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ICANN 2015 Nominating Committee Invitation and Suggestion

8 December 2014

This document is a comprehensive description of all of the information needed for the process of expressing interest to serve on the Board of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), or in a leadership position for one of ICANN's Supporting Organizations or Advisory Committees in forthcoming terms. It contains information for potential candidates, for people wishing to suggest candidates, and for the submission of statements of interest. It also provides links to other information on the ICANN website regarding the Nominating Committee (NomCom) process.

The call for candidates is now posted. Applications should be received before 15 March 2015 (23:59 UTC), and final selectees will be announced in August or September 2015.

If you are interested in suggesting someone for one of the leadership positions click here.

Send all comments/questions to: nomcom2015@icann.org.

For more information about the NomCom, see http://nomcom.icann.org/.

The NomCom encourages redistribution of this Invitation for Applications and Suggestions for candidates to anyone who you think might be interested in being a candidate or nominating a candidate, provided that it is transmitted in its entirety, without any changes.

The NomCom encourages translation of this Invitation and grants permission to distribute a translation to anyone who you think might be interested in being a candidate or nominating a candidate, provided that: (1) any distributed translation includes the full text of the Invitation in English in its entirety, without any changes; and (2) a copy of the translation with the identity and contact information for the translator is sent to NomCom at nomcom2015@icann.org.

Contents

  1. ICANN, the organization
  2. Important Opportunities to Contribute to this Global public private partnership
  3. Characteristics and High Qualifications Sought via the NomCom Process
  4. Criteria, Core Values and Timing for Positions to be Filled by NomCom
  5. Position Roles, Eligibility Factors, and Time Commitments
  6. Choosing to be a Candidate
  7. NomCom Process and Background
  8. How to suggest a candidate for consideration
  9. Candidate Applications

 

  1. ICANN, the organization

    To reach another person on the Internet you have to type an address into your computer – a name or a number. That address has to be unique so computers know where to find each other. ICANN coordinates these unique identifiers across the world. Without that coordination we wouldn't have one global Internet. ICANN was formed in 1998. It is a not-for-profit, public benefit corporation with participants from all over the world.

    ICANN's mission is "to coordinate, at the overall level, the global Internet's systems of unique identifiers, and in particular to ensure the stable and secure operation of the Internet's unique identifier systems. In particular, ICANN:

    1. Coordinates the allocation and assignment of the three sets of unique identifiers for the Internet, which are:
      1. Domain names (forming a system referred to as "DNS");
      2. Internet protocol ("IP") addresses and autonomous system ("AS") numbers; and
      3. Protocol port and parameter numbers.
    2. Coordinates the operation and evolution of the DNS root name server system
    3. Coordinates policy development reasonably and appropriately related to these technical functions."

    See https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/bylaws-2012-02-25-en#I

    ICANN is dedicated to preserving the operational stability of the Internet, to promoting competition, to achieving broad representation of global Internet communities, and to developing policy appropriate to its mission through bottom-up consensus-based processes.

    ICANN accomplishes its work through, among other avenues, various bodies: the Board of Directors; the three Supporting Organizations – Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO), Country Code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO) and Address Supporting Organization (ASO); and four Advisory Committees – At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC), Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC), Root Server System Advisory Committee (RSSAC) and Security and Stability Advisory Committee (SSAC).

  2. Important Opportunities to Contribute

    The NomCom invites the participation of the Internet community in its ongoing process for selection of well qualified, accomplished individuals to serve in four sets of leadership positions within ICANN. The following seats are to be filled in the 2015 NomCom process:

    • Board of Directors (three seats)
    • At-Large Advisory Committee (three seats; Africa, Asia/Australia/Pacific Islands and Latin America/Caribbean Islands regions)
    • Generic Names Supporting Organization Council (two seats)
    • Country Code Names Support Organization Council (one seat)

    Those selected by the NomCom will work with accomplished colleagues from around the globe to address Internet's technical coordination issues and related policy development matters within diverse functional, cultural, and geographic dimensions.

    Those selected will make an important public service contribution and gain useful experience and perspective. Placing the broad public interest ahead of any particular interests, they will help ensure the stability and security of the Internet.

    ICANN generally holds Public Meetings three times a year in locations around the world. These meetings constitute an essential part of ICANN's global consensus-development and outreach efforts; all NomCom selectees are expected to travel and participate in ICANN Public Meetings as appropriate. However, these meetings are only part of the responsibilities of the selectees. Much of the work of the ICANN Board, ALAC, ccNSO Council and GNSO Council is done via email and teleconference meetings of the respective groups.

    Those who hold leadership positions with the ALAC, ccNSO Council and GNSO Council serve without compensation but can receive travel expense reimbursement where authorized and where resources have been allocated within the ICANN budget. Each Board Member also receives reimbursement of certain reasonable and documented expenses and has the option to receive fixed compensation (currently equivalent to US$45,000 for Directors and Liaisons (except for the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) Liaison), or US$75,000 for the Board Chair) in accordance with the resolution passed by the Board on 30 July 2014 (see https://www.icann.org/resources/board-material/resolutions-2014-07-30-en#2.b).

