stds-802-16: 802.16 Observer Status

["Roger B. Marks" <r.b.marks@ieee.org>]

At the Closing Plenary of IEEE 802.16 Session #6 on 9 March 2000, the 
following motion was passed:

=============
Access to private web site areas and ballots is restricted to people 
in one of three categories:
- 802.16 members
- participants in current session
- participated in at least one recent 802.16 session
"Member", "participation" and "recent" defined at 
http://ieee802.org/16/membership.html.
=============

I apologize for the delay in implementing this decision. It has 
involved some work, and it didn't seem urgent since there wasn't much 
to look at on the private site.

Now I have implemented a system. Here is how it works:

*I have created a category of 802.16 Observer.

*The rights of Members and Observers are defined in 
<http://ieee802.org/16/involve.html>. Namely:

Like Members, 802.16 Observers have the following rights:
-To examine draft standards.
-To participate in Working Group Letter Ballots.
-To examine the votes of Working Group members
-To examine the Member and Observer contact databases.

In addition, 802.16 Members have the following exclusive rights:
-To make or second a motion at any meeting of 802.16 or its subsidiaries.
-To vote, if and only if present, at any meeting of 802.16 or its subsidiaries.
-To vote in 802.16 Working Group Letter Ballots.
-To vote by email on any issue involving 802.16 or its subsidiaries.
-To lodge complaints about Working Group operation with the 802 
Executive Committee.
-To petition the 802 Executive Committee in writing.

*The rules for obtaining and retaining Observer status are defined in 
<http://ieee802.org/16/membership.html>. Namely: Individuals having 
participated in a recent 802.16 session are eligible to become 802.16 
Observers upon request. At the end of each 802 LMSC Plenary Session, 
Observer status is lost by those who have not participated in a 
recent 802 Session.

*I have posted a list of the 135 Potential Observers 
<http://ieee802.org/16/observers_pot.html> who meet the requirements.

*Anyone on the Potential Observers list can request Observer status 
by submitting a form 
<http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/802/16/form.html>.

By the way, I have worked with IEEE staff to develop a CGI-based form 
that should be rock-solid, unlike my previous "mailto" forms that 
relied on proper setup of the browser. We'll use the same form to 
register for future interim sessions.

Regards,

Roger