RSSAC Mission and Roles

1. Purpose

The purpose of the caucus is

• to define a well defined pool of motivated experts to whom RSSAC can turn to
  for getting work done;
• to provide transparency to the community at large about the people doing the
  work; and
• to provide a framework for the caucus participants to formalize their a availability
  and to execute the work.

2. Principles

The RSSAC caucus is the group of people that produce RSSAC documents, such as reports and advisories.

The RSSAC caucus consists of all members of the RSSAC as well as other persons appointed by the RSSAC.

Each member of the caucus maintains a public description of their willingness and motivation to help produce RSSAC documents, their relevant expertise and their formal interests in the work area of the RSSAC.

Normally the RSSAC accepts all seriously motivated offers to participate in the caucus.

Once the RSSAC decides to take up work on a document, it may ask caucus members to produce the document and submit it to the RSSAC for formal action.

The RSSAC maintains a record of caucus members and their contributions to RSSAC documents.

3. Procedures

3.1 Caucus Selection

The RSSAC periodically issues calls for participation in the caucus, normally in January of each year.

The RSSAC periodically reviews the composition of the caucus and adds or removes members, normally once each quarter.

On request of the person concerned the RSSAC publicly motivates its decision to refuse to add a person to the caucus or to remove a person from the caucus.

The RSSAC delegates the task of communicating with people about joining or leaving the caucus to a Membership Committee.

3.2 Caucus Work

The RSSAC normally involves the caucus in the production of substantial documents.

The RSSAC defines and publishes the initial scope of the document to be produced and the date by which is has to be submitted to the RSSAC for action.

The RSSAC requests one or more caucus members to lead the production of a document.

Document leaders actively involve other caucus members, specifically any caucus members that volunteer.

Document leaders report to the RSSAC about progress at regular intervals and on specific request.

If it considers progress insufficient, the RSSAC may appoint new document leaders or take other action to progress the document.

Once the document leaders consider the document ready, they pass it to the RSSAC for formal action.

The RSSAC may ask the caucus to do specific further work on a document.

Caucus members may submit personal opinions about documents to the RSSAC at any time, specifically once the document has been passed to the RSSAC for action.

The RSSAC may also ask caucus members for advice and opinions about RSSAC business.

Caucus members will receive credit for their work on specific documents.

3.3 Bootstrapping

The RSSAC will invite people who participated in the previous RSSAC to join the caucus, specifically those subscribed to the previous RSSAC mailing list.

The RSSAC will notify the ICANN Supporting Organizations about the caucus.

RSSAC members will publish their preferred work areas, their relevant expertise and their formal interests in the work area of the RSSAC.