<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi,<div><br></div><div>Just looking at v. 6 again in order to respond to McTim on the governance list and I notice that section 2.2 NCSG Membership still has references to the Executive Committee and Chair deciding on eligibility, even though 5.0 Amendments notes that on 23. Feb. we eliminated "all mentions of
the Executive Committee." Is this bit supposed to say Policy Committee and Chair?</div><div><br></div><div>Bill</div><div><br><div><div>On Mar 16, 2009, at 8:14 PM, Robin Gross wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Attached is the revised and latest version of the NCSG proposal and executive summary (based on discussions in and since Mexico City).<div><br></div><div>Please let me know if there are any suggestions for further improvements to the proposal by the end of the business day, so it can be submitted to the ICANN Board by the deadline.</div><div><br></div><div>Thank you to all of those who helped provide drafting and comments to the latest proposal (especially Mary, Carlos, and Brenden). This has been a real community effort from a growing team of engaged members. Thanks again!</div><div><br></div><div>All best,</div><div>Robin</div><div><br></div><div>______________________________________</div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT">The NCUC is pleased to submit a proposed charter for the new Noncommercial<font class="Apple-style-span" face="Helvetica"> </font>Stakeholders Group (NCSG).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This revised proposal reflects comments received in meetings with the Board Governance Committee, during a “Users’ House” session and a joint ALAC-NCUC session at the 34<sup>th</sup> ICANN Public Meeting, in Mexico City, and in discussions with ICANN staff as well as among NCUC members.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none">This cover letter to our proposal provides: (i) an executive summary of its essential elements; (ii) an explanation on how it advances the principles and goals of the GNSO Improvements process through the adoption of innovative approaches to certain problems posed by the formation of stakeholder groups; and finally (iii) a summary of <span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT">the specific changes made in comparison to our previous version of the NCSG proposal, as submitted to the ICANN Board on February 28, 2009.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT"><b>1. Essential Elements of the proposal:</b></span></p><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div> <ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">Noncommercial stakeholders join the NCSG directly, and the NCSG keeps track of membership and administers voting for Council seats by the membership as a whole.<o:p></o:p></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">The NCSG is administered by an annually elected Chair and a Policy Committee. The Policy Committee is composed of the 6 elected GNSO Councilors and one representative from each Constituency.<o:p></o:p></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">There are three classes of membership: 1) large organizations (which receive 4 votes), small organizations (which receive 2 votes) and individuals (who receive 1 vote)<o:p></o:p></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">Constituencies are created as subunits within the NCSG and its formation follows some simple procedures, managed by the Policy Committee, which then submits the petition for formation of a new Constituency to the ICANN Board´s approval.<o:p></o:p></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">We have de-linked Constituency formation from Council seats so that NCSG participants do not have artificial incentives to fragment into competing groups, ensuring that a voting system, conducted through all members of the SG, will result in a better and diverse representation on the GNSO than any other model that strings the formation of a Constituency to a seat the Council, favoring corporatism over democracy.<o:p></o:p></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">Constituencies are given special rights to propose Working Groups and assured that their positions are incorporated into any and all public comments submitted by the NCSG into the policy development process.</li></ol><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none">To protect the voice of minorities in the policy process, we require <i>all</i><span style="font-style: normal"> NCSG representatives on the GNSO Council to vote in favor of the formation of a Working Group if it has the support of 1/3 of the constituencies or 1/5 of the whole membership.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT"><b>2. How our proposal addresses </b></span><b>Principles and Goals of the GNSO Improvements process:</b></p> <div class="MsoNormal">We would like to explain how this proposal advances the principles and goals of the GNSO Improvements process. As you know, the Board has articulated four “vital principles” that are critical to the GNSO revitalization process. They are:<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div><p class="Default" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.4pt; margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="font-family:Wingdings">§<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span>GNSO policy development activities should become more visible and transparent to a wider range of stakeholders; <o:p></o:p></p><p class="Default" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.4pt; margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="font-family:Wingdings">§<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span>Reforms should enhance the representativeness of the GNSO Council and its constituencies; <o:p></o:p></p><p class="Default" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.4pt; margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="font-family:Wingdings">§<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span>Operational changes should help enhance the GNSO’s ability to reach consensus on policy positions that enjoy wide support in the ICANN community; and <o:p></o:p></p><p class="Default" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="font-family:Wingdings">§<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span>GNSO stakeholder representation structures need to be flexible and adaptable.</p><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">Our proposal meets these goals better than any of the proposed alternatives. <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><b>Principle 1: <i>Visibility and Transparency</i></b><span style="font-style:normal"><b>. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal">When noncommercial stakeholders are fragmented into independent constituencies, each with their own mailing list, administrative structure and representatives, it is literally impossible for an ordinary noncommercial organization to keep track of them all. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Noncommercial stakeholders in one constituency would have no idea what is happening in other constituencies. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our proposal integrates all policy deliberation and voting into a unified structure. This enhances the visibility and transparency of the SG.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><b> <o:p></o:p></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><b>Principle 2: <i>Representativeness</i></b><span style="font-style:normal"><b>.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal">Our proposal enhances representation in several ways. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>First, by adopting a model of flexible and easy-to-form constituencies as subunits under the NCSG, we allow a far more diverse set of interests and coalitions to form. