The Role of the IRTF Chair
RFC 7827

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Internet Architecture Board (IAB)                              L. Eggert
Request for Comments: 7827                                        NetApp
Category: Informational                                       March 2016
ISSN: 2070-1721

                       The Role of the IRTF Chair

Abstract

   This document briefly describes the role of the Chair of the Internet
   Research Task Force (IRTF), discusses its duties, and outlines the
   skill set a candidate for the role should ideally have.

Status of This Memo

   This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is
   published for informational purposes.

   This document is a product of the Internet Architecture Board (IAB)
   and represents information that the IAB has deemed valuable to
   provide for permanent record.  It represents the consensus of the
   Internet Architecture Board (IAB).  Documents approved for
   publication by the IAB are not a candidate for any level of Internet
   Standard; see Section 2 of RFC 5741.

   Information about the current status of this document, any errata,
   and how to provide feedback on it may be obtained at
   http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc7827.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (c) 2016 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
   document authors.  All rights reserved.

   This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
   Provisions Relating to IETF Documents
   (http://trustee.ietf.org/license-info) in effect on the date of
   publication of this document.  Please review these documents
   carefully, as they describe your rights and restrictions with respect
   to this document.

Eggert                        Informational                     [Page 1]
RFC 7827               The Role of the IRTF Chair             March 2016

Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
   2.  Duties  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
     2.1.  Strategic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
     2.2.  Administrative  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
     2.3.  IAB Membership  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
   3.  Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
   4.  Informative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
   Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
   Author's Address  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7

1.  Introduction

   The Internet Research Task Force (IRTF) focuses on longer-term
   research issues related to the Internet, while its sister
   organization, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), focuses on
   the shorter-term issues of engineering and standards making.

   The IRTF consists of a number of topical and long-term Research
   Groups (RGs).  These groups work on issues related to Internet
   protocols, applications, architecture, and technology.  RGs have the
   stable long-term membership that is needed to promote the development
   of research collaboration and teamwork in exploring research issues.
   Individual contributors participate in the IRTF, rather than
   representatives of organizations.

   [RFC2014] details the procedures by which RGs operate.  [RFC4440]
   discusses a view from the Internet Architecture Board (IAB) on the
   IRTF and its relationship to the IETF.  The RFC Editor publishes
   documents from the IRTF and its RGs in the IRTF Stream [RFC5743].

   The IRTF Chair is appointed by the IAB [RFC2014] for two-year terms
   and manages the IRTF in consultation with the Internet Research
   Steering Group (IRSG) and -- for some types of decisions -- the IAB.
   The IRSG membership includes the IRTF Chair, the chairs of the
   various RGs, and other individuals ("members at large") from the
   research community selected by the IRTF Chair.

   There is no general appeals process defined for the IRTF.  However,
   [RFC2014] states that when an RG disagrees with the IRTF Chair's
   decision to close the group, it can appeal to the IAB.  Since the
   IRTF Chair serves at the discretion of the IAB, it has been current
   practice to generalize this special case in [RFC2014]: any grievances
   related to the IRTF Chair can be taken to the IAB, and it takes
   appropriate measures.

Eggert                        Informational                     [Page 2]
RFC 7827               The Role of the IRTF Chair             March 2016

2.  Duties

   This section discusses the various duties of the IRTF Chair and
   outlines the skill set a candidate for the role should ideally have.

2.1.  Strategic

   Arguably, the most important part of the duties of the IRTF Chair is
   strategic and concerns shaping the purpose and scope of the IRTF, by
   making decisions about which RGs to charter, which RGs to terminate,
   and which other activities or efforts the IRTF should organize or
   affiliate itself with in order to further its charter and increase