    The whole Internet community benefits from the commitment and efforts of the many individuals who participate in ICANN. The ICANN community respects and appreciates this dedicated contribution of time, energy and effort.

    We invite both: (1) suggestions of persons who should be considered for these positions; and (2) Applications from persons wishing to be considered for them. The NomCom looks upon all Applications equally.

    For full consideration suggestions should be submitted promptly and Applications should be received no later than 15 March 2015 (23:59 UTC).

  3. Qualifications Sought

    The NomCom seeks women and men who have demonstrated the maturity, experience, knowledge, and skills to handle the tasks and make the judgments involved in fulfilling these important leadership roles.

    The NomCom seeks persons of the highest integrity and capability with experience and talents for problem solving, policy development, and decision-making involving diverse perspectives regarding how best to accomplish the mission and responsibilities of ICANN. Those selected in the NomCom process will also be expected to place the public interest of the global Internet ahead of any particular interests.

    In the NomCom's selections, such qualifications are more significant than is deep involvement in technical aspects of the Internet. The NomCom selectees are expected to be knowledgeable, or committed to becoming knowledgeable, about the environment in which ICANN operates and the technical functions for which it is responsible, but strong technical knowledge of the Internet is not the determining factor in the NomCom selections.

    ICANN's Supporting Organizations and Advisory Committees have selection processes designed to ensure that the needed technical expertise and knowledge of the stakeholders who participate in those bodies is present in the ICANN leadership. Together, the NomCom and these complementary selection processes yield, in the aggregate, the full range of skills and experience needed for the organization.

    The NomCom will apply the criteria and terms of eligibility defined in the ICANN Bylaws to develop a pool of qualified candidates (see Section D below). In selecting from this candidate pool, the NomCom will also take into account additional considerations related to the specific roles to be filled and will support implementation of ICANN's Mission and Core Values, including its commitment to seek and support broad functional, geographic, and cultural diversity of the Internet at all levels of policy development and decision-making. The NomCom encourages wide participation in this process, and is grateful for the valuable input it will receive from those who nominate themselves or others for the positions available.

  4. Criteria, Core Values, and Timing for Positions to be Filled by NomCom

    Criteria

    The NomCom will use the Criteria for Selection of ICANN Directors contained in Article VI, section 3 of the ICANN Bylaws for the selection of all candidates the NomCom is tasked with selecting. These Criteria are:

    1. Accomplished persons of integrity, objectivity, and intelligence, with reputations for sound judgment and open minds, and a demonstrated capacity for thoughtful group decision-making;
    2. Persons with an understanding of ICANN's mission and the potential impact of ICANN decisions on the global Internet community, and committed to the success of ICANN;
    3. Persons who will produce the broadest cultural and geographic diversity on the Board consistent with meeting the other criteria set forth in this Section;
    4. Persons who, in the aggregate, have personal familiarity with the operation of gTLD registries and registrars; with ccTLD registries; with IP address registries; with Internet technical standards and protocols; with policy-development procedures, legal traditions, and the public interest; and with the broad range of business, individual, academic, and non-commercial users of the Internet; and
    5. Persons who are able to work and communicate in written and spoken English.

    The NomCom welcomes and encourages participation from all members of the global Internet community. Although candidates should be able to both work and communicate well in English, there is no requirement that English be the candidate's first language.

    Core Values

    In making its selections, the NomCom will look for persons who can help implement ICANN's Core Values, stated in its Bylaws:

    "In performing its mission, the following core values should guide the decisions and actions of ICANN:

    1. Preserving and enhancing the operational stability, reliability, security, and global interoperability of the Internet.
    2. Respecting the creativity, innovation, and flow of information made possible by the Internet by limiting ICANN's activities to those matters within ICANN's mission requiring or significantly benefiting from global coordination.
    3. To the extent feasible and appropriate, delegating coordination functions to or recognizing the policy role of other responsible entities that reflect the interests of affected parties.
    4. Seeking and supporting broad, informed participation reflecting the functional, geographic, and cultural diversity of the Internet at all levels of policy development and decision-making.
    5. Where feasible and appropriate, depending on market mechanisms to promote and sustain a competitive environment.
    6. Introducing and promoting competition in the registration of domain names where practicable and beneficial in the public interest.
    7. Employing open and transparent policy development mechanisms that (i) promote well-informed decisions based on expert advice, and (ii) ensure that those entities most affected can assist in the policy development process.
    8. Making decisions by applying documented policies neutrally and objectively, with integrity and fairness.
    9. Acting with a speed that is responsive to the needs of the Internet while, as part of the decision-making process, obtaining informed input from those entities most affected.
    10. Remaining accountable to the Internet community through mechanisms that enhance ICANN's effectiveness.
    11. While remaining rooted in the private sector, recognizing that governments and public authorities are responsible for public policy and duly taking into account governments' or public authorities' recommendations.