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Most important, through unified voting for GNSO Council seats, our proposal ensures that whoever represents noncommercial stakeholders on the Council has support across all constituencies, not just a bare majority of a small subgroup of the SG. <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><b>Principle 3: <i>Consensus</i></b><span style="font-style: normal"><b>.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal">We believe that the old GNSO constituency structure, which assigns a specific number of Council seats to specific constituencies, is inimical to the formation of consensus. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That approach encourages small subgroups to break away and form their “own” constituencies in order to gain a guaranteed Council seat. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Once a constituency controls specific Council seats/votes, they have little incentive to seek support from other Council members for their views or their representatives. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We already have evidence from this; we note that none of the “new constituencies” currently being proposed for the Noncommercial Stakeholders actually represent newcomers to the ICANN space. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>All of them are existing members of NCUC or RALOs who wish to gain seats on the Council without having to win an election among a large number of other noncommercial entities and individuals. <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">Our proposal understands that policy development in the new GNSO will not come from a Council acting as a legislator, but from consensus-based Working Groups. Therefore, we allow relatively small minorities of the NCSG to bind our Council representatives to support the formation of a Working Group. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Once a Working Group is formed, its proponents will have to convince many other stakeholders to agree on a common policy. We think there should be a low threshold for the formation of a WG, so that anyone can have a chance to convince the rest of the GNSO of the need for a policy. <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><b>Principle 4: <i>Flexibility and Adaptability</i></b><span style="font-style:normal"><b>.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal">The old constituency model is broken. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It rigidly assigns Council seats and representation to categories of users that are constantly changing, categories that may overlap in numerous ways. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Dividing the world up into mutually exclusive categories known as “constituencies” is always bound to exclude some people who don’t fit the categories, and at the same time over-represent entities who qualify for two or three of the categories. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>By detaching Constituencies from Council seats, our proposal can make constituencies much more flexible and lightweight. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We make constituencies more like intra-Stakeholder Group working groups – easier to form and not mutually exclusive. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>NCSG members can join multiple constituencies, and constituencies can form and disband more easily without disrupting the entire representational structure of the NCSG. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none">Under the old model, once a constituency is formed, there is a strong danger that it can be captured or controlled by a small group, especially as membership and participation declines. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The NCSG charter proposed here solves this problem by situating constituencies in a large NCSG membership that cannot be easily captured, as addressed in the item below.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT"><b>3. Changes made to the previous (2/28/9) version of the proposal:</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT"><b><i>Dealing with “Threat” of Capture.</i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT">A central concern is the ability of special interests or a discrete group to gain a majority of GNSO Councilor seats in the reformed GNSO. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Comments suggested that existing participants within the NCUC might have special advantage, or the proposed structure might be subject to “gaming,” specifically capture of Councilor seats by a simple majority.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT">To the first point, the current NCUC will dissolve completely when the charter goes into effect. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Existing individual and organizational members will be free to form new constituencies and participate in elections according to the charter rules. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They are not privileged in any manner, having the same rights as any new members that chose to join the Stakeholder Group. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The various interests among NCUC members are extremely diverse, perhaps the most varied of all SG’s, and are difficult to capture by a single viewpoint, given the breadth of noncommercial interests.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT">To the second point, the threat of “gaming” exists under any proposed structure. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It should be recognized that concerns about some coordinated push to “capture” the Noncommercial Constituency have been made since 1999. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>However, there is no factual basis to suggest this has occurred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Instead, and as the Board realized in reviewing the BGC recommendations, <u>the issue has always been under-representation of noncommercial interests.</u><i> </i></span><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It has always been the case for noncommercial interests that there are <u>not enough</u> people willing and able to get deeply involved and do the work required to participate effectively in the GNSO. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Despite this ongoing difficulty, NCUC’s membership has increased by more than 40% within the last six months, partially due to the membership being opened for <i>individuals</i></span><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT"> to join.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT">Nonetheless, in response to this perceived threat of capture, <b>we have </b></span><span style="font-family:Calibri"><b>extended the minimum voting eligibility period for new Members to 90 days (Section 3.4.3).</b></span><span style="font-family: Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Such an adjustment should allow opportunity for countervailing interests to form, preventing the flooding of new members’ right before an election with the specific purpose of winning it, without any actual engagement of such members in the discussions and activities pertaining to the Stakeholders Group.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT">The current constituency-based model actually aggravates problems of capture because it potentially institutionalizes special interests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Once a constituency has formed and been allocated seats, there is no reasonable mechanism to remove a constituency’s representatives from the Council, no matter how the broader membership base may change. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><b>We partially address this concern by now requiring</b></span><span style="font-family:Calibri"><b> final approval of Constituencies by the ICANN Board (Section 2.3.1).