Dear working group,
we hope you enjoyed last week's RIPE meeting and got back home safe and sound.
If you paid attention to the RIPE Chair Team Update during the Community Plenary, you heard the discussion about the WG chair selection principles and the ongoing work on the document https://www.ripe.net/publications/docs/ripe-documents/other-documents/draft… (which will become the successor of RIPE-692). After carefully considering these recommendations/guidelines, and being aware that our current documented process for the open source wg (https://www.ripe.net/community/wg/active-wg/os/open-source-wg-chair-selecti…) is -among others- short of respecting mandatory chair terms, Marco, Sasha and I have reworked that documented process. You'll find the draft of that work attached.
Nothing in the attachment should surprise you: terms are now observed (which drove us to introduce the concept of staggering for the sake of continuity). Additionally, we have now documented candidate requirements, which were outspoken in e-mails in the past (e.g. https://mailman.ripe.net/archives/list/opensource-wg@ripe.net/thread/RQP4FL…) but never made it to the official doc.
Still, we'd like to ask you for feedback on the attached document, before we publish it on the website. We are opening hereby a comment period of 14 days, that is, until Friday, 12th June, before we move on.
Thanks in advance for contributing to shape the future of the group
Marcos (for all co-chairs)
[1] Number of Co-Chairs: The Open Source WG will have two or three co-chairs.
Terms
[T1] Length of Term: Each co-chair serves a three-year term.
[T2] Term Limits: A co-chair may serve multiple consecutive terms; there is no limit on reappointment, provided the selection process is followed.
[T3] Staggered Terms: Terms must be staggered to ensure continuity.
* With three co-chairs, no more than two terms may end in the same year.
If staggering is lost due to resignation or unexpected changes, the WG may assign an adjusted term length to restore staggering.
Chair Requirements
A candidate for co-chair must meet the following requirements:
[R1] Prior Participation and Process Knowledge: The candidate has attended multiple physical RIPE meetings before and is familiar with RIPE processes and community expectations (e.g. by having studied the RIPE guide for new working group chairs or completing the RIPE NCC Academy working group chair course).
[R2] Ongoing Participation: The candidate commits to attending as many RIPE meetings as possible in person while serving as a co-chair.
[R3] Attendance at the Current Selection Meeting: The candidate will attend the upcoming autumn RIPE meeting session (either physically or virtually) where the selection process occurs.
Selection Process
[2] Call for Co-Chair Candidates: Two months before every autumn RIPE meeting there will be a call for candidates for any co-chair position whose term ends that year. The nomination period will be 14 days. Candidates must confirm that they satisfy the Chair Requirements listed in section [R1]-[R3].
[3] New Term for an Existing Co-Chair: Should an existing co-chair whose term ends want to candidate, the incumbent should follow the same process as any other candidates.
[4] No Applications: If there are no applications, the current co-chair whose term is ending will continue for the next term, provided the availability and willing to do so.
[5] Only One Co-Chair Can Be Replaced Per Year: Only one co-chair position may be filled per year, regardless of the total number of co-chairs, to preserve stability and continuity.
Candidate Discussion & Selection
[6] If There Is One or More Applications: If there is at least one candidate (other than the incumbent):
1. The current co-chair whose term is ending and the candidate(s) will discuss among themselves who should serve the next term.
2. If consensus among them is reached before 14 days prior to the RIPE meeting, that person is appointed.
3. If no consensus is reached, this is publicly announced in the list and a selection process will take place within the WG at the RIPE meeting.
Unforeseen Circumstances
[7] Unexpected Resignation: If a co-chair resigns before their term expires:
* The WG may appoint an interim co-chair by consensus until the next regular autumn selection process.
* The interim period does not count as a full term.
* When the position is formally filled at the next autumn cycle, the WG may assign an adjusted term length to preserve staggering (see rule [T3]).
[8] Issues Not Covered
Any issues relating to the selection, replacement, term management, or staggering of co-chairs not covered by the above rules will be decided by WG consensus during the RIPE meeting. When the WG is unable to reach consensus, the matter will be referred to the RIPE Chair (or their deputy), whose decision shall be final.