    These core values are deliberately expressed in very general terms, so that they may provide useful and relevant guidance in the broadest possible range of circumstances. Because they are not narrowly prescriptive, the specific way in which they apply, individually and collectively, to each new situation will necessarily depend on many factors that cannot be fully anticipated or enumerated; and because they are statements of principle rather than practice, situations will inevitably arise in which perfect fidelity to all eleven core values simultaneously is not possible. Any ICANN body making a recommendation or decision shall exercise its judgment to determine which core values are most relevant and how they apply to the specific circumstances of the case at hand, and to determine, if necessary, an appropriate and defensible balance among competing values

    Timing

    By 27 June 2015, the NomCom expects to make its final selections for individuals to serve the terms that are associated with the following positions:

    • ICANN Board of Directors (three seats, three year terms)
    • Generic Names Supporting Organization Council Member (two seats, two year term)
    • At-Large Advisory Committee Members (three seats, two year terms; Africa, Australia/Pacific Islands and Latin America/Caribbean Islands)
    • Country Code Names Supporting Organization Council Member (one seat, three year term)

    As provided in the ICANN Bylaws, the starting date for terms for these positions is following the end of the 2015 Annual Meeting, which is scheduled for 22 October 2015 to be held at the end of the Public Meeting in Dublin, Ireland scheduled from 18 – 22 October 2015. The ending date for each term occurs at the conclusion of the ICANN Annual Meeting, taking place two or three years later, depending on the length of term applicable for each position.

  5. Position Roles, Eligibility Factors, and Time Commitments

    Position: Board of Directors

    Number of Seats: Three (3)

    Start of Term: After conclusion of Annual Meeting 2015

    End of Term: Conclusion of Annual Meeting 2018

    The Board of Directors supports ICANN's mission and core values through, among other things, oversight and establishment of strategic policies, unless the Bylaws or Articles of Incorporation state otherwise. Directors shall serve as individuals who have the duty to act in what they reasonably believe are the best interests of the organization.

    The NomCom will use the Selection Criteria for Directors, set forth in the Bylaws, for these positions.

    Pursuant to the current Bylaws, all Board members are entitled, but not obligated to receive compensation for their services as Directors as well as Board Committee Chairs. The Board may also authorize the reimbursement of actual and necessary reasonable expenses incurred by Directors performing their duties as Directors. (Bylaws Article VI, Section 22, see https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/bylaws-2012-02-25-en#VI-22). Presently, Board members have the option to receive fixed compensation (currently equivalent to US$45,000 for Directors and Liaisons (except GAC Liaison), or US$75,000 for the Board Chair) in accordance with the resolution passed by the Board on 30 July 2014 (see https://www.icann.org/resources/board-material/resolutions-2014-07-30-en#2.b) and reimbursement of certain reasonable and documented expenses.

    Board Eligibility Factors

    1. No person who serves on the NomCom in any capacity is eligible for selection by any means to any position on the Board or any other ICANN body having one or more membership positions that the Nominating Committee is responsible for filling, until the conclusion of an ICANN annual meeting that coincides with, or is after, the conclusion of that person's service on the Nominating Committee. (Bylaws, Article VII, Section 8, see https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/bylaws-2012-02-25-en#VII-8.)
    2. The NomCom shall seek to ensure that the ICANN Board is composed of members who in the aggregate display diversity in geography, culture, skills, experience, and perspective, by applying the criteria set forth above in this document. (Bylaws, Article VI, Section 2(2), see https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/bylaws-2012-02-25-en#VI-2.2.)
    3. At no time shall the NomCom select a Director to fill any vacancy or expired term whose selection would cause the total number of Directors (not including the President) who are citizens of countries in any one Geographic Region to exceed five; and the NomCom shall ensure through its selections that at all times the Board includes at least one Director who is a citizen of a country in each ICANN Geographic Region. (Bylaws, Article VI, Section 2(2), see https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/bylaws-2012-02-25-en#VI-2.2.)
    4. No official of a national government or a multinational entity established by treaty or other agreement between national governments may serve as a Director. (Bylaws, Article VI, Section 4(1), see https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/bylaws-2012-02-25-en#VI-4.1.)
    5. No person who serves in any capacity (including as a liaison) on any Supporting Organization Council shall simultaneously serve as a Director or Liaison to the Board. (Bylaws, Article VI, Section 4(2), see https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/bylaws-2012-02-25-en#VI-4.2.)
    6. Term limits: No ICANN Directors selected by the NomCom whose terms expire at the ICANN Annual Meeting of 2015 shall have exceeded the three term limit as defined in the Bylaws.

    The current composition of the Board of Directors is available here: https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/board-of-directors-2014-03-19-en

    Time Commitment and Working Practice

    The basic responsibilities of an ICANN Director require a commitment of time which when averaged out over the year could reach up to 20 hours each week. This includes participation in all of the ICANN Public Meetings each year, two to three Board workshops a year, a number of telephonic Board meetings, and work on Board Committees. The time spent in these basic responsibilities is typically clustered around Board meetings and monthly teleconferences, but there is a constant flow of information requiring regular attention.

    Depending on the location and including travel time and preparation, a Public Meeting could be a commitment of up to ten (10) days per meeting and workshops could range from three to five days per meeting. Directors spend additional time in connection with their work on Board Committees, a commitment that varies in relation to the number of Committees on which they serve; the scope of the Committee's responsibilities, and their role as Chair or Member of the Committee.

