Re: Evaluation: draft-iab-isocbot - IETF ISOC Board of Trustee Appointment Procedures

[Leslie Daigle <leslie@thinkingcat.com>]

Thomas,

Thanks for the careful reading of the document.

Comments in-line:

Thomas Narten wrote:
> Very weak discuss, would like to hear from leslie/iab.
>
>
> > 3.3 Confirmation
> >
> >   The IESG will act as the confirming body for the selection.  In the
> >   event that the IESG determines not to confirm the nominated
> >   candidate, the IESG will provide the IAB with the basis for this
> >   determination and the IAB will nominate another candidate.
>
>
> I think I understand the basic intent here, but the above also could
> be read to say if the IAB picks Joe, IESG rejects, the IAB can't
> resolve the IESG's issues and then renominate. Of course, this could
> all be handled by having the IESG informally raise concerns first,
> then discuss, then make a final decision. And that is probably fine,
> so long as everyone understands the need for this.

My understanding is in line with what you've described -- that
the IAB can't renominate the same person, and that it would be better-
handled by informal discussion beforehand.

Is the text, then, sufficiently clear?

> > 3.5 Mid-term Vacancies
>
>
> I'm somewhat confused by the text in this section.
>
>
> >   This document describes the process for the general, annual
> >   appointment of ISOC Trustees to fill the seats of Trustees whose
> >   terms are ending.  However, if an IETF-appointed Trustee is unable to
> >   serve his or her full term, the IAB will, at its discretion, either
> >   immediately select a replacement representative to serve the
> >   remainder of the term using an interim process, or select an
> >   additional Trustee to serve the remainder of the term as part of the
> >   next annual selection process.
>
>
> >   If the IAB elects to fill the mid-term vacancy before the next annual
> >   selection, a separate timeline will be announced and the rest of the
> >   process described in this document will be followed.
>
>
> The last part of the first paragraph is a bit confusing to me. I
> gather that the intent here is to say something like if a resignation
> happens less than year before a term expires, then the new appointment
> serves the remainder of the current term plus the next term. Except
> not say this precisely.

Indeed, re-reading it, it's not very precise.


> Three issues with the current text:
>
> 1) why use the term "representative" vs. "trustee" above? Is this
>    intentional or meaningful?

I think it is appropriate to simply delete the word "representative".
"immediately select a replacement to serve..."

> 2) There is talk about both an "interim process" and "the rest of the
>    process described in this document will be used". I have a hard
>    time understanding what part can be ad hoc and what part can't.

Perhaps "the interim process", not "an interim process"?  "The"
interim process is (supposed to be) defined in the document -- it's
the next paragraph.

> 3) There is no text suggesting when to go with an interim replacement
>    vs. replacement for the next term. Would it make sense to add a
>    rule saying a remaining term of less than a year extends the
>    appointment into the following term, but more than a year makes the
>    appointment interim? (I don't feel strongly about this, but I'm a
>    bit surprised it's not specified).

Actually, this unravels the whole text.

What the text was trying to say was that the IAB could choose
to appoint a replacement using the interim process, or select
*two* ("an additional") at the next regular cycle.  But, of course,
if there was less than a year left, it's not additional, the person's
term was up.

Here's a proposed clarification:

3.5 Mid-term Vacancies

   This document describes the process for the general, annual
   appointment of ISOC Trustees to fill the seats of Trustees whose
   terms are ending.  However, if an IETF-appointed Trustee is unable to
   serve his or her full term, the IAB may, at its discretion,
   immediately select a replacement to serve the remainder of the term
   using the interim process defined in Section 3.5.1.  If the IAB does
   not invoke the interim process, the next annual selection process
   will fill the vacancy as well as the regular appointment for the
   year (if there was more than a year left in the Trustee's term).

3.5.1 Interim Appointment Process

   If the IAB elects to fill the mid-term vacancy before the next annual
   selection, a separate timeline will be announced and the rest of the
   process described in this document will be followed.



Does that do it for you?  If so, I would circulate the text
to the IAB, to make sure that they are happy with it (as
there is the assertion that the IAB *cannot* appoint someone
for greater than 1 Term length (but they can turn around
and re-appoint the same person at the next year-cycle)).

I don't know if this would be handle-able in an RFC-Ed note, or
if this is big enough to require a doc rev.

Recall that the original text was:


> 3.5 Mid-term Vacancies
>
>    This document describes the process for the general, annual
>    appointment of ISOC Trustees to fill the seats of Trustees whose
>    terms are ending.  However, if an IETF-appointed Trustee is unable to
>    serve his or her full term, the IAB will, at its discretion, either
>    immediately select a replacement representative to serve the
>    remainder of the term using an interim process, or select an
>    additional Trustee to serve the remainder of the term as part of the
>    next annual selection process.
>
>    If the IAB elects to fill the mid-term vacancy before the next annual
>    selection, a separate timeline will be announced and the rest of the
>    process described in this document will be followed.


Leslie.