ICANN|ARCHIVES

Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers

These FAQs will be updated and supplemented. Please check back often.

I. Formation of the ICANN 2006 Nominating Committee

1. What is the role of the Nominating Committee in the ICANN structure?
2. What positions and terms will be filled by the 2006 Nominating Committee?
3. What is the purpose of having the Nominating Committee select these positions?
4. What is the composition of the Nominating Committee?
5. What are the criteria for delegates and liaisons to the Nominating Committee?
6. Does the neutrality and objectivity requirement in Criterion 4 mean that the delegate or liaison chosen by a constituency or group cannot work for or be a member of the constituency or group?
7. What is expected of a Nominating Committee member?
8. Who is informed once the nominating committee has made its selection(s)?
9. Is the appointed liaison/delegate required to be a member of the constituency/advisory committee that makes the appointment?
10. Where will the face-to-face meetings be held?
11. If a potential delegate/liaison cannot travel to a face-to-face meeting is that a criterion for not selecting him/her?
12. Will there be funding available for travel to the face-to-face meetings?
13. How much time should NomCom members expect to allot to NomCom activities?
14. Will NomCom members be expected to abide by a Code of Ethics?
15. I have further questions, who should I ask?

II. About Recommendations and Statements of Interest

1. I received a notice saying that I had been recommended to the Nominating Committee. How do I find out who recommended me?
2. I received a notice saying that I had been recommended to the Nominating Committee. How do I tell which position I was recommended for?
3. Who will decide if my Statement of Interest is complete?
4. Please tell me who can recommend someone. In your formal call, there is no mention about the "recommender". Can anybody (individual, employees, officials, company, organization etc.) be a recommender?
5. What should a Recommendation of a potential candidate include?
6. Is submitting more than one Recommendation acceptable?
7. I'm thinking of submitting a Statement of Interest. Do I need to have a Recommendation to be considered a Candidate?
8. Will having a Recommendation benefit my Candidacy in any way?
9. I have a detailed resume/CV. Should I attach this as part of my Statement of Interest?
10. When is the deadline to submit my Statement of Interest?

III. Deciding on Whether to Become a Candidate

1. Why should anyone consider serving on the Board of Directors, GNSO Council or Interim At-Large Advisory Committee?
2. My first language is not English. Will this affect my Candidacy?
3. What does it mean that the positions are "Voluntary"?
4. If I am selected by the NomCom, will I be paid for my time?
5. What is the expected time commitment needed to serve on the Board of Directors?
6. What is the expected time commitment needed to serve on the GNSO Council?
7. What is the expected time commitment needed to serve on the Interim ALAC?
8. What is the expected time commitment needed to serve on the ccNSO Council?
9. Can you please clarify whether I can apply for all three of the available positions for Director, GNSO Council, and Interim ALAC (set out in the Statement of Interest question 9), or whether I need to specify one position only at the outset?
10. Where are ICANN meetings held?
11. How many ICANN meetings are there in one year?
12. How are ICANN Directors, GNSO Council members, and ALAC members protected from liabilities arising from their service on these groups? Are they indemnified by ICANN? Is there liability insurance?
13. I'm considering serving on the GNSO Council/Interim ALAC but don't have the funds to travel to the regular ICANN meetings. Will funds be provided by ICANN for such travel?

IV. Nominating Committee's Role in ICANN's Evolution

1. In 2000 some ICANN board members were chosen by an online vote of Internet users. Do I understand correctly that selections made by the NomCom are final and no election will be held?
2. What led to the NomCom making the final selections so that they need no further ratification or approval?

V. Miscellaneous

1. The Call states that Nominees will begin their terms at the close of the board meeting in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 2006. Does this mean that they must be present at that meeting? Wouldn't that be a waste? That is, they will be doing nothing productive and when all the business is done, they will officially be seated.
2. Who decides how a country should be included in a particular Geographic Region?

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I. Formation of the ICANN 2006 Nominating Committee

1. What is the role of the Nominating Committee in the ICANN structure?

   Introduced as part of the 2002 ICANN reform process, the Nominating Committee (NomCom) is responsible for selecting accomplished individuals to serve in key leadership positions within the ICANN structure; including all ICANN Directors except the President and those Directors selected by ICANN's Supporting Organizations, and for such other selections as are set forth in the Bylaws. Currently, these 'other selections' are for the GNSO Council, the ccNSO Council, and the Interim At Large Advisory Committee (ALAC).

