RE: [council] Conference fees as revenue source

["Cade,Marilyn S - LGA" <mcade@att.com>]

I appreciate your input, Harold. In fact, many participants will find conference fees a barrier. I fail to see that conference fees are a solution to ICANN's funding challenges. On the other hand, it might defray meeting costs themselves. But core funding is not solved by this mechanism. 

I have mixed feelings about this since those who fund their own expenses, and that is an increasing number, find the extra $200-300 or so an additional financial burden, when travel and hotel/expenses costs are in the $1200=-2000 range on average per meeting. 

-----Original Message-----
From: hfeld@mediaaccess.org [mailto:hfeld@mediaaccess.org]
Sent: Tuesday, April 23, 2002 9:20 PM
To: Council@dnso.org
Subject: [council] Conference fees as revenue source


On the last conference call, I was asked to consult with the NCC to 
ascertain whether the NCC would regard conference fees as a barrier to 
attendance.

The answer is yes.  I have received email from several NCC members 
stating that it is already a financial burden for them to participate in 
ICANN.  A conference fee to attend, particularly if it is on par with those 
usually requested by professional conferences in the United States, 
would make attendance impossible or prove a serious deterrent for them.

I will add that, from personal experience, many professional conferences 
provide scholarships or waive fees for non-profits. 

As with many issues at ICANN pertaining to cost, the issue becomes: 
does ICANN (and its participants) value the input and contribution of non-
profits sufficiently to accomodate the very real financing problem for non-
profits.  Non-profits are a critical part of the Internet community.  Many of 
our members play vital roles in maintianing an Internet structure in their 
countries or providing training and Internet access.  I hope that ICANN, 
and its members, will value this perspective.

Harold
Feld

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