[CCWG-ACCT] Regarding a standing panel for the independent review of Board actions

[Bruce Tonkin]

Hello All,

With respect to clause of the bylaws:

" 6. There shall be an omnibus standing panel of between six and nine members with a variety of expertise, including jurisprudence, judicial experience, alternative dispute resolution and knowledge of ICANN's mission and work from which each specific IRP Panel shall be selected. 

The panelists shall serve for terms that are staggered to allow for continued review of the size of the panel and the range of expertise. A Chair of the standing panel shall be appointed for a term not to exceed three years. Individuals holding an official position or office within the ICANN structure are not eligible to serve on the standing panel.

 In the event that an omnibus standing panel: 

(i) is not in place when an IRP Panel must be convened for a given proceeding, the IRP proceeding will be considered by a one- or three-member panel comprised in accordance with the rules of the IRP Provider; 

or (ii) is in place but does not have the requisite diversity of skill and experience needed for a particular proceeding, the IRP Provider shall identify one or more panelists, as required, from outside the omnibus standing panel to augment the panel members for that proceeding."


The Board approved the bylaw change and requested that the standing panel be established.   The bylaws provide for the situation where it is not YET established, but that doesn't mean that we should not have it established as others have pointed out.


There has been no board decision not to establish the panel .

I have heard information from a staff member that there were some difficulties getting the panel established through the current IRP provider.

I have asked for an agenda item for the Board Governance committee meeting next week for the staff to provide an update, and I will then provide an update to this group on:

- the reasons for the delay in establishing the standing panel

- when the standing panel is expected to be in place


As a Board member I am also working on tightening up our oversight that the outcomes from the AoC reviews are actually implemented as approved by the Board. 

Regards,
Bruce Tonkin