    Furthermore, the NomCom solicits advice from the Board (See: https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/files/nomcom-skills-advice-11oct14-en.pdf [PDF, 88 KB]), on desirable skill sets for incoming Board members, in light of the challenges ahead and the current composition of the Board. Such advice is used by the NomCom to inform the Committee's search and selection activities.

    Position: Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) Council

    Number of Seats: Two (2)

    Start of Term: After conclusion of Annual Meeting 2015

    End of Term: Conclusion of Annual Meeting 2017

    The GNSO is a policy-development body responsible for developing and recommending to the ICANN Board substantive policies relating to generic top-level domains. The GNSO consists of, four Stakeholder Groups (SG) that include various Constituencies representing defined groups of stakeholders and a GNSO Council responsible for managing the policy development and administrative processes of the GNSO. The GNSO Stakeholder Groups and Constituencies choose the majority of the Council members; the NomCom chooses three Council members with staggered terms. The GNSO Council also includes one liaison each from the At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) and the Country Code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO).

    The GNSO Council is divided into two houses for voting purposes only. The Contracted Party House is currently made up of two stakeholder groups: the gTLD Registrars SG and the gTLD Registries SG. The Non-Contracted Parties House is made up of two Stakeholder Groups (SGs): the Commercial SG and the Non-Commercial SG. One NomCom selectee is assigned as a voting member to each house and the third selectee to the Council as a whole as a non-voting member.

    GNSO Council members receive no compensation for their services as GNSO Council members. ICANN provides administrative and operational support necessary for the GNSO to carry out its responsibilities through the GNSO Secretariat. ICANN also provides staff support for policy development. As stated in the ICANN Bylaws, such support shall not necessarily include an obligation for ICANN to fund travel expenses incurred by GNSO participants for travel to any meeting of the GNSO or for any other purpose. However, ICANN has customarily furnished limited travel expenses for NomCom appointed Council members to attend ICANN meetings. This custom is planned to continue, but is subject to availability of funds and ongoing refinement of the ICANN travel policy.

    The NomCom will use the Criteria for Selection of ICANN Directors (see above) in choosing selectees for the GNSO Council. GNSO Council members are expected to support the ICANN mission and the implementation of ICANN's Core Values.

    Role of the NomCom Selectee

    As mentioned above, the majority of the GNSO Council members are appointed by the Stakeholder Groups and Constituencies and represent those constituencies in the Council. NomCom selectees, on the other hand, are not the representatives of any specific group, though they may choose to represent the interests of groups that are not currently represented in Council. Most importantly, NomCom selectees should be people chosen, often from outside the GNSO constituencies and sometime from outside ICANN, who bring a fresh perspective into the Council and who accept the responsibility to do their best to support ICANN in its mission and core values. Selectees should be people who can help the GNSO Council to perform its duties; sometimes this may involve filling gaps in the skill set, at other times it may involve achieving diversity or other demographic balance or may involve bringing a necessary perspective into the Council that is not already present. Generally, a selectee needs to fulfill several of these needs at the same time.

    The NomCom will also take into account the following eligibility factors and additional considerations.

    GNSO Council Eligibility Factors

    No person who serves on the NomCom in any capacity is eligible for selection by any means to any position on the Board or any other ICANN body having one or more membership positions that the NomCom is responsible for filling, until the conclusion of an ICANN annual meeting that coincides with, or is after, the conclusion of that person's service on the Nominating Committee. (Bylaws, Article VII, Section 8, see https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/bylaws-2012-02-25-en#VII-8.)

    No more than one officer, director, or employee of any particular corporation or other organization (including its subsidiaries and affiliates) shall serve on the GNSO Council at any given time. (Bylaws, Article X, Section 3(5), see https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/bylaws-2012-02-25-en#X-3.5.)

    Additional Considerations

    For the GNSO Council position, specific experience related to the scope of the GNSO's work with the Domain Name System would be advantageous.

    The current composition of the GNSO Council is available here http://gnso.icann.org/en/about/gnso-council.htm

    The Bylaws limit the number of consecutive terms GNSO Council members may serve to two.

    Time Commitment

    The basic responsibilities of a GNSO Council member involve a minimum of 20 hours per month on Council related activities, with those chairing or participating in committees or task forces spending up to 60 hours a month or more. Depending on work load, for example during the weeks before ICANN's three face-to-face Public Meetings held during the ICANN Public Meetings, the time commitment can sometimes escalate to as much as 20 hours per week or more. The commitment during ICANN's Public Meetings generally runs about three days with Council members sometimes having extensive responsibilities on most days. For those involved in Task Forces or Working Groups, there may occasionally be additional face-to-face interim meetings, and likely telephonic meetings throughout the year.

    Council members are not compensated for either time or teleconference costs, though ICANN makes toll free numbers available whenever practical.

    Additional GNSO criteria:

    There are various criteria that should be considered when judging GNSO candidates. The first set of criteria is general and should be present in anyone appointed to the GNSO Council, while the second set of criteria reflects a diversity of skills that may be necessary. Depending on the composition of the current Council, these skill-based criteria will vary from year to year.

