July 10, 2025
Attendees:
Phil Lewis
No
ISC Member
Thiago Nunes
Yes
Interim ISC Member
Pedro Lucas
Yes
OSC Chair, Representing two Enterprise Members
Nicholas Cerny
Yes
Civics Committee Chair
Vaibhav S
Yes
GMC Member
Naushad Fouze
No
Product Committee
Jose Iadicicco
Yes
Community Member
Maureen Wepngong
No
DRep
Terence McCutcheon
Yes
Intersect
Tevo Saks
No
Community Member
Lorenzo Bruno
Yes
Head of Product Curation
Recording: Intersect Governance WG Weekly - 2025/07/10 16:00 CEST - Recording
Transcript: Intersect Governance WG Weekly - 2025/07/10 16:00 CEST - Transcript
Agenda 10.07.2025
Close proposal for process regarding committee members not attending
Discuss risks for applicant side of board election
Decisions/Actions
Process for Member Dismissal/Replacement
Terence McCutcheon presented a simplified, 3-slide process for dismissing non-participating members after an 8-week period. Key additions include the chair calling for a vote of no confidence and the secretary sending notification and removing access.
The process will be brought to the IC (Intersect Committee) on Monday, July 14, 2025, for approval to ensure it's in place before the next election cycle. Terence McCutcheon to share the updated presentation in the working group Discord channel.
Proposed Changes & Concerns:
- Nicolas Cerny suggested resignation letters also be submitted to the secretary for permanence, which was agreed to be a quick addition.
Terence McCutcheon to update the process to include submitting resignation letters to the secretary.
- Gintama suggested a resignation form for the member to sign after 8 weeks to maintain respect, but this was dismissed as the new application pack would include agreement to the removal process by proxy.
This suggestion was not adopted.
- Lorenzo Bruno suggested softening the language from "removal" to "replacement" or "dismissal" to reflect a vote of no confidence rather than forced removal. "Dismissal" was deemed more appropriate.
Terence McCutcheon to review and adjust language to "dismissal" as appropriate.
- Tim Richmond emphasized the need for clear, published rules and regulations for members to abide by, making dismissals a consequence of rule breaches rather than a negative perception.
This aligns with the "dead man's switch" concept and will be emphasized in communication.
- Lorenzo Bruno suggested making it explicit that dismissal is an extreme, last-resort case for the IC's context.
Terence McCutcheon to incorporate this context into the presentation for the IC.
- Lorenzo Bruno proposed IC approval for dismissal. This was deemed an overcomplication and indicative of a lack of trust between chairs and the IC by Terence McCutcheon.
This suggestion was not adopted.
- Tim Richmond and Nicolas Cerny supported informing the IC/Board, but not requiring their approval, to ensure interconnectedness and awareness. Tim Richmond suggested notifying the board if a chair is unresponsive after 3-4 weeks.
The process will include informing the IC and potentially the Board, but without requiring their direct approval for dismissals.
- Lorenzo Bruno questioned the "remove access" detail, but Terence McCutcheon clarified it's a standard operating procedure (SOP) for secretary action (e.g., Discord, Google Drive access).
The "remove access" detail remains in the process.
Applicant Side of Board Election
Discussion on how to ensure competent candidates are elected and address concerns about popularity contests.
Problems Identified:
- Increased chance of competent candidates being elected is a problem related to participation.
Ongoing discussion.
- "Popular people get elected" and "politically connected people" might be elected over competent ones.
Will be addressed through new initiatives and clearer communication.
- Lack of clarity on who should be eligible to apply.
To be defined and included in eligibility criteria.
- Lack of understanding of what the Board does.
Will be addressed by current Board members.
- Board members interfering too much in day-to-day activities and making unilateral decisions without member accountability.
This is an ongoing issue that needs to be addressed structurally.
Proposed Solutions/Considerations:
- Tim Richmond suggested current board members should engage with the community to explain their role through videos or direct engagement to demystify the board.
Current board members encouraged to create short videos explaining their role and responsibilities.
- Define eligibility criteria, such as a minimum membership duration (e.g., 6 months or 9-12 months for candidates vs. 6 months for voters).
Further discussion needed to balance experience with new talent.
- Require candidates to supply a certain number of written recommendations (e.g., 10) from other members to show membership support.
Further exploration of this idea is needed.
- Include more specific questions in the application that demonstrate business experience and concrete contributions to the Cardano ecosystem.
Terence McCutcheon to redesign application questions.
- Jose Iadicicco emphasized the need for directors with a broad understanding of Cardano's vision, philosophy, community, technical aspects, and political landscape.
Application questions and candidate profiles should aim to assess these qualities.
- Gintama suggested a potential conflict of interest if board members hold other powerful positions in the Cardano ecosystem (e.g., SPOs, CC).
This conflict of interest will be made explicit in communication regarding board elections.
- Terence McCutcheon proposed a "letter to the community" from each applicant, allowing them to explain why they should be elected and showcase professional skills/communication. Also, pre-application X Spaces for candidates to engage with the community.
Terence McCutcheon to implement the "letter to the community" and plan X Spaces for candidates.
- Tim Richmond emphasized proactive engagement with potential candidates in relevant forums to attract the best talent.
Information about board elections to be disseminated in places likely to reach ideal candidates.
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