</b></span><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT"><b><i>Dealing with the demand for diversity in representation on the GNSO Council:</i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none">Attempting to categorize individuals and organizations according to constituencies is inimical to growing diverse participation in the stakeholder group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A constituency-based model of allocating seats is neither flexible nor adaptable to a growing noncommercial membership.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none">In this regard, the discussions in which we engaged during the Mexico meeting featured a wide range of comments on the issue of representation, and providing adequate solutions for a long-term perspective, as well as creating complex voting methods that would end up decreasing the broader representation we seek.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none">One approach suggested that an <i>interim</i><span style="font-style:normal"> system in which each Constituency would be granted an automatic seat at the GNSO Council could be created as long as no more than six Constituencies exist within the NCSG structure. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This suggestion not only fails to provide a long-term solution for the issue, it also creates artificial incentives for the formation of groups that have little concern for the wider range of the membership who the NCSG Council must serve.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none">The outcome of an <i>interim</i><span style="font-style:normal"> decision like that would encourage the election of NCSG Councilors who have little or no incentive to reach out to other views and constituencies that naturally constitute the non-commercial interest in ICANN.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none">The other proposal ties up non-commercial energy and resources with in-fighting between competing constituencies and dispute mechanisms. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It presents complex systems for voting and/or for the allocation of members inside the specter of six forced Constituencies. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>And its voting mechanism seems to create a difficult method for measuring the will of the members that integrate the NCSG. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none">There have been even some suggestions for fragmented voting. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We deem that no other system is simpler and direct than allowing each member to vote and that representation results from the election of the ones to whom the majority of votes has been casted.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none">In short, the other NCSG proposal allocates GNSO Council seats by constituencies <i>competing</i><span style="font-style:normal"> with one another, while our proposal allocates Council seats via constituencies </span><i>cooperating</i><span style="font-style:normal"> with one another to find a consensus.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT">The recently submitted charters of the Registries and Registrars provide for GNSO Councilors to be elected by Stakeholder Group-wide membership rather than individual constituencies. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In this matter, each of these charters (ours, the Registries, and the Registrars) seem to present the same solution for the issue of representation.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT">The reason for this in the non-commercial stakeholder group is simple: There are no concentrated benefits for noncommercial participants to counter their costs of participating in a global policy making institution. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A simple solution to this is to lower structural barriers to participation, as the NCSG charter does by providing for direct representation and easy participation within constituencies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT">Our proposed NCSG Charter tackles the issue of representation, avoids interim suggestions, and puts forth a system that allows the broadest and most democratic representation of noncommercial interests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT"><i>Conclusion</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT">Although it has transformed significantly along the way, our proposal is not new. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We have been working on this charter since June of 2008, and have entered into extensive consultations with ICANN staff members, ALAC, At Large representatives, board members, and our own constituency members on its development. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We feel that much has been improved to guarantee diversity in representation, to secure a space for minority views to be heard, and to address the concern over capture. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT">We thank ICANN for allowing us an opportunity to provide this revised proposal that reflects the comments and suggestions received from all interested parties who have joined in the effort to present the best charter possible for the NCSG structure, built upon consensus and the principles that guide the GNSO Improvements process. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We stand ready to continue to work with the ICANN community to improve this NCSG proposal eve <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>further. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p> <div class="MsoNormal">Best regards,</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">Robin Gross,<o:p></o:p></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none">Chair, Noncommercial Users Constituency</p> <!--EndFragment--> <div><br></div><br> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><div><span></span></div></span></div><span><NCSG_v6.doc></span></div><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><div></div></span></div><span><ncsg_board_letter rev2.doc></span></div><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><div><span></span></div><div><br></div></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><div><br class="khtml-block-placeholder"></div><div>IP JUSTICE</div><div>Robin Gross, Executive Director</div><div>1192 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA 94117 USA</div><div>p: +1-415-553-6261 f: +1-415-462-6451</div><div>w: <a href="http://www.ipjustice.org">http://www.ipjustice.org</a> e: <a href="mailto:robin@ipjustice.org">robin@ipjustice.org</a></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"> </div><br></div></div></blockquote></div><br><div apple-content-edited="true"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">***********************************************************</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">William J. Drake </div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Senior Associate</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Centre for International Governance</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Graduate Institute of International and</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "> Development Studies</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Geneva, Switzerland</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><a href="mailto:william.drake@graduateinstitute.ch">william.drake@graduateinstitute.ch</a></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">New book: <i>Governing Global Electronic Networks,</i></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><a href="http://tinyurl.com/5mh9jj">http://tinyurl.com/5mh9jj</a></div></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">***********************************************************</div></div></div></div></div></div></span></span></div></span> </div><br></div></body></html>