Author(s): Donald M. Heath
Date: 1997.10.21
Committee: Executive Committee of BoT
Document: 97-017
Revision: Supersedes:
Status: Draft
Maintainer: D.M. Heath
Access: Unrestricted
Meeting was called to order by ISOC Chair, Frode Greisen at 8:00am ET USA.
Participants:
Frode Greisen
Scott Bradner
Vint Cerf
Haruhisa Ishida
George Sadowsky
Donald M. Heath
1. Preliminary 1998 ISOC Budget
Preliminary budget presented for 1998. Need to add Geneva ISOC office into the expense lines and incorporate IETF fund raising into Organization member fund raising.
After some refinement, Heath will distribute the preliminary budget to BoT for iterative review.
Heath will produce a baseline financial picture for review by the ISOC Treasurer in preparation for discussions with CNRI regarding the possible move of the IETF Secretariat into the ISOC organization. It was noted that the IETF Secretariat is self supporting through the IETF conferences, but that it is important to show that ISOC has turned the financial corner and is becoming fiscally sound./
The budget shows totals and breakdown per program according the auditing principle. Greisen asked for additional totals per expense item, ie. a summary of accounting, amortization, bank fees, … down to salaries, wages and fringes over all programs – same way as with the monthly financial reports.
2. Funding and Organizational Members
Reviewed the 15 October 1997 Organizational Membership Status report. It was noted that this report reflects a cash basis and not accrual; that fact should be noted on the report, so that BoT members will clearly understand.
Committee asked that a target be established for the amount needed in the ISOC fund (the reserve of cash) shown on the balance sheet and the budget be modified to reach that goal over some years.
In future Organization Member reports, members or new members who have been invoiced but not paid by six months, will be dropped from the membership count. We will continue to pursue them, but will not count them in the official figures.
Cash position continues to improve and fundamentals for sustaining the improvement are positive. Heath noted that growth in new Organization members was not growing as fast as desired.
Committee asked Heath to send a note to the BoT members and the ISOC Advisory Council reminding them that they had agreed to certain personal goals regarding the solicitation of new members and upgrading existing.
3. INET’98
SPONSORSHIPS – George Soros has agreed to send out specific tailored letters to designated organizations over his signature. These are being prepared now and it is hoped that they will facilitate fund raising for the conference. Of course, the general letter from Mr. Soros has been completed and is being used.
Now that there are many Internet conferences throughout the world, concern was voiced that the uniqueness of the INET conferences may be in question, thereby making fund raising more difficult.
Claude Lemay is the operational fund raising chair for international fund raising and has been in the role since before INET’97. He has spent time in Geneva with the “local” fund raising chair, Werner Staub. Confidence in meeting the aggressive fund raising for sponsorships is good.
Primary responsibility for US sponsorships is Heath, Burack, Sadowsky, BoT members and ISOC AC officers.
CALL FOR PAPERS – To-date, we have received 33 abstracts for INET’98. The submission deadline is October 24, 1997. In the past two years, we received between 120 -160 abstracts once the final deadline passed. The deadline has been extended to 31 October 1997.
Some realignment of the tracks may develop as a result of discussions and submissions.
PLENARY SPEAKERS – Formal requests have been sent to Bill Gates, Larry Ellison, Jim Barksdale and informal or indirect to Scott McNeely, and Vice President Al Gore. It is expected he best we could get from Gore is a video tape a la Gate at INET’97.
It was noted that the sooner we can announce known plenary speakers, it will assist in fund raising. We currently have one notable plenary speaker confirmed in Dr. Vinton G. Cerf.
MOU FINAL DISPOSITION – Terms for ISOC and ISOC Geneva excess revenue split have been finalized. Split will be 80/20 (ISOC/GVA) on first USD 250,000, and 50/50 thereafter.
4. IANA
Limited discussion on the institutionalization of IANA. Scott reported that Jon Postel was working on a plan that would include bylaws, budget, and a business plan. Some initial inquiries have been made by IANA to the IP registries as a possible source of funding. Cerf will call Postel about the plan.
Scott noted that the US govt funding was expiring at year end; however, Vint had heard that money was available and targeted for IANA, from the US government. He will check that out further.
5. December BoT Meetings Agenda
BoT meeting will be held in conjunction with the IETF meeting December 12 – 13, 1997. Heath will invite IESG and IAB plus all IETF attendees. We will need to prepare for a large room as a contingency result.
Preliminary agenda will be sent to BoT shortly and primary topics will include 1998 budget and financing, INET’98 conference status, Chapters, IANA, IETF Secretariat.
6. BoT Nominations Committee
There has been a lack of volunteers, but Sadowsky reports that he is finalizing committee make up. Schedule of events will be produced and announced shortly.
7. ISOC Position Statement
A discussion was held regarding the establishment of an ISOC position paper on the issues confronting the Internet. Vint Cerf volunteered to draft a straw man version for consideration by the BoT and by the ISOC membership.
We currently have taken some positions on specific issues, such as that developed through the IETF/IAB document (RFC1984) on encryption. It is felt to be important to make our position known, in conjunction with our members, to the broader public.
Meeting was adjourned at 9:08am ET USA.
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