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The
Administration has stated that it supports
the continued privatization and
commercialization of the Internet and is
committed to completing the transition to
private sector governance. The National
Science Board (NSB) agrees, and has issued
a resolution that the NSF should no longer
be involved in domain name registration.
The National
Science Foundation originally got involved
in Internet registration when the agency
managed the major Internet backbone -- the
NSFNET -- to support research and
education [R&E], primarily in
the nation's universities. NSFNET backbone
functions were quickly rendered redundant
by commercial success and privatized. It
is now time for NSF to focus again upon
research and education, which will enable
the Next Generation Internet.
The NSF
cooperative agreement with Network
Solutions, Incorporated -- the current
registrar for international (generic) top
level domains -- expires March 31, 1998.
If the Federal
government does elect to remain involved
in the policy and commercial issues
surrounding domain name management, it is
the Board's position that the NSF should
not solicit proposals for a new
cooperative agree-ment. NSF's mission is
to promote research and education in
science and engineering, and it can no
longer commit resources to manage today's
Internet.
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NSB-97-220
STATEMENT ON THE
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION ROLE IN
GOVERNANCE OF THE INTERNET AS ADOPTED BY
THE NATIONAL SCIENCE BOARD AT ITS 346TH
MEETING ON NOVEMBER 12-14, 1997
Whereas the
National Science Foundation, along with
other agencies, supported the research for
and develop-ment of what is now called the
Internet or World Wide Web;
Whereas the
Internet has now gone from the development
stage to the application stage and has
become a major communications and
commercial medium for the world;
Whereas the
Foundation's Acting Deputy Director, after
consultation with the Board, announced on
April 23 that NSF has no plans to renew or
re-compete the cooperative agreement with
Network Solutions, Inc. for Internet
registration;
Whereas research
opportunities and technological challenges
whose exploitation and solution demand the
Foundation's attention and financial
assistance exist with the Next Generation
Internet and not with the governance and
maintenance of the current Internet; and
Whereas the
Foundation, while supporting the
Administration policy of privatization and
the efforts of the interagency
policymaking group now examining ways to
transition the Internet to the private
sector, must focus its attention and
resources on the Next Generation Internet
Therefore, be it
RESOLVED that the National Science Board
believes the Foundation should not solicit
proposals for or make a cooperative
agreement for the purpose of funding or
overseeing the domain names system.
National
Science Foundation is an independent
federal agency responsible for fundamental
research in all fields of science and
engineering, with an annual budget of
about $3.3 billion. (Contact:
Bill
Noxon)
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