[governance] ICANN RFC on its performance

[Jacqueline A. Morris]

Hi Avri
It's the same with the ALAC - all meetings are recorded, transcripts and
recordings are posted on the website as well as minutes. Mailing lists are
public - the ALAC lives its life in public. Sometimes it is a bit
uncomfortable (especially in a long meeting, sometimes it's embarrassing to
hear after a couple of hours!) But it was clear in advance of signing up.
Maybe the Board can take this up as a suggestion, and then all new Board
members will sign on. 
Jacqueline

-----Original Message-----
From: Avri Doria [mailto:avri at psg.com] 
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2007 1:51 AM
To: Governance Caucus
Subject: Re: [governance] ICANN RFC on its performance

hi,

Just repsoning to the idea of the recording of board meetings.

On 14 maj 2007, at 00.43, Veni Markovski wrote:

>
>> Recommendation: All meetings of the Board of Directors and of its  
>> committees should be audio-recorded and made available to the  
>> public. No matter may be elided except after an on-record decision  
>> that a particular matter should be discussed off the audio  
>> recording.  Only matters pertaining to personnel matters,  
>> litigation (or potential litigation), and contract negotiations  
>> may be discussed off the audio record.

I am answering this as a member of the ICANN GNSO Council were every  
word we say is record and most are transcribed.  And where all the  
mailing lists except for the one that sends out notifications of the  
phone numbers and codes to use for phone calls is archived and open  
to all to read.


>
> Karl, four points here:
> a) Would you agree that some people, who are non-native English  
> speakers may have problems having their words recorded?

That is the case in the GNSO.  I think all people have trouble  
knowing their words are recorded to some extent, but you get used to  
it.  There are those who are not 'english as a first language'  
speakers in the group.  And it is hard to say who has more trouble  
making themselves understood, some of us who speak native English  
circuitously with awkward phrasing and slang or some ESL speakers who  
speak clearly with erudition.


> b) Do you think that with 15 people from 10 countries, from  
> different cultures, etc., if something bad was happening, it will  
> remain unnoticed? Because if you do believe that, then you think  
> the constantyl-changing-board is some kind of a secret group, which  
> discusses something behind hidden doors, in hiding, or working in  
> deep under cover.

Well it is noticed, but it is noticed in the form of rumor and  
hearsay.  And is not sometimes noticed in a timely manner.

 From my experience, there are some people who listen to all  
recordings and read all of the GNSO transcripts, and I often get  
email with opinions, opinions that are often helpful, within days and  
sometimes hours of one of my errant utterances or a question i  
speculate about.  Being as open as we can be allows people to comment  
on things currently under discussion.  and this is helpful, not only  
for transparency' sake but for getting the work done.

> c) I was personally against audio-recroding, and I am happy that  
> today there are detailed minutes. Wouldn't you agree that the  
> minutes today are different from the ones earlier?

Minutes are certainly useful, but minutes are fragmentary and, from  
my experience in other groups, are often severely redacted.   I don't  
know if that is the case with the ICANN board.

> d) Unlike you, I've lived in a state, where not only all mine, my  
> father's and grandfather's meetings were audio-recorded. Actually  
> since 1975, after my father's death in a car accident,  also all  
> our phone calls were recorded, and my grandfather was followed 24  
> hrs/day by a body guard, who was reporting every move of his. I  
> don't want this to happen to any director in the 21st century, at  
> least not against her or his will. If they all agree - fine, but if  
> even one feels monitored, and it is not in the by-laws, so that  
> they would have know beforehand about this requirement, then I am  
> for their free will, not yours. Sorry.

I knew coming into the GNSO that is was all recorded.  Nobody made me  
accept it.  And if I was uncomfortable with it, I could leave the  
council and no longer have any of my words recorded by ICANN. I don't  
think the comparison of the GNSO recording my meeting words is on a  
par with governments recording my words surreptitiously. (I don't  
think anyone is following me about 24/7, but then again I am only on  
the council not the board)

Having lived under a regime of recorded phone calls for 2 years now,  
I have to state that I think it is a good thing and now advocate it  
for every group I am involved with.  I think it would be a good thing  
if the ICANN board were to reconsider it and were to take the GSNO  
council experience into account.  It may seem very scary at first,  
but the sky does not fall in.

a.

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