Internet DRAFT - draft-rsalz-gih-nomcom-2years
draft-rsalz-gih-nomcom-2years
GENDISPATCH Working Group G. Huston
Internet-Draft APNIC
Updates: 8713 (if approved) R. Salz
Intended status: Best Current Practice Akamai Technologies
Expires: 29 March 2024 26 September 2023
Two-year terms for NomCom volunteers
draft-rsalz-gih-nomcom-2years-00
Abstract
Each year the NomCom process is actually two processes -- finding out
anew how to be a NomCom and conduct its business, and then
undertaking the work of the NomCom in selecting individuals to
undertake the various roles for which the NomCom has responsibility.
This applies to both the chair and to the voting volunteer members of
the NomCom.
The inclusion of the past chair into the NomCom as a non-voting
member mitigates this to some extent, but the past chair is
constrained as to the level of advice that can be offerred. This
acts an impediment to making concrete changes for future incarnations
of the Nomcom that would improve the overall Nomcom process.
The NomCom process could benefit from greater levels of continuity
from year-to-year to reduce the amount of time taken to by the new
Nomcom to define its intended mode of operation and allow the
operation each incarnation of the Nomcom with a greater level of
consistency.
This document changes the term of office for NomCom voting volunteers
from one to two years. It also changes the term of office for the
NomCom Chair from two to three.
Discussion Venues
This note is to be removed before publishing as an RFC.
Source for this draft and an issue tracker can be found at
https://github.com/richsalz/nomcom-changes.
Status of This Memo
This Internet-Draft is submitted in full conformance with the
provisions of BCP 78 and BCP 79.
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2. Conventions and Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3. Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
4. Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
5. Diversity Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
6. Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
7. IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
8. LLC Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
9. Normative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Authors' Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1. Introduction
Each year the IETF Nomincations Committee ("NomCom") process
[RFC8713] is actually two processes -- finding out anew how to be a
NomCom and conduct its business and then secondly performing the work
of the NomCom in selecting individuals to undertake the various roles
for which the NomCom has responsibility. This applies to both the
Chair and to the voting volunteer members of the NomCom.
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The inclusion of the past Chair into the NomCom as a non-voting
member mitigates this to some extent, but the past Chair is
constrained as to the level of advice that can be offerred. Even
with such an arrangement, the degree with which the previous chair
can advocate adoption of previously used processes (and supporting
tools) that benefit the efficient operation of the Nomcom is limited
by being a single voice within the Nomcom. Each incarnation of the
Nomcom is prone to repeating the same behaviours each year, with only
a limited opportunity to benefit from previous experience.
The NomCom could benefit from greater levels of continuity from year-
to-year to assist the NomCom to get over the bootstrap period of
operational process definition each year.
This document changes the term of office for NomCom voting volunteers
from one to two years. It also changes the term of office for the
NomCom Chair from two to three.
2. Conventions and Definitions
[RFC8713] documents how the IETF Nominations Committee operates.
That document refers to the meetings by ordinals; for ease of
understanding, this document uses March, July, and November instead
of First, Second, Third, respectively.
The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
"SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "NOT RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and
"OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in
BCP 14 [RFC2119] [RFC8174] when, and only when, they appear in all
capitals, as shown here.
3. Changes
The voting volunteers serve for two years. The selection are to be
staggered (see below) so that after the bootstrap five new members
are chosen each year.
The NomCom chair serves for three years, each year is known as
Incoming Chair, Chair, and Past Chair. The voting rules for Chair
and Past Chair do not change. The Incoming Chair does not vote and
does not count for quorum in Nomcom meetings.
*ISSUE* Is that last sentence what we want?
*GH* Yes, I think so!
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4. Implementation
To commence this process, the ISOC President selects an individual as
the designated Chair, and an individual as the Incoming Chair. The
order and method of selection is left to the discretion of the ISOC
President. This document recommends that the Incoming Chair be
announced before the current chair has made any public announcements.
