[arin-ppml] Draft Policy 2008-3: Community Networks IPv6 Assignment – Last Call

[David Farmer]

On 28 Aug 2009 Martin Hannigan wrote:

> On Thu, Aug 27, 2009 at 2:08 PM, Member Services<info at arin.net> wrote:
> 
> [ clip ]

[clipped more]

> > 2.8 Community Network
> > A community network is any network organized and operated by a volunteer
> > group operating as or under the fiscal support of a non-profit organization or university
> > for the purpose of providing free or low-cost connectivity to the residents of their local service
> > area.
> 
> 
> The problematic language for me is "as or under". How do you operate
> "under" the fiscal support of a non profit organization? Aren't
> Universities non-profits? Diving clubs? Cub Scouts? What constitutes
> operating "under" the fiscal support of a non-profit or university? It
> looks like this proposal simply grabbed on to hot-button issues to
> justify it's creation along with a few loopholes. I'm fairly certain
> that while the abuse of this one may be limited, it will be abused.

Using one of the examples you provided;

A Diving Club associated with a university frequently is not a separate 
organization.  It is frequently chartered as a student organization within the 
university and from a legal stand point is part of the university and operates 
under the fiscal management and support of the university.  The university is 
legally responsible for the debts and actions of such a Diving Club.  Other 
Diving Clubs may be sponsored by the YMCA or another non-profit parent 
organization, and then other Diving Clubs may be separately incorporated 
independent non-profit organizations.  

Substitute "Community Network" for "Diving Club" and you have the intent of 
the phrase "as or under the fiscal support of a non-profit organization or 
university".  Would "as or under the fiscal management and support of a 
non-profit organization or university" be better?  Do you have a better 
suggestion on how to phrase this?

Given the historical significance that universities have had in the creation of 
the Internet, and the fact that many universities are not necessarily regular 
non-profit organizations, it seems proper to explicitly include them in this 
policy.  Most everyone in the Internet industry today had their first exposure 
to the Internet at or through a university.  It is only those who have entered 
the Internet industry in the past 5 years or less that are likely to have had 
their first Internet experience not associated with a university.



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David Farmer                                      Email:farmer at umn.edu
Office of Information Technology
Networking & Telecomunication Services
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