   In making its selections, the NomCom has explicit responsibilities in support of ICANN's Core Value 4 in Article I, Section 2 of the Bylaws:

   Seeking and supporting broad, informed participation reflecting the functional, geographic, and cultural diversity of the Internet at all policy development and decision-making.

   The NomCom functions independently from the ICANN Board, Supporting Organizations, and Advisory Committees. NomCom's selections are final.

2. What positions and terms will be filled by the 2006 Nominating Committee?

   ICANN Board of Directors:

   3 seats, with terms through the conclusion of the ICANN 2009 Annual Meeting.

   GNSO Council:

   1 seat, with term through the conclusion of the ICANN 2008 Annual Meeting.

   Interim ALAC:

   2 seats (Europe and North America regions), with terms through the ICANN 2008 Annual Meeting.

   ccNSO Council:

   1 seat, with term through the conclusion of the ICANN 2008 Annual Meeting.

3. What is the purpose of having the Nominating Committee select these positions?

   A central rationale for using a Nominating Committee to select a portion of the ICANN leadership bodies is to balance the other representation-based selection of Directors and council and committee members with a selection of those who will place the broad public interest ahead of any particular interests, and who are nevertheless knowledgeable about ICANN, its communities and responsibilities.

   To achieve this broad public-interest orientation, the membership of the Nominating Committee is drawn from across the ICANN and global Internet communities, on the theory that a Nominating Committee consisting of independent delegates of widely varying backgrounds and interests will, by the imperative of consensus, be able to produce slates of outstanding, highly-qualified, well-respected, and diverse nominees.

   Nominating Committee members, although chosen from various constituencies within ICANN, act only on behalf of the interests of the global Internet community, and within the scope of the ICANN mission and responsibilities assigned to it by the ICANN Bylaws. They carry no personal commitments to particular individuals, organizations, or commercial objectives. Thus, although appointed by Supporting Organizations and other ICANN entities, Nominating Committee members act as individuals and are not beholden to their appointing constituencies. NomCom Members are, however, accountable for adherence to the Bylaws and for compliance with the rules and procedures established by the Nominating Committee.

4. What is the composition of the Nominating Committee?

   Article VII, Section 2 of the Bylaws provides that the Nominating Committee shall be composed of the following persons:

   1. A non-voting Chair, appointed by the ICANN Board;

   2. The immediately previous Nominating Committee Chair, as a non-voting advisor;

   3. A non-voting liaison appointed by the ICANN Root Server System Advisory Committee established by Article XI of these Bylaws;

   4. A non-voting liaison appointed by the ICANN Security and Stability Advisory Committee established by Article XI of these Bylaws;

   5. A non-voting liaison appointed by the Governmental Advisory Committee;

   6. Subject to the provisions of the Transition Article of these Bylaws, five voting delegates selected by the At-Large Advisory Committee established by Article XI of these Bylaws;

   7. Two voting delegates, one representing small business users and one representing large business users, selected by the Business Users Constituency of the Generic Names Supporting Organization established by Article X of these Bylaws;

   8. One voting delegate each selected by the following entities:

      1. The gTLD Registry Constituency of the Generic Names Supporting Organization established by Article X of these Bylaws;

      2. The gTLD Registrars Constituency of the Generic Names Supporting Organization established by Article X of these Bylaws;

      3. The Council of the Country Code Names Supporting Organization established by Article IX of these Bylaws;

      4. The Internet Service Providers Constituency of the Generic Names Supporting Organization established by Article X of these Bylaws;

      5. The Intellectual Property Constituency of the Generic Names Supporting Organization established by Article X of these Bylaws;

      6. The Council of the Address Supporting Organization established by Article VIII of these Bylaws;

      7. An entity designated by the Board to represent academic and similar organizations;

      8. Consumer and civil society groups, selected by the Non-commercial Users Constituency of the Generic Names Supporting Organization established by Article X of these Bylaws;

      9. The Internet Engineering Task Force; and

      10. The ICANN Technical Liaison Group established by Article XI-A of these Bylaws; and

   9. A non-voting Associate Chair, who may be appointed by the Chair, at his or her sole discretion, to serve during all or part of the term of the Chair. The Associate Chair may not be a person who is otherwise a member of the same Nominating Committee. The Associate Chair shall assist the Chair in carrying out the duties of the Chair, but shall not serve, temporarily or otherwise, in the place of the Chair.

