[council] Call for Volunteers: GNSO Review Working Group

[Nathalie Peregrine <nathalie.peregrine@xxxxxxxxx>]

Call for Volunteers: GNSO Review Working Group

In Brief

The Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) Council adopted the 
Charter<http://gnso.icann.org/en/drafts/gnso-review-charter-11jul16-en.pdf> of 
the GNSO Review Working Group during its meeting on 21 July 2016. This Working 
Group is tasked to develop an implementation plan for the GNSO Review 
recommendations<http://gnso.icann.org/en/drafts/review-feasibility-prioritization-25feb16-en.pdf>
 which were recently 
adopted<https://www.icann.org/resources/board-material/resolutions-2016-06-25-en#2.e>
 by the ICANN Board. This is the Call for Volunteers to join this Working 
Group. Anyone interested in the GNSO Review and contributing to the development 
of the implementation plan and subsequent implementation is encouraged to 
volunteer.

What This Working Group Will Do

Per the GNSO Review Working Group 
Charter<http://gnso.icann.org/en/drafts/gnso-review-charter-11jul16-en.pdf> the 
GNSO Review Working Group will be responsible for developing an implementation 
plan, containing a realistic timeline for the implementation, definition of 
desired outcomes and a way to measure current state as well as progress toward 
the desired outcome for the GNSO Review recommendations adopted by the ICANN 
Board (thirty-four (34) recommendations of the Final 
Report<https://www.icann.org/zh/system/files/files/gnso-review-final-summary-15sep15-en.pdf>
 of the Independent Examiner (i.e. all recommendations excluding 
recommendations 23 and 32). This implementation plan is to be submitted for 
approval to the GNSO Council, followed by consideration by the ICANN Board. 
Following the approval of the implementation plan, the Working Group is also 
expected to execute and oversee the implementation of the GNSO Review 
recommendations unless specified differently in the implementation plan.

The GNSO Review Working Group will also be responsible for considering any new 
requests[1] by the GNSO Council concerning issues related to the GNSO Council 
processes and procedures and to Working Group guidelines that have been 
identified either by the GNSO Council, or a group chartered by the GNSO 
Council, as needing discussion. However, the first priority of the Working 
Group will be the development of an implementation plan and the subsequent 
implementation of the GNSO Review recommendations.

Timeline and Deliverables

The GNSO Review Working Group is expected to deliver the implementation plan to 
the GNSO Council for consideration at the GNSO Council meeting at ICANN57 at 
the latest in order to meet the Board set objective of ‘an implementation plan, 
containing a realistic timeline for the implementation, definition of desired 
outcomes and a way to measure current state as well as progress toward the 
desired outcome, shall be submitted to the Board as soon as possible, but no 
later than six (6) months after the adoption of this resolution’[2] i.e., 
December 2016.

How to Join

Each GNSO Stakeholder Group and/or Constituency will identify one primary and 
one alternate member to serve on the GNSO Review Working Group. In addition to 
these appointed members, anyone interested will be able to join this working 
group as a participant or observer.  Please note that participants are expected 
to attend conference calls and to actively participate in online discussions.  
They also must submit a Statement of Interest per Section 5.0 of the GNSO 
Operating 
Procedures<http://gnso.icann.org/en/council/op-procedures-16feb16-en.pdf>.  
Observers can follow the group's work on the mailing list but can neither send 
to the mailing list nor participate actively in the calls.

Interested participants and observers are requested to complete the sign-up 
sheet<https://goo.gl/forms/TbmkrEXT2xlx6jGn1> by Friday, 19 August 2016.

Next steps

It is anticipated that the GNSO Review Working Group will convene online for 
the first time in the last week of August 2016. Following that, regular online 
meetings will be scheduled in accordance with the Working Group’s work plan, 
which it is expected to develop as one of its first tasks.

Further information and preparation

For those interested in volunteering for this effort, you are encouraged to 
review the following materials:

1.     GNSO Review 
Recommendations<http://gnso.icann.org/en/drafts/review-feasibility-prioritization-25feb16-en.pdf>

2.     Independent Examiner Final 
Report<https://www.icann.org/zh/system/files/files/gnso-review-final-summary-15sep15-en.pdf>

3.     Frequently Asked Questions<https://community.icann.org/x/UBCbAw>

Background

The second independent review of the GNSO commenced in 2014.  The Final Report 
of the independent examiner was published on 15 September 2015 (see 
https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/files/gnso-review-final-15sep15-en.pdf) 
and contained 36 recommendations in the areas of: participation & 
representation, continuous development, transparency and alignment with ICANN's 
future.  The GNSO Council adopted the GNSO Review Recommendations Feasibility 
and Prioritization analysis 
(see:http://gnso.icann.org/en/drafts/review-feasibility-prioritization-25feb16-en.pdf)
 on 14 April 2016 with the modification of Recommendation 21, that the council 
recommends staff working with the GNSO to institute methods of information 
sharing of highly relevant research related to gTLDs to help the GNSO community 
members increase their knowledge base (low priority).

On 25 June, the ICANN Board accepted the Final Report from the independent 
examiner, taking into account the GNSO Working Party's Feasibility and 
Prioritization Analysis of the GNSO Review Recommendations, adopted with 
modifications by the GNSO Council.  The Board adopted thirty-four (34) 
recommendations of the Final Report (i.e. all recommendations excluding 
recommendations 23 and 32).  Furthermore, the Board requested that the GNSO 
Council convene a group that oversees the implementation of Board-accepted 
recommendations.

Per the motion<https://community.icann.org/x/BAObAw> adopted on 21 July 2016, 
the GNSO Council adopted the 
Charter<http://gnso.icann.org/en/drafts/gnso-review-charter-11jul16-en.pdf> of 
the GNSO Review Working Group and directed staff to send a Call for Volunteers 
for the Working Group.


________________________________

[1]For items that are submitted for review 'on request', the GNSO Review WG 
expects to receive detailed input from the group affected by 
theprocess/operational change concerned. See request template at: 
https://community.icann.org/download/attachments/14713135/GNSO-SCI-ReviewRequest-yyymmdd_template.docx?version=1&modificationDate=1469143165000&api=v2.

[2] The Board resolution was adopted on 25 June 2016