[Ncsg-discuss] SSC update

[Johan Helsingius]

Dear NCSG members,

The 2026 iteration of the GNSO Standing Selection Committee (SSC)
that makes selection/appointment recommendations to the GNSO Council
of candidates to things like review teams and other ICANN structures
held its first meeting on December 12, with yours truly having been
selected chair, and Vivek Goyal of BC as vice-chair. In addition to
me, NCSG is represented by Pedro de Perdigão and Frank Anati, with
Benjamin Akinmoyeje as alternate. In addition to the NCSG-appointed
members, NCSG member Taiwo Peter Akinremi is also a SSC member in
his role as ex-officio member representing GNSO Council Leadership.

Nominally the SSC only makes recommendations that are subject to GNSO
Council approval, but it is extremely rare that the Council doesn't 
approve the SSC recommendations as-is (in fact I can't remember a single
time it would have happened).

SSC selections are based on unanimous consensus, so some times a lot
of negotiations might be needed, but usually the SSC just does a
preliminary advisory poll, and accepts the result of the poll after
a final consensus call by email.

There might (and has been) cases where the SSC isn't able to achieve
full consensus. In that case the SSC will inform the GNSO Council, and
explain why it hasn't achieved consensus.

The transcripts and recordings of SSC meetings, as well as the mailing
list archives are normally public - none of the NomCom-like secrecy
here. There might be some special situations when the SSC decided to
keep some deliberations confidential, but in that case the SSC has
to explain why they depart from the normal transparency.

Coming up on the task list of the SSC is the selection of the GNSO-
appointed mentor for the fellowship program as well as the chair(s)
for the DNS Abuse PDP WG or WGs, depending on decisions at the Council
meeting later today.

Next meeting will be at the end of January.

If any of you have questions about the SSC, I am happy to try to answer
them.

	Julf