Stakeholder Council Operating Procedures

Transparency Procedures

Council Meetings and Calls

All calls will be open to the public. Dial in details for each call will be included in each meeting agenda, as well as in the Council Work Plan, both of which will be published on the Council website. Participants that are not members of the usTLD Stakeholder Council may participate actively in the calls, however, votes or polls will be limited to members of the usTLD Stakeholder Council.

The usTLD Stakeholder Council secretariat will publish on the Council website agendas and minutes from each Stakeholder Call. Calls will be recorded and archived on the Council website.

Agendas will be published and circulated the week prior to Stakeholder Council calls.

Council List Serve

The secretariat will manage a council list serve to facilitate Council discussions between meetings. All members of the usTLD Stakeholder Council will be able to the post to the list which will be sent to all councilors and archived.

Archives will be available to the public here; non-members will not have posting rights.

Council Recommendations

Following the completion of public consultation procedures and consideration of public comments by the Stakeholder Council, approved recommendations will be published on the Stakeholder Council Resource Page. The published recommendations will include, at minimum:

• The recommendation(s) being put forward;
• A summary of public comments received and any actions that were taken in response to the Public Comment Period;
• The outcome of any votes taken (if applicable).

Quarterly Reports

The usTLD Stakeholder Council will publish a quarterly report summarizing all Council activities from the foregoing quarter. Quarterly reports will include, but are not limited to providing:

• A summary of all council meetings from the following quarter;
• Any recommendations or other input provided by the usTLD Stakeholder Council during that quarter and the decision-making procedures that were followed, including the outcomes of any votes that were taken;
• A summary of input received during any public consultation processes undertaken by the usTLD Stakeholder Council; and
• Changes to council members or council officers.

Leadership Selection Procedures

The Chair and Vice Chair will be jointly responsible for setting the policy agenda for meetings of the usTLD Stakeholder Council, in collaboration with the Council Secretariat. They will also review and approve Council reports or other documentation prepared by the Secretariat before publication. The Chair is responsible for facilitating and managing meetings of the Council. In the event the Chair is unavailable, the Vice Chair will assume these duties.

Neither the Chair nor the Vice Chair may speak on behalf of the usTLD Stakeholder Council except where policies, positions, or other initiatives have been previously approved by the Council in accordance with the procedures established in the usTLD Council Charter and Operating Procedures. The Chair and Vice Chair will be selected by Registry Services, LLC, based on demonstrated willingness, ability, and relevant expertise that contribute to the effective functioning and advancement of the Council’s objectives. Registry Services will present the proposed selections to the Council for final approval. The selection process will emphasize identifying individuals who add value, show active engagement, and align with the Council’s mission and collaborative spirit.

There will be no fixed term limits for the Chair or Vice Chair. The Council will periodically review leadership positions to ensure continued alignment of leadership with Council goals and to provide opportunities for other qualified members to serve where appropriate. In the event that the Chair is unable to continue their duties, the Vice Chair will assume the role of Chair. Registry Services and the Council will select a new Vice Chair. Similarly, if the Vice Chair is unable to perform their duties, Registry Services and the Council will select a replacement Vice Chair.

In the event that there is no Vice Chair, the Chair will continue to perform all leadership duties with the support of the Council Secretariat and other Council members as needed. Registry Services will initiate a process to identify and propose a qualified and willing individual to fill the Vice Chair position as soon as practicable.

Leadership selections will occur as needed to maintain effective Council operations and ensure continuity of leadership.

Voting Procedures

The Council will generally seek to work by Consensus, however, any Councilor may request that a vote be taken on any policy recommendation or piece of input and such request shall be granted. If a vote is called, then a majority of Councilors must vote in favor of the Recommendation in order for the recommendation to proceed. All votes will be conducted transparently and reflected in the final Policy Recommendation. Any vote shall require a quorum of fifty percent of the Stakeholder Council.

Informal polls may also be taken from time to time to gauge the level of support for a position. Such polls shall not be considered votes and will not be reflected in the final recommendation. No quorum shall be required for such polls.