March 2022 Agenda/Minutes

Meeting Details

Agenda

CALL TO ORDER

Board Members

  • Vandana Verma Sehgal
  • Grant Ongers
  • Avi Douglen
  • Glenn ten Cate
  • Martin Knobloch
  • Joubin Jabbari
  • Bil Corry

Guests

  • Andrew van der Stock
  • Tom Pappas
  • Dawn Aitken
  • Harold Blankenship
  • Lisa Jones
  • Kelly Santalucia
  • Lauren Thomas
  • Yvonne Tingleaf
  • Zoe Braiterman
  • Loredana Mancini

CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND ANTI-TRUST STATEMENT

As the Board consists of individuals from many competing organizations, OWASP and its Board shall abide by all applicable anti-trust and competition laws. To avoid any perceived or actual conflict of interest, or anti-trust concerns under US federal, state, or regulations, only the published agenda shall be discussed or voted upon, or amended as below. If there are any conflicts of interest, Board members are expected to disclose the conflict of interest and must recuse themselves from discussion and voting.

CHANGES TO THE AGENDA

Changes to the agenda - unless otherwise prohibited by anti-trust or competition laws - including adding, altering, or tabling of motions is permitted by following Roberts Rules of Order (RONR 12th Ed) 41:63, which requires an affirmative two-thirds vote.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Vote:

  • Vandana Verma: Yes
  • Grant Ongers: Yes
  • Avi Douglen: Yes
  • Bil Corry: Yes
  • Glenn ten Cate: Yes
  • Joubin Jabbari: Yes
  • Martin Knobloch: Yes

Passes 7-0

STAFF REPORTS

Martin Knobloch requested various improvements to the staff reports, including transparency into grants and more. All of his points are desirable improvements, and we have implemented them. All staff reports have now moved away from a lengthy text narrative to a more visual and information dense approach. When used in combination with the video recording of the meeting, a great deal more context is available when required. This will reduce the overhead for the Board, community, and staff alike.

Please provide feedback on this improved format and additional information. Let us know what can be added, improved, or removed.

e-Votes and Special Meeting Motions to read into minutes

Motion to approve two membership fundraisers

Background In 2021, there were three successful membership drives, which drove our membership to the highest ever. As the Board sets membership fees, the Executive Director sought a change to permit up to two membership drives per year.

Motion: “Resolved, that the OWASP Executive Director is authorised by the Board to run membership drives offering discounted memberships, limiting those to no more than two discounted membership drives a year, with no more than 20% off on any one of them.”

Sponsor: Avi Douglen Second: Joubin Jabbari

Grant Ongers    Yay
Joubin Jabbari  Yay
Martin Knobloch Yay
Vandana Verma   Yay
Avi Douglen     Yay

Motion passes 5-0

Motion to approve Ukraine measures

Background Fees are set by the Board. A new policy is likely needed to address this issue in a non-political manner, but in the meantime, the Executive Director asked to have fee relief approved on a temporary basis.

Motion: “Resolved, that for existing and new OWASP Members with a Ukrainian address on file, renewal fees are waived until further notice.”

Sponsor: Grant Ongers Second: Martin Knobloch

Grant Ongers    Yay
Joubin Jabbari  Yay
Glenn ten Cate  Ney
Martin Knobloch Yay
Vandana Verma   Yay
Avi Douglen     Yay

Motion passes 5/1

NEW BUSINESS

No new business.

COMMENTS, ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND OTHER BUSINESS

Discussion on Trademark Strategy

Attorney Yvonne Tingleaf from Schwabe Williamson and Wyatt, will brief the Board on the current status of OWASP trademarks, and answer questions from the Board. Schwabe were consulted, but have not reviewed or approved this revised strategy.

As part of the OWASP Board’s oversight of OWASP Foundation’s programs, Andrew van der Stock will outline costs to date, and outline a revised strategy. The current strategy is expensive, not really meeting its goals of bringing in protecting OWASP’s good name and brand, covering costs or indeed bringing in new income. The current strategy has been difficult, counterproductive, and expensive to enforce. Corporate Members have shown little interest in taking up trademark licenses, despite being included in most tiers.

We need a new strategy, one that is simpler, one that is attractive to the corporate community, and one that earns income in its own right, rather than being a burden.

It is likely that no vote is needed for the revised strategy, as the 2020 Board approved a motion that the revised strategy actually implements.

Compliance Committee Briefing

Fiona Collins to present a public briefing to the Board. At this time, there are no confidential issues, so the report can be public.

WIA/DIA Committee Briefing

Zoe Braiterman and Loredana Mancini presented a briefing on the Committee to the Board, and discussed their goals and activities.

Discussion on Leaders as Members

The new association management system requires leaders to be members. There is spirited discussion within the Board and the community on how best to achieve this. Let’s work out a workable approach to discuss with the Leaders at the Leader Town Halls. Please attend as many of these town halls as you can. We will be recording the sessions if you can’t make one or more of them. The recordings will be available to the community afterwards.

There was general agreement to maintain the existing policy of granting Complimentary Membership to Leaders in good standing who request it. This is separate from the discussion on revising the pricing model for membership fees. Joubin will be working with Andrew on the policy updates as needed for Leaders as Members, after the Leaders Town Halls.

ADJOURNMENT

Adjournment motion

The next general Board meeting is on April 26, at 12 pm US Eastern Time.

“It is moved, and seconded to adjourn. Those in favor, say “aye””

Sponsor: Chair Second: Vice-Chair

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