The Board of Directors of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) held its first public meeting on Saturday, November 14, at the Cambridge Marriott, Cambridge, Massachusetts, from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm. The meeting is open to all interested parties. The board members will introduce themselves, and they hope to hear comments and concrete suggestions from the attendees on issues including:  

Accountability and Representation—Possible Membership Structures 
We have listened to comments and have decided to have members in order to foster accountability and representation—and better decisions! How should we do it? What are appropriate criteria for membership? Should there be different kinds—and if so, what kinds? How should members elect At-Large Board Members? How can we ensure broad geographical representation?  

Technical Advice and Unbiased Expertise—Supporting Organization Structures 
We need a structure to ensure that we get good technical advice and unbiased expertise. Our chosen approach, Supporting Organizations, needs clarification and definition. How can we design a structure so that SOs are broadly representative of their communities? How can we avoid conflicts of interest? What criteria should we use to approve SOs? What role should they play vis a vis the Board? How should SO Board members be selected and elected? What are the differences among the three SOs and how does that affect the appropriate structure for each?  

Conflicts of Interest and How to Avoid Them—Transparency, Rules, and Other Mechanisms 
We want this organization to be open, transparent, responsive, and free of hidden conflicts of interest. How can we ensure that? What kinds of rules and disclosure are necessary? How quickly can we realistically post minutes? We plan to hold open meetings along with most face-to-face board meetings, in all parts of the world. How often and how should we do that?  

Time permitting, other issues may be discussed as well. 

Meeting participants are also invited to join ICANN board members at an informal reception (light refreshments and cash bar) at the Marriott, from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm, Friday, November 13. 

We are continuing to solicit comments for a week following the meeting, through Saturday, November 21 (midnight EST). All comments received will be posted for viewing on the BCIS site.

Use this comment form to submit comments..  View received comments and registered attendees.