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NCSG colleagues,<br>
<br>
Following last week's exchanges about how we handle membership
applications and manage the membership databases NPOC offered to
explore the those issues that could be addressed within the Charters
of NCSG, NCUC and NPOC, and come back with some comments and
suggestions. Here are the comments and suggestions, as a
contribution to doing two simple things better. For the record, I am
primary author of the comments. <br>
<br>
Sam L.<br>
<hr size="2" width="100%"> <b>NPOC Comments on Improving the
Handling of Membership Applications and the Management of the
Membership Database:</b><o:p></o:p><small><br>
</small> <small><br>
</small>NPOC will open discussion on several issues in this comment,
and suggest ways forward to greater clarity in the membership
application process, and ways forward on the simple technical issue
of maintaining NCSG, NCUC and NPOC membership data bases. <o:p></o:p><small><br>
</small> <small><br>
</small>Revising and improving how we handle the membership
application process and membership databases are technical issues
within the existing charters of NCSG, NCUC and NPOC and need to be
kept separate from other membership issues that are charter related.
This comment deals with the application process and the membership
databases. <o:p></o:p><small><br>
</small> <small><br>
</small>Briefly reviewing the membership process, applicants apply
for membership in the NCSG stakeholders group, and may (are urged
to) apply for membership in one of the two constituency groups (NCUC
and NPOC). Within the membership guidelines any non-commercial
person or organization can also apply to the NCUC constituency
group, but only not-for-profit organizations can apply to the NPOC
constituency group. <o:p></o:p><small><br>
</small> <small><br>
</small><b>The membership application process:</b><o:p></o:p><small><br>
</small> <small><br>
</small>If one reviews the membership information and application
processes on ICANN, NCSG, NCUC and NPOC it is clear that a
constituent interested in membership can be left a bit confused.
There is a need for a single common application form, located at one
or more websites, with a common return to relevant membership
committees, initially for NCSG consideration and NCUC/NPOC
information, and subsequently for NCUC/NPOC consideration. <o:p></o:p><small><br>
</small> <small><br>
</small>There is also a need for more clarity about the membership
options, and for fields within the common form that allow an
applicant to at that time request (or not request) subsequent
consideration for NCUC or NPOC membership. This is a well-defined
task that could be addressed by a small ad hoc committee made up of
ICANN staff and NCSG, NCUC and NPOC members. Such committee would
not address membership issues that are Charter issues but could
identify and report such issues back to NCSG. <o:p></o:p><small><br>
</small> <small><br>
</small><b>Maintaining the membership database:</b><o:p></o:p><small><br>
</small> <small><br>
</small>NCSG, NCUC and NPOC are part of ICANN and should be using
Internet best practices for maintaining usable and up to date
membership information. There are existing Internet best practices
that can be drawn on to achieve those objectives. <o:p></o:p><small><br>
</small> <small><br>
</small>First, from a technical standpoint, from a user standpoint,
and as reflected in the expressed views of Internet savvy NCSG
members, there should be one master NCSG database with fields
indicating NCUC and NPOC membership. This would allow those with
approval the ability to access one or more of the NCSG, NCUC and
NPOC views of the database. <o:p></o:p><small><br>
</small> <small><br>
</small>The majority of the fields in the membership database should
be populated directly by field information from the membership
application form. NCSG, NCUC, and NPOC may wish additional fields,
either embedded in the overall NCSG database or added as custom
fields to an extracted subset of membership data, possibly for
special events or initiatives. The master NCSG database will always
serve as the membership list of record. <o:p></o:p><small><br>
</small> <small><br>
</small>There are a number of issues with regard to the management
of the membership database that require some discussion so that NCSG
can take a position on them. They include:<o:p></o:p><small><br>
</small> <small><br>
</small><span
style="mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><span
style="mso-list:Ignore">1.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times
New Roman""> </span></span></span>Dialogue between
the effort to construct the proper fields for the membership
application and the field information desired by NCSG, NCUC and
NPOC.<o:p></o:p><small><br>
</small><span
style="mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><span
style="mso-list:Ignore">2.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times
New Roman""> </span></span></span>Where should the
membership database be hosted? Should it be on an ICANN server or
elsewhere?<o:p></o:p><small><br>
</small><span
style="mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><span
style="mso-list:Ignore">3.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times
New Roman""> </span></span></span>Who should have
what levels of access to the membership database?<o:p></o:p><small><br>
</small><span
style="mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><span
style="mso-list:Ignore">4.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times
New Roman""> </span></span></span>Should members
have password protected access to their own profiles in order to
update information (especially important for organizations)?<o:p></o:p><small><br>
</small><span
style="mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><span
style="mso-list:Ignore">5.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times
New Roman""> </span></span></span>Should profile
access by via the ICANN dashboard?<o:p></o:p><small><br>
</small> <small><br>
</small>There may be other issues with regard to the membership
application and the membership database that reside within the terms
of reference of the respective NCSG, NCUC and NPOC charters. Some
may come out in the dialogue on the issues and tasks listed in this
NPOC comment. <o:p></o:p><small><br>
</small> <small><br>
</small>After a NCSG dialogue on these database issues it may be
appropriate to strike a small ad hoc team to work up a concrete
proposal to make recommendations to address the issues <o:p></o:p><small><br>
</small> <small><br>
</small><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"></span><o:p>Sam Lanfranco,<br>
Chair, NPOC Policy Committee<br>
</o:p>
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