5. What are the criteria for delegates and liaisons to the Nominating Committee?

   Article VII, Section 4 of the Bylaws states that Delegates to the ICANN Nominating Committee shall be:

   1. Accomplished persons of integrity, objectivity, and intelligence, with reputations for sound judgment and open minds, and with experience and competence with collegial large group decision-making

   2. Persons with wide contacts, broad experience in the Internet community, and a commitment to the success of ICANN;

   3. Persons whom the selecting body is confident will consult widely and accept input in carrying out their responsibilities;

   4. Persons who are neutral and objective, without any fixed personal commitments to particular individuals, organizations, or commercial objectives in carrying out their Nominating Committee responsibilities;

   5. Persons with an understanding of ICANN's mission and the potential impact of ICANN's activities on the broader Internet community who are willing to serve as volunteers, without compensation other than the reimbursement of certain expenses; and

   6. Persons who are able to work and communicate in written and spoken English.

6. Does the neutrality and objectivity requirement in Criterion 4 mean that the delegate or liaison chosen by a constituency or group cannot work for or be a member of the constituency or group?

   NomCom works via group decision, through the development of consensus by delegates and liaisons from all constituencies. Criterion 4 addresses how the person selected is expected to behave, not who employs him/her. Those involved in selecting delegates and liaisons may judge that the only way for a delegate or liaison to achieve the desired independence is by restricting employment/consultant status, but that restriction is not required by ICANN. The NomCom takes very seriously its responsibilities to require NomCom members to disclose actual and perceived conflicts of interest. See the posted 2006 Code of Ethics, and the Charge to the Subcommittee on Conflicts of Interest at <http://www.icann.org/committees/nom-comm/> [This document will be published online after the ICANN Wellington meeting].

7. What is expected of a Nominating Committee member?

   NomCom members are expected to:

   • engage in affirmative outreach and recruitment of excellent candidates

   • read the submitted and gathered information about each candidate under consideration

   • participate in NomCom teleconferences

   • work diligently with NomCom colleagues toward an overall consensus on the best possible group of candidates to be selected

   • adhere to the Code of Ethics [ADD URL]

   • attend a face-to-face meeting. The nominating committee typically holds two meetings, one soon after the committee is formed, and usually held concurrent with an ICANN meeting, and meeting later in the year when the committee makes its selections.

   Given the recruitment nature of NomCom's work, it will be particularly helpful if members have extensive personal networks of contacts from outside, and within ICANN, that will support effective recruiting. Furthermore it will be valuable for such delegates to also be prepared to develop cross-constituency understanding to build consensus.

8. Who is informed once the nominating committee has made its selection(s)?

   The selections are sent to the ICANN Secretary John Jeffrey. The ICANN Secretary makes the formal announcement of the committee's selections.

9. Is the appointed liaison/delegate required to be a member of the constituency/advisory committee that makes the appointment?

   No, the Bylaws have no requirement in this regard. Appointed delegates and liaisons must meet only the criteria listed in the Bylaws. See also the responses to Questions 2 and 3, above.

10. Where will the face-to-face meetings be held?

    The Nominating Committee held a face-to-face meeting at the ICANN meeting in Wellington, New Zealand in April 2006. It expects to hold a face-to-face meeting sometime in September of 2006 at a location to be determined later in the year. No other face-to-face meetings of the NomCom are planned at this time. Many NomCom members are regular attendees of ICANN meetings will participate in the Marrakech, Morocco, and Sao Paulo, Brazil, 2006 ICANN meetings.

11. If a potential delegate/liaison cannot travel to a face-to-face meeting is that a criterion for not selecting him/her?

    No, this is not a criterion listed in the Bylaws. However, please note that NomCom relies on group decision making and building consensus to accomplish its work. Ideally, all delegates and liaisons would be able to attend such meetings.

12. Will there be funding available for travel to the face-to-face meetings?

    The nominating committee budget is agreed on an annual basis. Typically NomCom holds two face-to-face meetings, one at the first ICANN meeting of the year, and a selection meeting later in the years. Travel and accommodation expenses have been provided to enable NomCom members to participate in these meetings.