In suceeding years the ISOC President selects an individual as the
Incoming Chair.
The voting volunteers for the first year of operation of this process
need to be selected in two separate groups - five are picked for a
one-year term, and five are picked for a two-year term. In order to
prevent the Chair from having undue influence, [RFC3797] or its
successor should be used. The seed material for both groups can be
the same, with an additional seed provided that distinguishes them.
For example, an additional lottery equivalent with "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6"
as the numbers for the first group and "7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12" as the
numbers for the second group could be used.
A single list of eligible volunteers is used for both volunteer
groups in the first year of operation of this process.
In suceeding years the selection process will name five individuals
to serve a two year term as a Nomcom member.
If someone is unwilling, unreachable, or otherwise unable to serve,
the next person for that group should be chosen.
5. Diversity Considerations
*RS* This comes from some other correspondence and I think there
are some valid points here.
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I hope that proposal draft explicitly addresses the problem that,
perhaps because of the increased workload, the NomCom is already
less diverse and less representative of the community than one
might reasonably wish for. I see it as a tradeoff, rather than
fatal but, unless there are other remedies, the longer commitment
of more time seems likely to further reduce diversity, perhaps to
the point that the typical NomCom member becomes someone with
good organizational support (perhaps from organizations/
companies with ulterior motives) and little significant
involvement in the IETF's technical work (aka "too much time on
their hands").
I don't have a strong opinion about what you should say on the
subject, but I believe not addressing the issue would be a
mistake.
6. Security Considerations
The security considerations of Section 9 of [RFC8713] are still
applicable.
One possible concern is that organizations with an agenda now have
two years to exercise it, and in their second year will be more
competent to use their influence with respect to that agenda.
Maintaining the requirement that at most two people can be from the
same organization as defined in Section 4.17 of [RFC8713] should help
mitigate that.
In addition, since the term of office for the Chair and the voting
volunteers is being extended by a year, all will be participants in
more than one NomCom "session." It seems obvious that this will make
it harder to maintain confidentiality. For example, a participant in
years _N_ and _N+1_ will have to ensure that they do not discuss
_N+1_ items with someone who was a participant in _N_ and _N-1_.
*GH* I am not sure that the last 2 sentences are the case,
Note, however, that the key goal of this document is to introduce
greater continuity across NomComs.
7. IANA Considerations
This document has no IANA actions.
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8. LLC Considerations
The LLC is requested to provide free registration for the NomCom
Chair (and only the current Chair) and the voting volunteers for the
November meeting as that is when most of the candidate interviews are
done.
*GH* Really? If the nomcom folk need free rego to to attend an
IETF then the wheels have fallen off in my view!
*RS* Since most of the November meeting could be spent
interviewing, for diversity/inclusion it makes sense to me. But
TBD.
9. Normative References
[RFC2119] Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119,
DOI 10.17487/RFC2119, March 1997,
<https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc2119>.
[RFC3797] Eastlake 3rd, D., "Publicly Verifiable Nominations
Committee (NomCom) Random Selection", RFC 3797,
DOI 10.17487/RFC3797, June 2004,
<https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc3797>.
[RFC8174] Leiba, B., "Ambiguity of Uppercase vs Lowercase in RFC
2119 Key Words", BCP 14, RFC 8174, DOI 10.17487/RFC8174,
May 2017, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc8174>.
[RFC8713] Kucherawy, M., Ed., Hinden, R., Ed., and J. Livingood,
Ed., "IAB, IESG, IETF Trust, and IETF LLC Selection,
Confirmation, and Recall Process: Operation of the IETF
Nominating and Recall Committees", BCP 10, RFC 8713,
DOI 10.17487/RFC8713, February 2020,
<https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc8713>.
Acknowledgments
None so far.
Authors' Addresses
Geoff Huston
APNIC
Email: gih@apnic.net
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Rich Salz
Akamai Technologies
Email: rsalz@akamai.com
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