    Baseline Criteria for anyone selected as a NomCom selectee:

    • Demonstrated experience working effectively in collaborative environments involving diverse interests.
    • Ability to lead, or otherwise assist, a multi-stakeholder group in reaching consensus
    • Basic knowledge of DNS systems and the industry structure (registries, registrars, registrants). The goal is not to find technical DNS experts, but a basic understanding of the DNS is needed to effectively function on the Council. For example selectees should understand something along the lines of "do you know what happens in the DNS when you send an email, or access a webpage". This requires an understanding of the general process of name resolution without requiring precise technical knowledge.

    Variable Criteria that are useful to the GNSO

    Part of the role of NomCom selectees is to fill gaps in the skill set of the Council. Some but not all of the skills that are highly useful in the process of GNSO Council work are listed below. The skills needed vary year by year.

    • Knowledge of:
      • International Law
      • Competition law
      • Public interest issues
      • Consumer rights
      • Human rights
      • Economics, especially market analysis
      • Market mechanisms and dynamics
      • Business principles
    • Intergovernmental expertise
    • Understanding of the special needs of financial services businesses
    • IDN expertise
    • DNS security expertise
    • Setting up of dispute and objection processes
    • Enforcement procedures and processes
    • Application software development – e.g. multi-lingual support
    • Online collaborative work and consensus building technologies – wiki's etc.
    • Statistics and survey analysis
    • Project management and document control processes

    Additionally consideration may be given to Candidates who can improve the geographical or gender balance on the Council as needed, as long as other necessary attributes and skills are also present.

    Position: Country Code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO) Council

    Number of Seats: One (1)

    Start of Term: After conclusion of Annual Meeting 2015

    End of Term: Conclusion of Annual Meeting 2018

    The ccNSO is a policy-development body which is responsible for developing and recommending to the Board global policies relating to country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs), nurturing consensus across the ccNSO's community, including the name-related activities of ccTLDs; and coordinating with other ICANN Supporting Organizations, committees and constituencies.

    In addition to the above core responsibilities, the ccNSO may also engage in other activities authorized by its members, including: (i) seeking to develop voluntary best practices for ccTLD managers, (ii) assisting in skills building within the global community of ccTLD managers, and (iii) enhancing operational and technical cooperation among ccTLD managers. The ccNSO consists of ccTLD managers that have agreed in writing to be members of the ccNSO, and a ccNSO Council responsible for managing the policy-development process of the ccNSO. Some ccNSO Council members are chosen by the ccNSO members within each of ICANN's Geographic Regions; the NomCom chooses three Council members with staggered terms.

    ccNSO Council members receive no compensation for their services as ccNSO Council members. Upon request of the ccNSO Council, ICANN shall provide administrative and operational support necessary for the ccNSO to carry out its responsibilities. As stated in the ICANN Bylaws, such support shall not include an obligation for ICANN to fund travel expenses incurred by ccNSO participants for travel to any meeting of the ccNSO or for any other purpose. However, ICANN has customarily furnished travel expenses for NomCom appointed Council members to ICANN meetings. This custom is planned to continue, but is subject to the Bylaw statement. (Bylaws Article IX, Section 7, see https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/bylaws-2012-02-25-en#IX-7.)

    The NomCom will use the Criteria for Selection of ICANN Directors in choosing selectees for the ccNSO Council. Selected ccNSO Council members are expected to support ICANN's mission and the implementation of ICANN's Core Values. The NomCom will also take into account the following eligibility factors and additional considerations.

    ccNSO Eligibility Factors

    No person who serves on the NomCom in any capacity is eligible for selection by any means to any position on the Board or any other ICANN body having one or more membership positions that the NomCom is responsible for filling, until the conclusion of an ICANN annual meeting that coincides with, or is after, the conclusion of that person's service on the NomCom. (Bylaws, Article VII, Section 8, see https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/bylaws-2012-02-25-en#VII-8.)

    Additional Considerations

    For the ccNSO Council positions, while no specific considerations are reflected in the Bylaws, basic knowledge of the DNS, experience or knowledge of ccTLDs and issues of importance to the global Internet, would be advantageous. Additionally, familiarity with the global environment in which ICANN operates and perspectives not otherwise reflected in the ccTLD community would be advantageous. Experience in international organizations and in developing new organizations is likewise valuable for these positions.

    Time Commitment

    An average ccNSO Council member would spend at least 12 hours per month on Council related activities, with those chairing committees or task forces spending at least 30 hours a month. (The commitment involves a minimum of six hours per month based on an average of 1.5 two-hour teleconferences (or physical meetings) per month plus about two hours of preparation for each meeting for reading task force reports and potentially discussing with the community. Participation in committees of the Council and/or task forces could easily double that minimum time commitment.)

    The NomCom had some discussion about what "basic knowledge of the DNS" meant, concluding that it was along the lines of "do you know what happens in the DNS when you send an email, or access a webpage". This is not a precise technical description, but rather an understanding of concepts of resolution.

