[Chapter-delegates] Internet Society Accountability: a response to a message on the thread of making ISOC multi-stakeholder, with the subject line renamed.

Mon Apr 2 15:20:14 PDT 2018

Hi Shuli,

On 31/03/2018 11:29, Shuli Hallak wrote:
> Hm, that’s an interesting assessment of our chapter’s activity over 
> the past year, which I do not agree with, but this response is not 
> about what NY does.
>
> NY certainly does not drive the other chapters. i know we’ve looked to 
> other chapters for guidance. It’s been absolutely wonderful to meet 
> with and collaborate with other chapter leaders, Susannah included, in 
> order to strengthen the roles of the chapters and ISOC’s mission as a 
> whole. In fact, I truly believe that we can and should be working more 
> closely together with our colleagues here and around the world to 
> share best practices and increase our effectiveness and reach.
  - Exactly: I do not believe that any one chapter is - or should be - 
leading or driving the others nor should chapters be in competition with 
each other.
> Our mission is important, and I look forward to working with all 
> chapter leaders to do our work the best we can.
>
> (please excuse any typos / errors, I’m typing one handed due to a 
> broken arm).
- Yikes: get better soon!

Susannah

—
Susannah Gray
President
San Francisco Bay Area Internet Society Chapter
www.sfbayisoc.org

