IAB Notes for the IETF ICANN Board Liaison position
Author: Geoff Huston
Last Revised: 18-03-2003
The regular term of the (renewable) appointment will be annual, starting at the ICANN Annual General Meeting late in the year.
It is expected that the liaison will participate in all the activities of the ICANN Board of Directors, as stipulated in the ICANN By Laws. – Unfortunately the IETF is not in a position to offer any funding assistance to attend ICANN Board meetings. Advice has been provided by ICANN staff that such funding assistance is provided by ICANN for liaisons to the Board to attend ICANN Board meetings.
It is understood by the IAB that ICANN has Directors’s liability insurance coverage pertaining to actions of the ICANN Board of Directors, and this this covers actions of liaison members of the ICANN Board. The liaison is advised to exercise due diligence with ICANN on this topic if this is a matter of personal concern.
It is understood that part of the liaison role is to act as a resource for the ICANN Board to ensure that there is appropriate technical input on matters being considered by the Board, calling for assistance from the IETF community as required, either informally, or, more formally through the IAB, as determined by the circumstances in each case. The IAB is of course happy to assist the liaison in this as necessary.
It is noted that this role does not preclude the liaison’s continued participation in ICANN activities as an interested individual. The IAB would of course request that the liaison exercise due care in clearly identifying their role, whether as the IETF liaison or as an interested individual, in those circumstances where there is the potential for confusion.
In addition the IAB requests that the liaison take the opportunity to brief the IAB from time to time on matters of relevance to the IETF that are being considered by the ICANN Board, either by email or by reporting directly at an IAB meeting as appropriate. The IAB Executive Director will insert a standing agenda item for this liaison report at all IAB meetings. The liaison should notify the IAB Executive Director when they believe it appropriate to use this to report to the IAB — by an e-mail report and/or participation in that part of the IAB meeting.