    Position: At Large Advisory Committee (ALAC)

    Number of Seats: Three (3)

    One (Africa)

    One (Asia/Australia/Pacific Islands)

    One (Latin America/Caribbean Islands)

    Start of Term: After conclusion of Annual Meeting 2015

    End of Term: Conclusion of Annual Meeting 2017

    For a definition of ICANN's geographic regions see http://www.icann.org/montreal/geo-regions-topic.htm.

    The role of the ALAC is to provide a mechanism for individual user participation in ICANN, through user organizations as At-Large Structures (ALS) and Regional At Large Organizations (RALOs). The ALAC also performs a role to consider and provide advice on the activities of ICANN, insofar as they relate to the interests of individual Internet users. Individual users may be consumers, non-for-profit or profit or business users but the key term is that they are 'individuals'.

    ALAC members, like members of other ICANN Advisory Committees, receive no compensation for their services as Committee members. The Board may, however, authorize the reimbursement of the actual and necessary expenses incurred by Advisory Committee members performing their duties as Advisory Committee members. (Bylaws Article XI, Section 6, see https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/bylaws-2012-02-25-en#XI-6.)

    The NomCom will use the Criteria for Selection of ICANN Directors (see above) in choosing selectees for ALAC. ALAC members are expected to support the ICANN mission and the implementation of the ICANN Core Values. The NomCom will also take into account the following eligibility factors and additional considerations.

    ALAC Eligibility Factors

    No person who serves on the NomCom in any capacity is eligible for selection by any means to any position on the Board or any other ICANN body having one or more membership positions that the NomCom is responsible for filling, until the conclusion of an ICANN annual meeting that coincides with, or is after, the conclusion of that person's service on the NomCom.

    (Bylaws, Article VII, Section 8, see https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/bylaws-2012-02-25-en#VII-8.)

    The five members of the ALAC selected by the NomCom shall include one citizen of a country within each of the five Geographic Regions (Africa; Asia/Australia/Pacific Islands; Europe; Latin America/Caribbean Islands; and North America) established according to Bylaws Article VI, Section 5, see https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/bylaws-2012-02-25-en#VI-5. Only citizens Africa; Asia/Australia/Pacific Islands; and Latin America/Caribbean Islands regions as defined in ICANN's definition of geographic regions http://www.icann.org/montreal/geo-regions-topic.htm are eligible for ALAC vacancies in 2015.

    Additional Considerations

    For the ALAC positions, experience and skills that bear on gathering, understanding, and communicating the interests of individual users would be advantageous. Perspectives not otherwise reflected in the existing ALAC membership would be advantageous, as well as basic knowledge of the DNS. The NomCom's selections for ALAC are intended to diversify the skill and experience sets of the ALAC, including in such areas as group decision-making.

    The Bylaws do not state a limit on the number of terms ALAC members may serve.

    Time Commitment

    The basic responsibilities of an ALAC member demand a time commitment of approximately 20-26 hours per month on Committee related activities. This includes participating in online (email) discussions, commenting on/contributing to documents/proposed actions (drafted in English), participating in monthly ALAC telephone conferences (in English), held on the 4th Tuesday of the month, and meeting with/making presentations to, local and regional organizations. ALAC members serving as liaisons to other Supporting Organizations can expect to spend more than these basic hours per month.

    ICANN has traditionally reimbursed expenses incurred by ALAC members for attending ICANN meetings.

    The NomCom had some discussion about what "basic knowledge of the DNS" meant, concluding that it was along the lines of "do you know what happens in the DNS when you send an email, or access a webpage". This is not a precise technical description, but rather an understanding of concepts of resolution.

  6. Choosing to be a Candidate

    Choosing Among the Positions

    You may apply for any of the available positions set out in the Application Rrequest Fform for which you are eligible and in which you would be willing to serve. You may apply for up to four positions; however, you are encouraged to read and consider carefully the background materials on each position prior to filling out the Application request form below.

    Liability/Indemnification

    ICANN Directors, GNSO Council members, ALAC members and ccNSO Council members enjoy protections from liability for their activities in service to ICANN. These may be summarized as follows:

    (a) Indemnification by ICANN. Under its Bylaws, ICANN indemnifies members of ICANN bodies against expenses, judgments, fines, settlements, and other amounts that actually and reasonably arise in a proceeding because those persons are acting or have acted as agents of ICANN. There are various conditions to this indemnity, including that the indemnified person's acts were in good faith and done in a manner reasonably believed to be in ICANN's best interests and not criminal. (See Bylaws, Article XIV at https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/bylaws-2012-02-25-en#XIV.)

    (b) Statutory Immunity. United States federal law and California law contain provisions shielding volunteers to non-profit organizations (such as ICANN) from liabilities for their volunteer work, with some conditions. The U.S. Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 protects volunteers (i.e. those serving without compensation) to non-profit organizations from liability for harm caused by their acts and omissions while acting within the scope of their responsibilities in the organization and not in a willful, criminal, grossly negligent, reckless, etc. manner. (See 42 United States Code §§14501-14505.) California law provides similar liability protections to volunteer directors. (See California Corporations Code §5239.)

    Although there are various conditions and limits on these protections, together these provide significant protection to those acting in good faith and in the scope of their responsibilities to ICANN.

