[NCUC-DISCUSS] NCUC Event News

Tue May 28 17:35:30 CEST 2013

As some know, my view is similar to Bill's - I think NCUC can and should do a fabulous policy workshop on ICANN-related issues once in a while, not at every ICANN meeting. Doing a small workshop at every ICANN meeting has less impact, I think, than a more major periodic event - like the ones we've done in SF and Toronto. 

Those types of policy events are to my mind different from outreach events (although a good, well-attended policy event will obviously have a positive effect on outreach - it's just that the primary objectives of each are different.) There's no reason NCUC can't do a small outreach event at each ICANN location - let's not conflate the two things, though. 

I'd add that I'm happy, as the so-far-delinquent person-in-charge of the NCUC communications team, to put together a short fact-sheet about NCUC and our positions on selected issues, which can be updated and used at/for both types of events. I just need the one-page summaries that folks at the LA House meeting were going to prepare ....  

Cheers 
Mary

Mary W S Wong
Professor of Law
Faculty Chair, Global IP Partnerships
Chair, Graduate IP Programs
UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE SCHOOL OF LAW
Two White Street
Concord, NH 03301
USA
Email: mary.wong at law.unh.edu
Phone: 1-603-513-5143
Webpage: http://www.law.unh.edu/marywong/index.php

>>> 

From:.  
Edward Morris <edward.morris at alumni.usc.edu> 

To: 
William Drake <william.drake at uzh.ch> 

CC: 
<ncuc-discuss at lists.ncuc.org> 

Date:  
5/28/2013 10:43 AM 

Subject:  
Re: [NCUC-DISCUSS] NCUC Event News 

Hi Bill, 

- Given the compressed timeline and the expressions of support here for a workshop on closed generics, I hope you can roll with a rough consensus so I can get this moving and have something to Glen in a couple days.

Of course. The people have spoken. As I said from the start, it should be an interesting and well attended event. 

> ICANN is a different matter. There we should be using programming to push our positions, purposeful education if you will.

I guess I'm having trouble with the argument that a workshop on a topic where there's some internal differences of opinion is a bad thing (to me it's a counter to the BS stereotype we've lived with forever that noncommercial is somehow unduly monolithic in view, and more so than other SGs) or merely educational (it's a big debate).

We do disagree here. I'm coming in with fresh eyes, from largely a nonacademic political background. 

What I'm seeing (and I still am in my first year of membership, still learning) is this rush to programming, to education. I don't see the IPC running workshops at ICANN. I think the yearly policy conference is a great idea. The ones that have been done to date have been first rate, truly outreach oriented and I hope will be continued. For me, the one day Toronto event, which I attended remotely, was far more valuable than the combined value of the two IGF's I have attended. We have a great group of people to do things like this. 

There was a gentleman in our group who earlier in the year, though, got me thinking. He told me he wanted to make sure the NCUC was not seen as the programming arm of ICANN. He argued against events at every Meeting. At first I disagreed then, I thought, he has a point. This isn't what we are about. That man was Bill Drake. 

To be clear, I think Wolfgang's idea of holding a pre-event at a campus in Buenos Aires is fabulous. That is true outreach. Hopefully we can do a bit of it in Spanish. I'm still questioning the value of the small workshops at ICANN Meetings. For now, though, I realize I'm in the minority. So if you need help setting up the chairs, plugging in the microphones...I'll be there. One suggestion, though, is that we get our promotional flyers produced pre Meeting. I still have visions of Milton two days before the event in Beijing pleading with someone, anyone to get them produced. Also, as we're trying to help the Board with their decision I'd suggest personal invitation cards left for them at the hotel desk...nice touch, doubt it's been tried before. Happy to produce if desired. 

>
> To justify this by saying it's linked to our IGF presentation,,,that's the tail wagging the dog.

??? The point was it is something that is already sort of organized with text we can use, which matters since staff wanted the workshop proposal yesterday and has asked me again for it today. We do not have a text describing a workshop on staff end runs around the MS process. And since others appear to be ok with the alternative, a quick consensus to assemble one I can give Glen ASAP doesn't seem likely.

I also remain exceedingly unconvinced that a workshop is the appropriate format to address the staff's rejection of the reconsideration request. Workshops are about openly debating issues, perspectives, etc., with a panel and audience. For something like that, I think I can talk staff into giving us a slot. Workshops are not optimized for crowds with pitchforks going after the staff and board. For that other formats would be better, e.g.:

The issue is dead but, to be clear, I wasn't proposing strictly a Recon session. but one that covered the great array of issues attacking and defeating this wonderful and revolutionary concept of MS governance. 

As far as the Recon, pitchforks are not required. As you and Avri have mentioned there are a number of options going forward. I've actually come up with a few procedures buried in the archives that I'm not sure are still valid. I spoke to a member of ICANN's fine legal department yesterday, she wasn't sure but has promised to get back to me. Once she does I'll have something up. 

Thanks for all the work you're doing on this Bill. 

Ed 

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