13. How much time should NomCom members expect to allot to NomCom activities?

    NomCom members are expected to be able to allot adequate time to read all materials and participate in regular conference calls. Additionally, NomCom members are expected to actively engage in individual recruitment activities, which may take variable amounts of time. NomCom members are expected to bring with them extensive personal networks from which to recruit highly qualified candidates--last year each NomCom member was expected to generate a minimum of 5 Statements of Interest. See also the response to Question 4 above.

14. Will NomCom members be expected to abide by a Code of Ethics?

    Yes. The Code of Ethics committed to by the 2006 committee can be found on the NomCom webpage < http://www.icann.org/committees/nom-comm/>.

15. I have further questions, who should I ask?

    Please feel free to email your questions, at any time, to nomcom.coordinator@icann.org

    The work of previous Nominating Committees is documented and can be found linked from the current committee webpage <http://www.icann.org/committees/nom-comm/>.

II. About Recommendations and Statements of Interest

1. I received a notice saying that I had been recommended to the Nominating Committee. How do I find out who recommended me?

   Under the NomCom's Code of Ethics, all recommendations and statements of interest are treated as confidential.

   The Nominating Committee encourages, but does not require, persons submitting a Recommendation to contact the person recommended to inform him or her of the recommendation, the position(s) for which the person is recommended, and the reason for the recommendation.

   Recommendations are sought for the purpose of broadening the candidate pool. Only those individuals who have submitted a complete Statement of Interest will be considered Candidates for selection. How many recommendations a Candidate may have received, or who may have recommended a Candidate, are not influential factors in the selection process.

2. I received a notice saying that I had been recommended to the Nominating Committee. How do I tell which position I was recommended for?

   The Nominating Committee encourages, but does not require, persons submitting a Recommendation to contact the person recommended to inform him or her of the recommendation, the position(s) for which the person is recommended, and the reason for the recommendation.

   If you are interested in serving but unsure of which role would be best suited to your qualifications, please see the descriptions of the various positions available in the "About Positions" document [URL for this document will be provide after NomCom begins accepting Statements of Interest.]

3. Who will decide if my Statement of Interest is complete?

   If no information is supplied in response to one or more of the *required* items in your Statement of Interest, you will not be considered a Candidate for Selection. To the extent that NomCom has the time and capacity to do so, it will attempt to notify you to give you an opportunity to provide the missing information, but the responsibility rests with you to submit a complete Statement of Interest before [DATE to be confirmed] July 2006 (23:59 GMT).

   In the course of its review and evaluation of submitted Statements of Interest, NomCom may find that it needs clarification or amplification of the content of your submission. In that case, NomCom will attempt to reach you to obtain additional information.

   The limited time available for this process means that potential Candidates are best served by carefully preparing their Statements of Interest, ensuring that they are complete, and submitting them as soon as possible.

4. Please tell me who can recommend someone. In your formal call, there is no mention about the "recommender". Can anybody (individual, employees, officials, company, organization etc.) be a recommender?

   Recommendations can be made by anyone. NomCom has imposed no restrictions as to who can make recommendations.

5. What should a Recommendation of a potential candidate include?

   All that is required is the name and e-mail address of the person recommended and your name and e-mail address. This information should be submitted to <nomcom.submissions@icann.org>.

   The NomCom Coordinator will acknowledge receipt of the Recommendation and encourage the Recommender to liaise with the potential candidate to encourage him/her to submit a Statement of Interest. The NomCom Coordinator will also contact the potential candidate(s) directly to tell them they have been recommended and to provide to them the instructions and the form for submitting the Statement of Interest.

   The Nominating Committee encourages those submitting a Recommendation to contact the person recommended to inform him or her of the recommendation, the position(s) for which the person is recommended, and the reason for the recommendation.

6. Is submitting more than one Recommendation acceptable?

   Yes. Since the Nominating Committee is charged with filling multiple positions which have varying roles within ICANN, you might well know more than one individual worthy of your Recommendation.

   The NomCom places great emphasis on developing a Candidate pool of high quality. We are much less concerned about the size of the Candidate pool provided it is large enough to offer multiple well-qualified Candidates for each position.

   Therefore we urge you to think deeply about who you feel would be most suitable to serve and then submit only those names to NomCom.

