[Chapter-delegates] ISOC's policies - sensitive email

[Eric Burger]

Are there any examples of Trustees that happen to be elected by Organizations representing Organizations?

Let's take an extreme example: Organizations elected Jonathan Zittrain. From Harvard. Harvard is not an Organization member. Jonathan often focuses a critical eye on those who make money from the Internet. Like Organization Members. The Organizations are not exactly electing a puppet that will do their bidding. Likewise, Organizations elected Larry Lessig. From Harvard. Harvard is not an Organization member. Larry's raison d'être is the role of society with respect to technology. Someone who is now working on reforming the American electorial system to root out commercial interests in our election process. These are not exactly people who will be imposing a "heavy influence" of companies on ISOC.

How about an even more extreme example: Chapters often elect people that happen to be employed by Organization Members. Does that mean the Trustee "represents" civil society or their employer?

For that matter, what am I? I was appointed by the IAB, am active in ISOC-DC, and am about to be (again) from an Organizational Member. Is my employer an evil commercial interest that wants to use the Internet for nefarious purposes, to wall the garden to extract monopoly rents, or to silence opposition to my products? The last time I looked, the product of Georgetown University is educated and fiercely independent women and men. Do I represent the IETF? The Chapters? My employer? I would offer the answer is everyone.

PLEASE read the election procedures and the bylaws. While each Trustee may be selected by one the three pillars of ISOC: individual users (Chapters), commercial (Organizations), and technology (IETF), they represent all aspects of the Internet. They positively do not and should not represent the community that elected them. We are not a membership organization. If we were a membershijp organziation, it would be appropriate to have Representatives who represent members. However, we are a cause based organization. Thus, a Trustee must represent the cause, and only the cause.

We certainly value the perspective the Trustee brings to the Board, and thus we hope to get lots of perspectives from using a diverse electoral base. That is why we have Trustees selected by the three pillars of ISOC.

--
- Eric

On Mar 21, 2012, at 10:53 PM, Veni Markovski wrote:

> Fred, and all - see comments below.
> 
> On Wed, Mar 21, 2012 at 10:11 PM, Fred Baker <fred at cisco.com> wrote:
> 
> On Mar 21, 2012, at 9:23 PM, Veni Markovski wrote:
> > 8. ISOC does not represent civil society - for an independent observer it is an organization, which is heavily influence by its organizational members (companies), not by individual members or chapters. Good and not so good.
> > This point needs clarification - it's good that ISOC does not represent civil society - there are many, who claim that, but ISOC is unique as the home of the IETF. But it is not good that ISOC would not encourage and empower its chapters to participate at the IGF/ITU meetings, as they are indeed the ones, representing the civil society in their respected countries.
> 
> Veni:
> 
> I do find myself wondering to what extent you think ISOC is driven by its organizational members.
> 
> To a very large extent. 
> 
>  
> At my company, I'm among the small set of people that are involved in and care about ISOC.
> 
> That's understandable, but it's also something to worry about, if you think from a certain point of view. 
>  
> Sally and others ask us questions and give us reports, but the organizational members don't sit down with ISOC to give it its priorities.
> 
> What specific influence do you think the organizational members have on ISOC?
> 
> The organizational members do not need to sit down with ISOC to give its priorities - as you point below, they do it through the Board, which consists of their representatives. Just as an example - when was the last time the chair of the Board was someone, elected by the chapters or the members? I don't envy this, I actually think this is what makes ISOC to be considered widely as representing the technical community. I remember many governments talking about ISOC in the context of the IETF, W3C, but I can't remember one talking about ISOC as representing netizens, or civil society. That is not a reason for any personal feelings, like envy. It's a reason for the Board to sit down and think, "Why is that?", "Is it true?", "What can we do to change it?". That, of course, if the Board believes that this is a correct vision of ISOC. And if it thinks it is not, then what steps would it take to make sure everyone else knows it? 
> So, to respond to your question more directly - I don't envy anything. I don't think the organizational members pay the right attention to ISOC, otherwise they would have seen that there's certain value in having ISOC represent the technical community, and the chapters represent the civil society, the users. But if they, as you say, have only a small set of people, who care and are interested in ISOC, then it is really sad. And that makes the chapters even more important for ISOC, it seems, because they are the ones, who care and are interested in ISOC in big numbers. 
> 
> best,
> veni
> 
> 
> BTW, I'm not asking about the board structure. Yes, I know you have long wanted the chapters to have as many seats on the board as the organizational members, but in this conversation, I'm not on that topic - and neither are you. Parallel to your question about the role and influence of the chapters, I'm asking about the organizational members themselves, the advisory council, etc. What, specifically, do you envy?
> 
> Fred
> 
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