--On Tuesday, February 02, 2016 16:45 -0500 Michael StJohns <mstjohns@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > Let me suggest that instead of delegating the IAB chair > responsibilities we, instead, change the ex-officio status > that the various chairs currently have to observer status, > change the organizational appointees to permit (require?) > appointment from their appointing organizations, and also add > two or three additional permanent members to the IAOC, those > members to be selected in alternate years by the Nomcom. >... > 2) "Doesn't a larger IAOC mean a more unwieldy organization". > Answer: The ex-officio chairs now move to observer status and > can attend as they wish. The number of voting members remains > the same. The members appointed by/related to a specific > organization get reduced to 3 of 7 or 3 of 8 voting members. > Ideally, the appointed organizational voting members have the > IAOC as one of their primary tasks and would address the > concern that the "IAB chair has too much to do". At least for me, this has a lot of appeal. The other advantage of the observer idea is that the three key people stay on the mailing list so that, if something significant comes up, they are in a good position to complain to the rest of the IAOC and/or to bring the matter to the attention of the bodies they lead or the whole community. While I think I understand Bob Hinden's reasoning about the IAB Chair being "directly involved" in certain discussions and decisions, it seems to me that the IAOC (and IETF Trust) are primarily administrative bodies. If they need to make significant policy decisions, those decisions should be made in consultation with the community (and reflecting community consensus) and not by assertion of some inherent powers. Having the IAB (and even IETF and ISOC) Chairs as observers should be more than sufficient to ensure the community is consulted when needed, perhaps even more effective than the present arrangement. Mike's model would presumably also expand the number of people eligible to serve as IAOC and IETF Trust Chair, which is probably also A Good Thing. john