7. I'm thinking of submitting a Statement of Interest. Do I need to have a Recommendation to be considered a Candidate?

   No. For you to be considered by the NomCom as a Candidate, you only need to ensure that you have answered all the required items in the Statement of Interest. Your Statement of Interest must be received by the NomCom no later than 23:59 GMT on [DATE to be confirmed] July 2006 in order for you to receive full consideration.

8. Will having a Recommendation benefit my Candidacy in any way?

   No, Recommendations do not influence the priority of individual candidacies, but they are important for the success of the NomCom Candidate recruiting process.

   The NomCom is using Recommendations to enhance the Candidate pool from which we will make our selections. As you know, we are seeking those individuals who have demonstrated the maturity, experience, knowledge and skills to handle the tasks and make the judgments involved in fulfilling the roles of Board Directors, Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) Council Members, Interim At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) Members, and Country Code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO) Council Members.

   Those who provide Recommendations to the NomCom strengthen our recruiting outreach, encourage potential candidates to participate, and address cultural and professional differences in perceptions about appropriate ways to participate in a candidate search process.

   Therefore, we ask those who make Recommendations to actively encourage their Recommendee(s) to submit a Statement of Interest. Only those Recommendees who submit a completed Statement of Interest will be considered by NomCom.

9. I have a detailed resume/CV. Should I attach this as part of my Statement of Interest?

   No. A resume or curriculum vitae (CV) is not required by the NomCom and should not be attached to Statement of Interest when submitted.

   We ask that you carefully consider all the required items in your Statement of Interest and provide your answers to all of them, in English.

   Insofar as the information requested in the Statement of Interest is already documented in your resume/CV, you are welcome to copy those parts of your resume/CV into your Statement of Interest at the appropriate places in the Statement.

10. When is the deadline to submit my Statement of Interest?

    The deadline has been extended. Your Statement of Interest must be received by the NomCom no later than 23:59 GMT on [DATE to be confirmed] of July 2006 in order for you to receive full consideration. We encourage you to send completed Statement of Interest as early as possible.

III. Deciding on Whether to Become a Candidate

1. Why should anyone consider serving in one of these positions?

   The ICANN Board, the GNSO Council, Interim At-Large Advisory Committee, and ccNSO Council, each in its own way, plays a leadership role in ICANN's significant but focused set of responsibilities with respect to the global Internet's stable and secure operation.

   Those who serve in these positions will work with accomplished colleagues from around the globe. They will address intriguing technical coordination problems and related policy development challenges with diverse functional, cultural, and geographic dimensions. They will gain valuable insights and experience from working across these boundaries of knowledge, responsibility, and perspective.

   Those selected by NomCom to serve in these positions will gain the satisfaction of making a valuable public service contribution. Placing the broad public interest ahead of any particular interests, they will help ensure the stability and security of this valuable global resource for critically important societal functions.

   They will be challenged to use their knowledge, experience, and open-mindedness to develop creative responses to the dilemmas that arise when diverse needs of Internet users, technical possibilities and limitations of the Internet's unique identifier systems, and challenges and opportunities of the competitive business environment interact with each other and with evolving laws and governmental policies.

   The agenda for the next two to three years includes an array of interesting and important matters, both technical (such as security, Internationalized Domain Names, and IPv6). and organizational (such as the evolution of relationships with the Regional Internet Registries, the country-code top-level domain constituencies, the root server operators, and the development of the Regional At-Large Organizations.)

2. My first language is not English. Will this affect my Candidacy?

   No, as long as you are able both to work well and communicate well in written and spoken English. There is no requirement that English must be your first language.

   The NomCom welcomes and encourages participation from all members from wider Internet community, from all over the world. There is no reason, therefore, to expect that your first language is English.

3. What does it mean that the positions are "Voluntary"?

   ICANN Directors, GNSO Council Members, Interim ALAC Members, and ccNSO Council Members shall receive no compensation for their services in these positions.

   Travel to the ICANN face to face meetings will be reimbursed for Directors, and for those GNSO Council members, ccNSO Council members, and Interim ALAC members that were selected and appointed by the NomCom process.

   ICANN's work benefits from an enormous amount of volunteered effort on the part of many individuals who serve without compensation. These contributions are respected and appreciated.

