| Internet-Draft | The IETF Chair Has a Stand-In | November 2026 |
| Eggert | Expires 6 May 2027 | [Page] |
This document defines a stand-in for the IETF Chair, called the Acting IETF Chair, in case the IETF Chair becomes indisposed.¶
This note is to be removed before publishing as an RFC.¶
The latest revision of this draft can be found at https://ietf-wg-procon.github.io/ietf-chair-may-delegate/draft-ietf-procon-chair-standin.html. Status information for this document may be found at https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-ietf-procon-chair-standin/.¶
Discussion of this document takes place on the procon Working Group mailing list (mailto:procon@ietf.org), which is archived at https://mailarchive.ietf.org/arch/browse/procon/. Subscribe at https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/procon/.¶
Source for this draft and an issue tracker can be found at https://github.com/ietf-wg-procon/ietf-chair-may-delegate.¶
This Internet-Draft is submitted in full conformance with the provisions of BCP 78 and BCP 79.¶
Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). Note that other groups may also distribute working documents as Internet-Drafts. The list of current Internet-Drafts is at https://datatracker.ietf.org/drafts/current/.¶
Internet-Drafts are draft documents valid for a maximum of six months and may be updated, replaced, or obsoleted by other documents at any time. It is inappropriate to use Internet-Drafts as reference material or to cite them other than as "work in progress."¶
This Internet-Draft will expire on 6 May 2027.¶
Copyright (c) 2026 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 (https://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. Code Components extracted from this document must include Revised BSD License text as described in Section 4.e of the Trust Legal Provisions and are provided without warranty as described in the Revised BSD License.¶
The role of the IETF Chair is a single point of failure for the organization, with no defined processes for allowing others to quickly and/or temporarily take over aspects of the role if the IETF Chair becomes partially or fully unable to serve. (The defined process is that for "mid-term vacancies" per Section 3.5 of [RFC8713], which can take up to six weeks to complete and only allows for the permanent replacement of the IETF Chair by another individual.)¶
This section describes who may serve as Acting IETF Chair if the IETF Chair becomes indisposed.¶
As described in Section 1, the IETF Chair role is at the moment a single point of failure for the organization. If the IETF Chair becomes indisposed, a recall petition followed by executing a "mid-term vacancy" replacement would need to be executed to name a new IETF Chair. This process will likely take several weeks at best, during which time there is no defined Acting IETF Chair.¶
In case the IETF Chair becomes indisposed, or the position becomes vacant through resignation, recall or otherwise, the IESG selects and announces another Area Director who is willing to serve as Acting IETF Chair, who then immediately assumes the role of the IETF Chair. The IETF Chair declares when they become indisposed and when they are available again. If the IETF Chair is unable or unwilling to do so, or if there is disagreement, the IESG decides. This does not affect the recall process in Section 7 of [RFC8713]. The Acting IETF Chair serves until the NomCom appoints a new IETF Chair or the IETF Chair is available again. The ability to serve as Acting IETF Chair is not a criterion for the NomCom when selecting Area Directors.¶
The Acting IETF Chair holds the full role of the IETF Chair, including the ability to delegate [I-D.eggert-procon-chair-delegate], and this section applies to them as it does to the IETF Chair. Delegations made by the IETF Chair remain in force unless the Acting IETF Chair changes them.¶
If the IETF Chair's absence is expected to be short, the Acting IETF Chair should choose to delay controversial decisions until the IETF Chair is available again, while allowing other business to proceed.¶
The usual security considerations [RFC3552] do not apply to this document.¶
This document has no IANA actions.¶
These individuals suggested improvements to this document:¶
Rename "stand-in" to "Acting IETF Chair".¶
Have the IESG select a willing Area Director as Acting IETF Chair, instead of the IETF Chair designating one in advance.¶
Define who decides that the IETF Chair is indisposed or available again.¶
Cover a vacant IETF Chair position.¶
Give the Acting IETF Chair the full role of the IETF Chair, including the ability to delegate.¶
State that the ability to serve as Acting IETF Chair is not a NomCom criterion for selecting Area Directors.¶
Soften the language and add guidance for short absences.¶
Editorial fixes.¶