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

Tue Apr 3 00:45:19 PDT 2018

Something happens every week that says "ISOC NY". Either it is an ISOC NY
event or Joly's webcast of a useful event happening in NY or elsewhere.
Someone mentioned about it by his own choice of  words -  "drives"-  instead
of saying  iISOC NY 'inspires', or 'draws attention to topics'.

I have known ISOC NY for over 8 years, have met Joly once in person. There
has never been even a hint of a suggestion from him or anyone from ISOC NY
on what other Chapters should do;   Joly or anyone I knew from NY never
assumed a posture of any form of leadership over any other Chapter. Despite
its visibility ISOC NY has been a quiet Chapter.

Why is there a discussion on ISOC NY now? Because someone used the word
"drives" in referring to something about NY which is actually positive ?

Sivasubramanian M

On Tue, Apr 3, 2018, 7:06 AM JOHN MORE <morej1 at mac.com> wrote:

> Collaboration is a core principal. Each Chapter has its own strengths (and
> weaknesses). We are stronger together.
>
> John More
>
> On Apr 2, 2018, at 6:20 PM, Susannah Gray <susannah.gray at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> 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
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Mar 31, 2018, at 1:15 PM, Dave Burstein <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://massivemimo.rocks 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>
> 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
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> 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 <+55%2014%2099162-3774>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 30 Mar 2018, at 10:37, Sivasubramanian M <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.
>> 
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>
> _______________________________________________
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> to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the Internet Society
> Chapter Portal (AMS): 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
>
> _______________________________________________
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> to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the Internet Society
> Chapter Portal (AMS): https://p <https://portal.isoc.org>
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