  7. The NomCom Process and Background

    Process

    Central to the NomCom's process are the Applications received from individuals who agree to be considered for service in any of the open positions. A person who has completed the online Application is considered a Candidate for selection by the NomCom. The NomCom will begin its review of Candidate information contained in the completed Application shortly after it is received and confirmed to have all the required information. If the Application is not completed by 15 March 2015, the individual will not be considered a Candidate for selection by the NomCom.

    The NomCom will evaluate Candidates in a fair and consistent manner, considering the Application, references, interviews as needed, consultations, and third-party information sources. While doing so, it will adhere to its Code of Conduct, which includes procedures regarding Confidentiality and Conflicts of Interest.

    To ensure open and frank communication with the NomCom, we have paid particular attention in our procedures to safeguarding confidentiality. Specifically, under our procedures all NomCom members will safeguard all internal NomCom communications concerning Candidates and treat them as strictly private, confidential, and for the use of the immediate committee members and NomCom staff only, without exception.

    NomCom members will not disclose outside of the Committee the identities of Candidates under consideration by the NomCom, nor any discussions about them, unless both the Candidate and the NomCom as a whole have given explicit authorization to disclose the information. Nor will the NomCom disclose the identity of those who suggested candidates or whether a specific candidate has been suggested. For more information about the procedures NomCom members follow regarding security and confidentiality of information, please refer to the Code of Conduct agreed by all members and the NomCom's Procedures.

    Note that because the NomCom will need to check references and consult selected third-party sources on a confidential basis before making its final selections, those wishing to be considered as Candidates are required to confirm this understanding of the confidentiality arrangements when they submit a Statement of Interest.

    When the NomCom has completed its selections, it will publish the identities of the Selectees. Statistical information, such as the size and nature of the candidate pool, will be published at the close of the process, as well as the NomCom's justification of the selected slate of appointees in light of the desirable skill sets. No other personally identifiable information will be publicized or retained after the selection process has been completed.

    It should be noted that this NomCom process differs from an election, although the goal is the same: to elicit the Internet community's participation in a thoughtful process leading to the selection of very well-qualified individuals to fulfill the specific roles of their positions.

    The NomCom's selections are final; no further approval or ratification will take place.

    While considerable care has been taken to ensure the accuracy and completeness of this Invitation, the NomCom reserves the right to make additions and corrections. If any changes are made, they will be posted on the 2015 NomCom webpage (https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/2015-2014-11-14-en). The webpage, including announcements and answers to frequently asked questions, will be updated as the committee's work progresses.

    Background

    The NomCom operates independently from the ICANN Board, the Supporting Organizations and Advisory Committees. The functional and geographic diversity and independence of NomCom members enables and encourages it to select persons who are not beholden to any particular interests and are capable of representing the broader view of the Internet community.

    NomCom members act only on behalf of the interests of the global Internet community and within the scope of the ICANN Mission and the responsibilities assigned to NomCom by the ICANN Bylaws.

    The NomCom seeks widespread participation, through submission of suggestions for candidates and Statements of Interest, to find the talent and experience needed for these roles, to inform the NomCom's decisions, and to generate the confidence and respect of the community for those whom the NomCom selects.

    Further information about the NomCom's origin, role, responsibilities, procedures, composition, and biographical information about its members have been placed on the NomCom webpage.

  8. How to suggest and encourage someone to become a candidate

    To enhance the Candidate pool from which the NomCom will choose selectees, we encourage you to suggest the name(s) of individuals whom we should invite to complete the Statement of Interest. Please note, however, that volunteering for positions is strongly encouraged: a suggestion is not compulsory in the NomCom process.

    To submit the name of someone you would like to suggest as a candidate, please click here and complete the online form. The form will be submitted to nomcom2015@icann.org.

    Names of people you wish to suggest as candidates should be received by the NomCom no later than 1 March 2015. The NomCom reserves the right to consider suggestions received after 1 March 2015, but makes no commitment to do so.

    The NomCom will contact by e-mail all those for whom it receives such suggestions to request their submission of an Application, but the NomCom will only consider and select individuals who have submitted a completed Application.

    Applications must be received by the NomCom no later 15 March 2015.

  9. Candidate Applications

    To be considered for selection by the NomCom, Candidate Applications must be completed online no later than 15 March 2015. Please use these Notes to help you answer the questions in the Candidate Application. You should read the Notes carefully before answering.

    1. Section A. Identification and Contact Information.

      Section A asks for information about your personal background, the type of information typically provided in a CV or resume.

    2. Section D. Internet Involvement and Interest in ICANN

      The purpose of the questions in Section D is to help us understand the skills and experience you would bring to ICANN, how you would help ICANN achieve its mission, and how you meet the criteria for the leadership positions the NomCom will fill. Please refer to the "Leadership Positions" document for details of these criteria. The NomCom needs to understand why you are the right person for the position(s) you are applying for.

      Please be bold in telling the committee about yourself and your ideas.

