Network Working Group Scott Bradner Internet-Draft Harvard University Intended status: BCP Updates: 4071 Expires: March 1, 2015 September 1, 2015 Updating the Definition of Term for IAOC Members draft-bradner-iaoc-terms-04.txt Abstract The start and end dates specified in BCP 101 for terms of IAOC members has proven to be impractical. This memo updates BCP 101 to establish that the IAOC is directed to establish start and end dates for terms of IAOC members that will be more practical. Status of this Memo This Internet-Draft is submitted in full conformance with the provisions of BCP 78 and BCP 79. Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). Note that other groups may also distribute working documents as Internet-Drafts. The list of current Internet- Drafts is at http://datatracker.ietf.org/drafts/current/. 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Bradner [Page 1] Internet-Draft IAOC Terms September 2015 1. Background BCP 101 says "IAOC terms normally end at the end of the first IETF meeting of a year". ([RFC4071] Section 4.) Having the terms of the IAOC members expire at the end of the first IETF meeting of the year has proved impractical for the IAOC to carry out its business and to elect its Chair during the meeting week. For a number of years, the IAOC has fudged the issue somewhat by defaulting to an informal process of having the transition occur during the administrative plenary (as the IESG does). This informal arrangement violates the letter of BCP 101. But even this arrangement is problematic if the transfer happens after the IAOC's face-to-face meeting that happens during the week. For a number of years, the IAOC's meeting has been on the morning of the administrative plenary so the incoming IAOC members, while present, are not seated even with the informal arrangement. Having the new IAOC members take office after the face-to-face meeting has caused difficulties in the chair selection and voting processes during the IAOC's face-to-face meeting held during the same week. There has been confusion over who should vote in the chair election and on any business actions that require a vote of the Trustees. If the incoming members are not seated then they should not vote, for example, to select a chair for the next year yet they, more than the outgoing members, should have a say in the chair selection. There is also confusion over who is eligible to be elected as chair - if the term of an IAOC member has not yet started could that IAOC member be elected chair (since the chair is selected from among the members). Having the terms expire at the end of the week also risks the IAOC not being able to raise a quorum if outgoing members decide to not come to the meeting. Since the IAOC members are the Trustees of the IETF Trust the same issues arise with the IETF Trust and its ability to carry out its business and elect a Chair during the meeting week An additional issue with BCP 101 is the current definition of the term of the IAOC Chair. BCP 101 says "The term of the IAOC chair shall be one year from the time of selection or the remaining time of his or her tenure on the IAOC, whichever is less". Since the dates for the first IETF meeting of the year vary from year to year the current BCP 101 text could result in there being no IAOC chair in weeks before the a meeting or in overlapping terms for IAOC Chairs. 2. BCP 101 Update This memo updates Section 4 of BCP 101 to remove the sentence "IAOC terms normally end at the end of the first IETF meeting of a year" and to add the following requirements: Bradner [Page 2] Internet-Draft IAOC Terms September 2015 1. that the IAOC and the IETF Trust each hold a regular meeting close to the time of, or during, the first IETF meeting of the year; and 2. that the IAOC and the Trust select their chairs as the first order of business in their individual meetings in a manner of their choosing; and 3. that the IAOC determine the beginning and end of the normal terms of its members relative to the above mentioned IAOC meeting, such terms must start and end close to the time of this meeting, unless those determinations are made by the appointing bodies, A regular meeting has proper notice, with minutes posted, and may be held as face-to-face, teleconference, or as a combination of the two. 3. Security Considerations This memo relates to IETF process, not any particular technology so it does not impact the security of the Internet. 4. References 4.1. Normative References [RFC4071] Austein, R and B. Wijnen, "Structure of the IETF Administrative Support Activity (IASA)", BCP 101, RFC 4071, April 2005. IANA Considerations This memo requires no action by the IANA. [this section should be removed for publication] 5. Editor's Addresses Scott Bradner Harvard University 8 Story St. Cambridge MA, 02138 Phone: +1 617 495 3864 EMail: sob@harvard.edu 6. changes between versions This section to be removed by the RFC Editor before publication ver 00 -> ver 01 add "or teleconference" in 2nd paragraph of section 2 clarified last paragraph of section 2 Bradner [Page 3] Internet-Draft IAOC Terms September 2015 fixed typo and punctuation ver 01 -> ver 02 replaced section 2 to allow the IAOC to (re)define its procedures when needed removed reference to the Trust Agreement ver 02 -> ver 03 reword abstract reformat section 2 ver 02 -> ver 03 updated 1st paragraph of section 2 to quote the sentence being removed added text to 2.3 to say that the term ends need to be neat the time of the 1st ietf meeting of the year Bradner [Page 4]