4. If I am selected by the NomCom, will I be paid for my time?

   No, ICANN Directors, GNSO Council Members, Interim ALAC Members, and ccNSO Council Members receive no compensation for their services. ICANN respects the generous contribution of time, energy and effort made by those who serve in these positions. [See Question 7 above, "What does it mean that the positions are 'Voluntary'?"]

5. What is the expected time commitment needed to serve on the Board of Directors?

   The basic responsibilities of an ICANN Director require a commitment of time roughly equivalent to a full day every two weeks, exclusive of any work on Board Committees. The time spent in these basic responsibilities is typically clustered around Board meetings and teleconferences.

   Directors spend additional time in connection with their work on Board Committees, a commitment which varies in relation to the number of Committees on which they serve, the scope of the Committee's responsibilities, and their role as Chairman or Member of the Committee.

6. What is the expected time commitment needed to serve on the GNSO Council?

   An average GNSO Council member would spend at least 12 hours per month on Council related activities, with those chairing committees or task forces spending at least 50 hours a month. (The commitment involves a minimum of 6 hours per month based on an average of 1.5 two-hour teleconferences (or physical meetings) per month plus about two hours of preparation for each meeting for reading task force reports and potentially discussing with the community. Participation in committees of the council and/or task forces could easily double that minimum time commitment.)

7. What is the expected time commitment needed to serve on the Interim ALAC?

   Approximately 7 hours per week is required of members of Interim ALAC member to fulfil their duties in this role. This includes participating in online (e-mail) discussions, commenting on/contributing to documents/proposed actions (drafted in English), participating in monthly ALAC telephone conferences (in English), and meeting with/making presentations to, local and regional organizations.

8. What is the expected time commitment needed to serve on the ccNSO Council?

   An average ccNSO Council member would spend at least 12 hours per month on Council related activities, with those chairing committees or task forces spending at least 50 hours a month. (The commitment involves a minimum of 6 hours per month based on an average of 1.5 two-hour teleconferences (or physical meetings) per month plus about two hours of preparation for each meeting for reading task force reports and potentially discussing with the community. Participation in committees of the council and/or task forces could easily double that minimum time commitment.)

9. Can you please clarify whether I can apply for all of the available positions for Director, GNSO Council, Interim ALAC, and ccNSO Council, or whether I need to specify one position only at the outset?

   You can indicate your interest in serving all four types of positions by responding to question 9 in your Statement of Interest.

   Please mark all the positions for which you are interested in being considered and in which you would be willing to serve if selected by NomCom.

   [Note: The NomCom may contact you later if it would like to consider you for a position that you have not marked, but NomCom is working on a very tight schedule. Your carefully considered response to this question now will facilitate NomCom's deliberations.]

10. Where are the ICANN meetings held?

    ICANN meetings are held regularly in different parts of the world. A calendar of events is posted on the ICANN Website. http://www.icann.org/meetings/

    For 2006, the remaining ICANN meetings are as follows:

    July 2006 - Marrakech, Morocco

    December 2006 - Sao Paulo, Brazil

11. How many ICANN meetings are there in one year?

    ICANN generally has 3 meetings per year.

    Note that much of the work of the ICANN Board, GNSO Council, Interim ALAC, and ccNSO Council is done via e-mail and teleconference.

12. How are ICANN Directors, GNSO Council members, ALAC members, and ccNSO Council members protected from liabilities arising from their service on these groups? Are they indemnified by ICANN? Is there liability insurance?

    ICANN Directors, GNSO Council members, ALAC members, and ccNSO Council members enjoy several types of protection from liability for their activities in service to ICANN. These may be summarized as follows:

    (a) Indemnification by ICANN. Under its bylaws, ICANN indemnifies members of ICANN bodies against expenses, judgments, fines, settlements, and other amounts that actually and reasonably arise in a proceeding because those persons are acting or have acted as agents of ICANN. There are various conditions to this indemnity, including that the indemnified person's acts were in good faith and done in a manner reasonably believed to be in ICANN's best interests and not criminal. [Bylaws Article XIV]

    (b) Insurance. ICANN carries insurance covering liabilities (including defence expenses) that ICANN and its Directors, volunteers, and committee members may incur by reason of acts or omissions solely in their capacities as Directors, volunteers, and committee members acting on behalf of ICANN. The insurance policy includes deductibles, exclusions, and conditions that are ordinary in a liability policy covering directors, officers, and volunteers of a non-profit corporation.

