[Gnso-epdp-team] Rafik as Vice-Chair

[Stephanie Perrin]

I actually think we can relax about the apparent conflicts here.  
Firstly, as has been pointed out, Rafik is running for GNSO Council, as 
an NCSG representative, but not the head of NCSG.

Secondly, of all the people I have met at ICANN who are capable of being 
neutral (hard to find regarding WHOIS, as previously discussed on 
council with respect to the potential Chair of this EPDP), Rafik is 
exemplary.  He takes that duty very seriously.  I think you may depend 
on him to step aside if there is any conflict in the matter of the 
Liaison acting as intermediary in leadership complaints.

Thirdly, in the matter of the overcoming conflicts or impasses within 
the work team. Let us be frank here.  There is no one who has the 
experience in ICANN who is perfectly neutral.  A leadership position on 
this or any other GNSO PDP requires neutrality, putting on the hat of 
the Chair (or, in this case, Vice-Chair) and refraining from offering 
personal opinions, commentary on the opinions of others, or stakeholder 
positions.  I can think of some excellent examples of Chairmanship and 
Vice-Chairmanship (Steve Metalitz as Vice-Chair of the Privacy/Proxy 
Services Accreditation Issues PDP for instance, or Heather Forrest as 
current Chair of the GNSO).  To suggest that members of the NCSG are not 
capable of setting aside our own goals and key positions in a similar 
way is inappropriate.

Kind regards,

Stephanie Perrin


On 2018-08-04 05:21, Alan Greenberg wrote:
> I asked for time to consult with my colleagues and have done so.
>
> We have no problem with Rafik being named Vice-Chair of the EPDP based 
> on the following presumptions/conditions:
>
> 1. There is a direct conflict with Rafik acting as the first level 
> handling of a complaint about a leadership decision (a Liaison 
> responsibility) and serving in that leadership. If the GNSO Chair 
> chooses to act in his place in that role (any complaint that stands 
> would go to the Chair next in any case), or to appoint someone else 
> who is will be closely following the proceedings (and agrees not to 
> launch a compliant!), the conflict goes away.
>
> 2. Our assumption is that the role of Vice-Chair will be purely to on 
> occasion act as the Chair of a meeting when Kurt is not available, or 
> to handle other administrative tasks. In this case, we see no 
> conflict. If, on the other hand, he and Kurt would take on the role 
> that other Chairs/Co-Chairs/Vice-Chairs teams have and strategize on 
> to how to overcome conflicts or impasses within the work team, then 
> there is a direct conflict as it puts one of the EPDP constituent 
> groups in a privileged position. Although Rafik is not one of the 
> formal members of the NCSG contingent on the EPDP, as a possible 
> incoming NCSG Chair and a key member of the NCSG Policy Committee, he 
> cannot disassociate himself completely from being involved.
>
> Alan
>
>
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