Attending: Melissa Woo, Sean Reynolds, Ann West, Michael Gettes, Klara Jelinkova, Dennis Cromwell, Dave Vernon, Susan Kelley, Celeste Schwartz
With: Kevin Morooney
Kevin provided a recap of the actions leading to this model (the paths forward discussions and the priorities that emerged: 1) hardening of federation operations and security, and the risk we face with funding for Shibboleth). Kevin originally provided two scenarios: a flat-rate increase and a flat percentage increase. At the TechEx meeting there was an additional request that a fee increase not apply to research organizations.
Kevin has compiled a spreadsheet with seven different scenarios, including a flat-rate dollar amount increase, a flat-rate percent increase, and differential increases for participant levels. The discussion centered on which choice(s) would both provide the necessary revenue, but also move InCommon forward strategically (with the main mission of providing federated identity services in the U.S.). There was discussion about differentiated pricing for different types of participants, but the goal at this point is to keep the change as simple as possible and maintaining (and improving) the value.
In terms of communication, we should emphasize that this is the first phase of a multi-year process to ensure that fees and revenue supports the organization in a sustainable way, but also ensure that fees are equitable (which will require additional conversation).
Steering asked Kevin to develop a version somewhere between scenario #6 (which increases fees for all participants except research organizations) and #7 (which excludes both research organizations and cert-only institutions from a fee increase). The sentiment is that cert-only institutions should have some cost-of-living increase, rather than leave their fees at the current level.
InCommon Steering Committee approves a fee increase for all participants. Steering further directs Kevin Morooney to develop a plan that would provide revenue of approximately $750,000, have no increase for research organizations, and provide some increase for cert-only organizations. This passed unanimously. |
Kevin and Ann will draft a communications plan for the fee increase.
Ann will send an update via email.
All Steering members are asked to submit the name of a candidate to Dean Woodbeck by Oct. 21, with nominations to be discussed at the November meeting.