important document.  It goals are laudable -- to strengthen the Internet Society and the Chapters by creating accountability. However, I don't thank that Chapters have been brought into the process (at least from what I have been able to see). Further, as I remember the Bylaws of the Society needed revisions to go along with the Affiliation Agreement.  It does not appear that these revisions have been made.
>> 
>> I had provided comments on an earlier version of the Affiliation Agreement about a year ago.  Then I heard nothing more  In a quick review of this document I find that it still contains major flaws. I do not see how Chapters can be asked to sign on without having had a chance for the Chapter governing bodies to have some input.
>> 
>> I will make only a couple of major points, some of which I made before.
>> 
>> There is no mechanism for resolving a dispute.  There is no identified committee or body within that has the responsibility to review a Chapter's alleged failure to meet the standards and conduct some sort of process (independent of whatever person or body that monitors compliance and finds a failure) with a chance to be heard. There is no provision for a chance to be heard.
>> 
>> I pulled up a section of the Sierra Club's Bylaws that suggests a minimum provision (perhaps there is one but it does not seem to be referred to in the document).
>> 
>> 8.4. The Board may, by affirmative vote of at least nine (9) Directors, suspend or annul a chapter if, in the judgment of the Board, such action is in the best interest of the Club. Such action shall not affect the standing of the individual members as members of the Club. The Board shall not suspend or annul a chapter until the following conditions are met: (1) written specification of the ground or grounds upon which the proposed action is to be based shall have been furnished to the members of the chapter involved and to the officers of the Sierra Club Council; (2) a reasonable opportunity shall have been provided for members of the chapter to present evidence in opposition to the proposed action with a full opportunity to be heard thereon; and (3) the advice of the Sierra Club Council on the proposed action shall have been received.
>> 
>> Note that the Council, an advisory body consisting of one representative from each Chapter, has an advisory role before a action can be taken against a Chapter. This is a legal document that should have this sort of due process protection.
>> 
>> Finally the timetables for compliance seem very rigid.
>> 
>> As it stands, I would have to recommend to our Chapter's governing board that it not sign the Agreement as written.
>> 
>> Yours,
>> 
>> John More
>> Greater Washington DC Chapter
>> 
>> 
>> On Mar 3, 2012, at 7:34 AM, President ISOC-KH wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> Hi Jacek,
>> 
>> I have now signed in to be available at one of the two Doodle time slots – but I did so with some reluctance.
>> 
>> According to my mailbox of outgoing mail, I had responded on Wednesday, 29 February 2012, quite in detail – and some of my concerns were similar to what some others on our Chapter List expressed. I do not want to repeat most of what I already wrote – except the point that I find it difficult to respond under time pressure with the brief time line offered, and I do not see why we should engage in such an important issue suddenly. You say: “The LoA has been in development since 2010 and many individuals in the Chapters have participated in its evolution.” I am sorry that I obviously missed it when this was discussed on our common platform, the Chapter-Delegates list.
>> 
>> You also requested: “LoA (see attachment) note that at this stage we share it only with you, so you are kindly requested not to forward it further until we have heard and incorporated your feedback.” We live and work in a fairly top-down traditionally autocratic environment – but in our ISOC chapter we try very consciously to practice a different style of communication and cooperation. For me not to share a draft on fundamental questions is contrary to what we stand for.
>> 
>> You say also:
>> 
>> “Your feedback is especially important prior to translation, Specifically we would like to know if the content make sense to you, if anything is missing and if the language is easy to understand...”
>> 
>> This wording does not seem to reflect at all some of the basic questions which had been raised: What is this whole exercise about – especially in view of the surprising wording about the relationship between “ISOC Global” (what is it?) that is entering into contracts with the chapters. Before dealing with the wording for translations, this basic question needs to be clarified. Did we already agree – or even discuss – that there will be “a more public launch”? Your moving up the timing from 12 and 16 March now to 6 and 8 March shows a haste which I do not understand – as others also had proposed to have an online chat maybe much later, only after having had enough time to discuss the issues involved on the Chapters-Delegates list.
>> 
>> During the recent communications on this list, you mentioned also something about a change of the Bylaws. The draft Letter of Affiliation touches on a number of issues regulated in the Bylaws, and where a chapter is a legal entity in the countries where they are established under the law of the country (that is what the ISOC Bylaws daft had suggested, which is the basis on which we started to operate), any changes proposed may require quite complicated legal re-arrangements locally. I am surprised that the issue of Bylaw changes was mentioned only casually.
>> 
>> Finally, I would like to remind us all of the mail from Christopher Wilkinson which he wrote as Chair of the European Chapters Coordinating Council, date stamped in my inbox on 29 February 2012. I kindly request that the serious items listed up there should be re-read, as they need to get a clarifying response before a webinar, as planned – again upsetting many schedules - at extremely short notice - is actually held.
>> 
>> With my best greetings,
>> 
>> Norbert Klein, President, ISOC Cambodia Chapter
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> 
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> Anne Lord,                                 <lord at isoc.org>
> Director of Chapters               http://www.isoc.org
> Internet Society     "The Internet is for everyone"
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