>
> Shuli
>
>
> *— *
> Shuli Hallak
> *Executive Director*
> Internet Society - New York Chapter
> http://isoc-ny.org
>
> +1.917.891.1520 | shuli at isoc-ny.org <mailto:shuli at isoc-ny.org>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>> On Mar 31, 2018, at 1:15 PM, Dave Burstein <daveb at dslprime.com 
>> <mailto:daveb at dslprime.com>> wrote:
>>
>> Folks
>>
>> Susannah was right to correct this. Andrea made a good faith mistake 
>> saying ISOC-NY "drives the other chapters." She's new to the chapter 
>> this year, and presumably assumed the _hopes talked abou_t in the New 
>> York chapter in 2018 reflected actual accomplishments. I've been a 
>> board member for several years; it just isn't so.
>>
>> Actually, until a few months ago, the New York chapter hadn't even 
>> had a meeting in over a year. Under our previous chapter president, 
>> the chapter was all but defunct. We hadn't had a major event in years 
>> and were down to fewer than 20 active members. I don't remember more 
>> than one board meeting per year. In 2017, we had only one or two 
>> board meetings (the minutes are unclear) and no membership meetings.
>>
>> About the only visible things that were being done were Joly doing 
>> videos and me writing to this list and speaking up at ISOC events. 
>> Avri was active in the Chapters committee but didn't report to the 
>> local chapter and a few people went to events with ISOC funding.
>>
>> I laughed when I heard the staff had given the NY Chapter an 
>> excellent rating even though we weren't having meetings, elections, 
>> or doing very much. Being friendly with a few staff people paid off.
>>
>> Joly couldn't have done the videos without regular pay from ISOC and 
>> they received little support from the chapter if I remember 
>> correctly. I've spoken up on ISOC issues because I tilt at many 
>> windmills, and received no support from the chapter to do so. (In 
>> fact, I was told to be more positive about ISOC, although my facts 
>> were almost never questioned.)
>>
>> In the last year, the funding for video went up; they are great ISOC 
>> pr. That may have given the impression "New York" was doing a great 
>> deal but actually that was ISOC central funding a dedicated video 
>> person, not a chapter activity.
>>
>> People not active in the chapter put together an interesting project, 
>> NY MESH. ISOC provided $20K and the chapter is now providing "fiscal 
>> agency" for a fee. That's good.
>>
>> ------------------
>>
>> Things started to improve when the previous president resigned and 
>> Joly took over. A proposal to support Net Neutrality was pulled back 
>> in the name of consensus when the acting President opposed the idea.
>>
>> The results so far are minimal but I hope that will change. In 2018, 
>> we've had three board meetings that put forth many ideas. Google paid 
>> $20K which funded two events.
>>
>> So I hope we'll actually lead in the future, but we haven't so far.
>>
>> Editor, http://Fastnet.news <http://fastnet.news/> 
>> http://wirelessone.news <http://wirelessone.news/> 
>> http://massivemimo.rocks <http://massivemimo.rocks/> gfastnews.com 
>> <http://gfastnews.com/>
>> Author with Jennie Bourne  DSL (Wiley) and Web Video: Making It 
>> Great, Getting It Noticed (Peachpit)
>>
>> On Fri, Mar 30, 2018 at 1:39 PM, Susannah Gray 
>> <susannah.gray at gmail.com <mailto:susannah.gray at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>
>>     Hi Andrea,
>>
>>
>>     On 30/03/2018 07:59, Andrea Romaoli Garcia wrote:
>>>     I don't feel the work hampered by the participation of others
>>>     but a little bit control will be positive.
>>>     The way ISOC is set up today allows a work oriented to local needs.
>>>     I add that Chaptor NY has a greater responsibility and
>>>     visibility because it drives the other chapters and brings new
>>>     subjects to discuss for other instituitionscaround the world.
>>     - What do you mean by ISOC NY 'drives the other chapters'?
>>
>>     Susannah
>>
>>     -
>>     President
>>     San Francisco Bay Area Internet Society Chapter
>>     www.sfbayisoc.org <http://www.sfbayisoc.org/>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>>     A little bit of control is needed but volunteers  input can
>>>     identify new solutions  that the meetings routine extinguishes.
>>>     I don't live in the United States but I've been serving shelters
>>>     in Washington for volunteering...  Well... stakeholders and
>>>     member must work together
>>>     There are volunteers  and stakeholder with technical ability
>>>     that is helpful. But I think we should control a hight level  to
>>>     maintain the quality of the discussions and close the doors to
>>>     those demagogues who do nothing but just wish put their name in
>>>     the highlightner
>>>
>>>     ANDRÉA ROMAOLI GARCIA
>>>     OABSP 332.542
>>>     Director ISOC-NY
>>>     ICANN Latin American and Caribbean
>>>     United Nations NY
>>>     +55 14 99162-3774 <tel:+55%2014%2099162-3774>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>     On 30 Mar 2018, at 10:37, Sivasubramanian M
>>>     <6.Internet at gmail.com <mailto:6.Internet at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>>
>>>>         While ISOC has been successful, we do not know if the
>>>>         current structure has contributed to that success, or if
>>>>         ISOC could have been more successful if member-driven.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>     Agreed. We can not possibly deny that ICANN would be more
>>>>     successful nor assert that it would be less successful in a
>>>>     member-driven scenario. What I said was that it worked.
>>>>     
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>         While I agree with Dave completely, the reality is giving
>>>>         members control is contrary to the founding documents and
>>>>         formal structure of ISOC.  ISOC is not, and never has been,
>>>>         a community of members, or democratic.  It is a Trust,
>>>>         organised around managing a perpetual flow of income. 
>>>>         Members do not contribute to that income, and are therefore
>>>>         powerless. Article V.1 states “Individual members shall not
>>>>         have any voting rights with respect to the Society.”
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>     The founding documents probably did not anticipate ISOC to
>>>>     take shape as a Community with several hundred 'volunteers' of
>>>>     good Technical and Policy expertise. ISOC unwittingly imparts
>>>>     the impression of a Community driven organization, and it is
>>>>     this perception that renders credibility to ISOC's policy advice.
>>>>     
>>>
>>>
>>>     _______________________________________________
>>>     As an Internet Society Chapter Officer you are automatically subscribed
>>>     to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the Internet Society
>>>     Chapter Portal (AMS):https://portal.isoc.org <https://portal.isoc.org/>
>>
>>
>>     _______________________________________________
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>>     to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the Internet
>>     Society
>>     Chapter Portal (AMS): https://portal.isoc.org
>>     <https://portal.isoc.org/>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>

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