InfoMagic Standards 1993 July/Disc.iso/inet/isoc/isocnews/issue1_4/900.01a

Internet Message Format | 1993-02-08 | 5.4 KB

Subject: n-1-4-900.01

Internet Society Board of Trustees
Takes Several Key Actions

by Mike Roberts <[e-mail]>

The ISOC Board convened its second meeting at Washington DC on
10-11 December.  The Board members took note of the remarkable
continuing growth of the Society and the Internet around the
globe.  In order to deal with these developments, a number of
significant decisions were taken, especially relating to the
functions of the Society and its structure.  In addition, the
Board completed certain steps necessary to act as a fully incorporated
organization.

Functions and Structure.
The Board considered the growing need for a
coordination mechanism for groups and organizations connected with
Internet operations; and approved a recommendation
that the Internet Society proceed immediately to create
an Internet Operations Forum.

Many members in recent months have expressed a desire for ISOC
chapters.  In order to build on this enthusiasm and promote
responsive local Society presence, the Board decided to proceed
with the formation of local chapters.  This action is
required development of a suitable set of guidelines and
identification of several initial sites for Chapters where various
startup difficulties could be worked out with the personal involvement
of the Trustees. An ad hoc committee of Vint Cerf, Jan Gruntorad
(Czechoslovakia), Bob Kummerfeld (Australia), and Haruhisa Ishida
(Japan) was established to deal with this action.

The Board additionall approved a proposal that the Internet Society,
establish an Internet Certificate Registration Service  This is
needed to implement privacy enhanced mail on the Internet.

Internet Standards Making.
The Board heard an extensive
public presentation by the POISED working group specially established
to review the structure and procedures of the standards making bodies,
the IAB and IETF.  That group
concluded that the respective roles of the IETF and the IAB needed
significant adjustment to reflect changes in size and scope of Internet
standards work.  The Board responded favourably to these recommendations
by agreeing in principle to the changes, while examining further any
possible legal considerations.

International Organization Liaisons.
The Society's President reported on recently transmitted requests to the
International Telecommunication Union, the CCITT, and the International
Organization for Standardization to establish cooperative and liaison
relationships.  This action goes hand-in-hand with the incorporation
of Internet standards making bodies - the IAB & IETF - into the Society,
and the growing importance of ISOC internetworking standards worldwide.

Finances.
The Board discussed the many challenges facing the Society in 1993, and
the limited budget resources available to address them.  The U.S. Federal
Networking Council recently decided to
reduce its funding role for administration of the Internet
Engineering Task Force in order to encourage more broad-based support
of this global standards activity.  The Board supported the creation of
a special fund raising target for 1993 of US$300 000 to begin this
transition process.  The Board approved a balanced 1993 budget of US$955 000.

Conferences.
The Board focussed on various Society
conference activities - particularly the
preparations for INET'93 which will be held in
San Francisco on 17-20 August 1993.  This activity is well
underway under the leadership of
General Conference Chair Eric Benhamou, President of 3Com Corporation.
Planning for INET'94 is also underway.  It will be held in Europe with
the local assistance of RARE.

Publications.
The Board reviewed recommendations from a recent meeting of the
Society's Editorial Board.  These included a broadening of the
publication activities to encompass external relations to the
general public, press, and other international organizations;
greater emphasis on developing the Internet Society News magazine;
on-line availability of publications and other materials by the
Secretariat; and deferral of publication of an ISOC Journal.

Elections.
The Board approved a resolution which establishes 1 July 1993 as the
date for commencement of the three year terms of those trustees who will
be elected in 1993. The Board adopted a procedure to shorten the duration
of some of the existing Trustee terms, in necessary, to allow staggered
annual elections.  The Board also adopted a procedure for electronic
voting which permits business to be conducted between the semiannual
meetings of the Board.

Board Meetings and Procedures.
The Board discussed procedures for holding open sessions of the
Trustees.  The initial such session was held at this meeting to
hear the report of the POISED working group.  It was agreed that
open sessions of the Board will be held whenever it is desirable to do
so to hear views of the Internet community and other interested parties
on subjects of importance to the Trustees and the Society.  It
was further agreed that open sessions should be audiocast and
videocast on the Internet as such new capability becomes available
and affordable.  A written summary of Board deliberations and actions
at each Board meeting will be promptly posted to the electronic
distribution list of the membership.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Board also adopted a resolution
thanking Trustee Professor Hideo Aiso for his work, especially his
admirable efforts as Chair of the Society's
annual conference, INET'92, held in Kobe, Japan.