    3. Open ALAC positions.

      ALAC vacancies in 2015 are for citizens of countries from the ICANN Africa, Asia/Australia/Pacific Islands and Latin America/Caribbean Islands regions; see http://www.icann.org/montreal/geo-regions-topic.htm for a description of ICANN's geographic regions. If you are not from one of these regions, please do not apply for an ALAC position this year, but please return to check for vacancies during the 2016 NomCom selection cycle for Europe and North America regions.

    4. Satisfying eligibility and other selection criteria.

      See "Leadership Positions" document for eligibility criteria and other selection factors. Describe how your work and other experience helps you meet the criteria for the position(s) you are applying for. You may wish to describe how your previous experience is relevant to your candidacy.

    5. Familiarity with the Internet, its naming and addressing infrastructure and issues related to its security and stability, and other Internet technical functions coordinated by ICANN.

      The NomCom would like to know about your familiarity with the Internet's naming and addressing infrastructure, the Domain Name System and other Internet technical functions coordinated by ICANN, both in technical and policy matters. Please describe any involvement with the operation of ccTLD, gTLD registries or registrars, IP address registries, or relevant DNS technical or policy development process, including Internet technical protocols and standards. Your answer should include details of any involvement with ICANN, its policy development processes including its creation and evolution, Supporting Organizations, Councils and Advisory Committees.

    6. Contribution to ICANN and its mission.

      Please state clearly how you see yourself contributing to ICANN and its mission (ICANN's mission is defined in the Bylaws https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/bylaws-2012-02-25-en#I). Please highlight your personal skills and experience that would be beneficial to the organization. You should mention specific past or current contributions in fields such as board experience, international relations, technical leadership, managerial skills, languages, etc., as well as goals for your contribution in the desired position.

    7. Conflicts of Interest.

      Please refer to the ICANN Conflicts of Interest Policy (https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/coi-2012-02-25-en). This document specifically addresses conflicts for ICANN Directors, Officers and key employees, but should provide guidance for all ICANN leadership positions. If you have had any relationship with an ICANN accredited registry or registrar (other than registering a domain name) or any organization that has been in dispute with ICANN, please describe that relationship here. Conflicts of interest are not necessarily disqualifying, since we anticipate that many experienced people may have such relationships.

    8. Selecting references.

      Candidates must ask the people they select as for their agreement to do so before the referees' names are submitted to the NomCom. Those agreeing to serve as references should know they will be asked by the NomCom to provide a reference and should understand the purpose of the reference and NomCom process. Candidates may wish to provide their references with a copy of their SOI submitted to the NomCom, so that referees have it well in advance and can respond knowledgeably to the NomCom's request for information. The NomCom will also provide the referees with the candidate's SOI when requesting information from the referees. The NomCom recommends that Candidates choose their references carefully so the NomCom has a broad view of a Candidate's experiences and abilities.

      The NomCom will not consult as a reference anyone who is also a Candidate under consideration for the same position. The NomCom encourages Candidates to identify this issue for any potential references to avoid any collision of this type. Because of our confidentiality commitment, the NomCom will be unable to advise Candidates about another person's presence in the Candidate pool, therefore in the event of a collision between the Candidate and a referee, the NomCom will not be able to identify for you whether any specific references are unusable. The NomCom will, however, encourage any colliding references to consult with the affected Candidates to identify a potential need to submit a replacement reference.

    9. Due diligence and third party references.

      ICANN will employ a professional firm to conduct due diligence on selected nominees. Due diligence will be confidential and conducted according to global industry standards. In some circumstances the NomCom may ask a third party for additional reference information under a condition of confidentiality. If there is any person or persons you would like us not to contact for any third party checks, please let us know in your SOI.

Domain Name System
Internationalized Domain Name ,IDN,"IDNs are domain names that include characters used in the local representation of languages that are not written with the twenty-six letters of the basic Latin alphabet ""a-z"". An IDN can contain Latin letters with diacritical marks, as required by many European languages, or may consist of characters from non-Latin scripts such as Arabic or Chinese. Many languages also use other types of digits than the European ""0-9"". The basic Latin alphabet together with the European-Arabic digits are, for the purpose of domain names, termed ""ASCII characters"" (ASCII = American Standard Code for Information Interchange). These are also included in the broader range of ""Unicode characters"" that provides the basis for IDNs. The ""hostname rule"" requires that all domain names of the type under consideration here are stored in the DNS using only the ASCII characters listed above, with the one further addition of the hyphen ""-"". The Unicode form of an IDN therefore requires special encoding before it is entered into the DNS. The following terminology is used when distinguishing between these forms: A domain name consists of a series of ""labels"" (separated by ""dots""). The ASCII form of an IDN label is termed an ""A-label"". All operations defined in the DNS protocol use A-labels exclusively. The Unicode form, which a user expects to be displayed, is termed a ""U-label"". The difference may be illustrated with the Hindi word for ""test"" — परीका — appearing here as a U-label would (in the Devanagari script). A special form of ""ASCII compatible encoding"" (abbreviated ACE) is applied to this to produce the corresponding A-label: xn--11b5bs1di. A domain name that only includes ASCII letters, digits, and hyphens is termed an ""LDH label"". Although the definitions of A-labels and LDH-labels overlap, a name consisting exclusively of LDH labels, such as""icann.org"" is not an IDN."