ACSP Consultation 2021.6: Consultation on Implementing Term Limits for the ARIN Board of Trustees

Consultation Tracking Information

  • Requested By: Governance Working Group
  • Status: Closed
  • Comments Opened: Linked to Discussion Archives: 1 December 2021
  • Comments Closed: 15 December 2021
  • Suggestion Number: n/a

Consultation Description

The Board of Trustees maintains authority over the scope, mission, and along with the President and Chief Executive Officer establishes ARIN’s strategic direction and fiscal oversight. The Board also has oversight authority of the nomination, appointment, and election of individuals to Board committees and similar roles.

Over the past two years, as part of its fiduciary duties, the ARIN Board of Trustees (“Board”) has undertaken a review of ARIN’s governance structures, including the imposition of term limits on the Board. As part of this effort, an independent, outside consultant was engaged to review ARIN’s governance structures and provide recommendations.

One recommendation that has arisen from this governance review is to impose term limits on the Board for several reasons. Term limits would provide the ability for the community to realize the following benefits:

  1. Balance of continuity with healthy turnover;
  2. Support ongoing opportunity to expand and enhance the Board’s membership;
  3. Greater introduction of differing views and fresh perspectives amongst the Board;
  4. Periodic renewed look at structures and governance; and
  5. More opportunities for participation by members of the community.

Board Proposal

ARIN will impose term limits on the elected seats of the Board.

The term limits will permit elected Board members to serve three consecutive 3-year terms before requiring a two-year period during which such Board members are ineligible to serve on the Board.

Current Board members may serve out the remainder of their current term, and the term limits will be imposed upon any subsequent re-election to the Board. Any current Board member would therefore be eligible to serve three additional terms upon re-election, to ensure continuity, orderly succession, and prevent precipitous loss of corporate memory.

ARIN seeks community feedback on this proposed imposition of term limits on the Board. This consultation will remain open for 15 days.

Please provide comments to arin-consult@arin.net. You can subscribe to this mailing list at: http://lists.arin.net/mailman/listinfo/arin-consult.

Discussion on arin-consult@arin.net will close on 15 December 2021.

ARIN Actions

ARIN thanks those who provided valuable feedback during this consultation implementing term limits for the Board of Trustees. This important feedback will be provided to the Board for their consideration.

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