    (c) Statutory Immunity. United States federal law and California law contain provisions shielding volunteers to non-profit organizations (such as ICANN) from liabilities for their volunteer work, with some conditions. The U.S. Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 protects volunteers (i.e. those serving without compensation) to non-profit organizations from liability for harm caused by their acts and omissions while acting within the scope of their responsibilities in the organization and not in a wilful, criminal, grossly negligent, reckless, etc. manner. [42 United States Code §§14501-14505] California law provides similar liability protections to volunteer directors. [ California Corporations Code § 5239]

    Although there are various conditions and limits on each type of protection, in the aggregate these protections provide significant protection to ICANN volunteers acting in good faith and in the scope of their responsibilities to ICANN.

13. I'm considering serving on the GNSO Council/Interim ALAC/ccNSO Council but don't have the funds to travel to the regular ICANN meetings. Will funds be provided by ICANN for such travel?

    Yes. ICANN will pay for NomCom appointees to the GNSO Council, Interim ALAC, and ccNSO Council to attend the ICANN face-to-face meetings.

IV. Nominating Committee's Role in the evolution of ICANN

1. In 2000 some ICANN board members were chosen by an online vote of Internet users. Do I understand correctly that selections made by the NomCom are final and no election will be held?

   You understand correctly. The selections by the Nominating Committee are final, and no vote or ratification by Internet users (or by the ICANN Board) will be required.

2. What led to the NomCom making the final selections so that they need no further ratification or approval?

   In 2002, ICANN underwent a reformation process involving extensive discussions throughout the ICANN community. The overall structure that came out of this process is described in ICANN: Blueprint for Reform (posted 20 June 2002) and the Final Implementation and Recommendations of the Committee on ICANN Evolution and Reform (posted 2 October 2002). These documents called for formation of a Nominating Committee to select individuals to serve on key ICANN bodies. The latter report included the proposed Bylaws for implementing the recommendations. The Bylaws that were approved at the Amsterdam ICANN meeting on 15 December 2002 assign to the Nominating Committee the responsibility for selections of all ICANN Directors except the President and those Directors selected by ICANN's Supporting Organizations, and for such other selections as are set forth in the Bylaws. [Article VII, Section 1]

   The Nominating Committee's responsibility for selection of three members of the GNSO Council is set forth in Article X, Section 3, paragraphs 1, 2, and 3.

   The Nominating Committee's responsibility for selecting five members of the Interim At-Large Advisory Committee is set forth in Article XI, Section 2, paragraph 4.

   The Nominating Committee's responsibility for selecting three members of the ccNSO Council is set forth in Article IX, Section 3, paragraph 1(b).

   The Transition Article, Article XX, sets forth additional details of the Nominating Committee's role in relation to the transition to the new ICANN structure. Technical revisions for clarification of a few parts of the Bylaws were approved and became effective as of 25 March 2003, but these changes did not modify the basic role of the Nominating Committee.

V. Miscellaneous

1. The Formal Call and Statement of Interest states that Nominees will be seated at the close of the board meeting in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Does this mean that they must be present at that meeting? Wouldn't that be a waste? That is, they will be doing nothing productive and when all the business is done, they will officially be seated.

   It will be extremely valuable for Selected Nominees to be present during the Sao Paulo meeting. They will learn a great deal by their presence at the meeting, and the overlap prior to taking office will afford invaluable communication with outgoing members of the given leadership bodies.

   The NomCom's objective is to inform the ICANN Secretary in time for the nominees to attend the December meeting.

2. Who decides how a country should be included in a particular Geographic Region?

   The ICANN Board determines and reviews how each country should be included in a particular Geographic Region, with the review at least once every three years. The latest review is available here.

   According to the Bylaws there are 5 Geographic Regions

   1 Africa;

   2 Asia/Australia/Pacific;

   3 Europe;

   4 Latin America/ Caribbean islands;

   5 and North America

   By having geographic diversity provisions in its Bylaws, ICANN emphasizes broad International representation both on the Board and throughout other key structures within ICANN.

   [See <http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm>. In particular:

   Bylaws Article I, section 2(4)

   Bylaws Article VI, Section 2(2); Section 5

   Bylaws Article VII, Section 5

   Bylaws Article XI, Section 2(4)(b)]