[Chapter-delegates] Board discusses related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

[Paul Ebersman]

ted> The board met informally earlier today, and I wanted to reflect to
ted> the community that a portion of that meeting was dedicated to a
ted> discussion of the issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion which
ted> have recently been discussed in this list. The governance
ted> committee had already been working on a related topic as part of
ted> the advice to the upcoming NomCom, and we discussed that process
ted> and a number of other proposals, some derived from this list.

ted> The chair of that committee, Paul Ebersman, will provide an update
ted> from the governance committee once it has met. Please look for
ted> that early next week.

First, thanks for the various feedback and comments. It's encouraging to
see so many folks who are passionate about ISOC, its mission and its
constituency.

The Governance Committee is actively looking at the makeup of the board
and diversity is a key requirement. The most immediate task is the
direction from the Governance Committee to the Nominations Committee,
preparing for the next nomination and election round.  Achieving a
diverse slate of candidates is a top priority.

Under discussion:

 - What do we mean by diversity of board members and how does that
   reflect/represent the full ISOC constituency?
 - How can we help the NomCom with recruiting a slate of candidates
   that reflects desired diversity, while also meeting our technical and
   fiduciary requirements as a board?
 - What can we do to remove financial impediments for potential
   candidates?
 - What metrics can be used to measure diversity?

Next goals being discussed/clarified:

 - Are there ways to expand diversity beyond just achieving a diverse
   slate of candidates?
 - Talk with IETF to understand how they address diversity in their
   appointments to the board.
 - How might we deal the situation where the trustees who are elected
   result in a board still not sufficiently diverse?
 - What can be done in the entire election process to continue to
   clarify and improve diversity and maintain it ongoing?