Highlights of actions taken by the Rotary International Board of Directors

January 2013 Board Meeting Highlights

Board minutes - January 2013

The third meeting of the 2012–13 RI Board of Directors was held on 20–23 January 2013 in La Jolla, California, USA. At this meeting the Board reviewed 8 committee reports and recorded 53 decisions.

Club and District Matters

The Board considered numerous districting issues and agreed that four districts in Argentina will be consolidated into two districts effective 1 July 2014; and, effective 1 July 2015, six districts in England will be consolidated into three districts, and one district in Denmark/Lithuania will split into two new districts. Other districts that are under the minimum membership requirements will be asked to provide and update and plan for membership growth to the Board at its June 2013 meeting.

Programs, Communications, and Awards

Noting the opportunity to promote the work of RI at a world’s exhibition, the Board authorized the general secretary to finalize an agreement with Expo Milano for RI’s participation in the 2015 world’s exhibition in Milan, Italy.

The Board approved development of a new member sponsor recognition pin that will be distributed to sponsors from RI Headquarters. This new recognition pin replaces the current “Each Rotarian: Reach One, Keep One” recognition pin program.

The Board recognized the Rotarian Action Group Against Child Slavery and the Rotarians for Hearing Rotarian Action Group.

International Meetings

The Board approved an International RYLA to meet on 26–29 May 2014 in conjunction with the Sydney convention.

Administration and Finances

Recognizing that polio eradication is RI’s top priority, the Board authorized a 2013–14 expenditure of US$5 million from general surplus funds to The Rotary Foundation for polio eradication efforts.

October 2012 Board Meeting Highlights 

Board minutes - October 2012

The second meeting of the 2012-13 RI Board of Directors was held on 29 October – 1 November 2012, in Evanston, Illinois, USA.  At this meeting the Board reviewed 20 committee reports and recorded 103 decisions.

Club and District Matters

The new minimum number of charter members required for a new club shall be 20 unless there are special and sufficient reasons for the Board to waive this requirement.  Previously, the minimum number of charter members was set at 25.

Three-year regional membership plans were adopted for Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands, Indonesia, Middle East, Philippines, and Taiwan. 

The Rotary Rose Parade Float Committee (RRPFC), which builds a display float in the annual Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, CA, USA, was given permission to contact district governors in the United States and Canada to solicit donations and other support for the project.  The Board encourages Rotarians in charge of district conferences, PETS, and Rotary institutes to consider allowing the RRPFC to display promotional materials at those meetings.

Programs, Communications, and Awards

The Board renewed Rotary’s service partnership with Goodwill Industries International for one more year, and renewed relationships with the International Reading Association, the Global FoodBanking Network, and Youth Service America as service partners for three additional years. 

The Board approved a transition plan for New Generations Exchanges to become New Generations Service Exchanges, effective 1 July 2013, to align the program with the Fifth Avenue of Service.  The general secretary will develop resources for New Generations Service chairs to facilitate these exchanges and promote the opportunity to the general public as well as to the district Rotaract, RYLA, Rotary Friendship Exchange, International Service, Vocational Service, and Community Service chairs. 

To promote vocational service, incoming district governors will now receive the Vocational Service Update newsletter and the Rotary Code of Conduct .  Clubs are asked to share the Code of Conduct at new member orientation and share examples of replicable vocational service projects through Rotary Showcase.

One hundred forty-three recipients of the 2012-13 RI Service Above Self Award were chosen by the Board.  Names of recipients will be published on 1 July 2013, or after presentations of the awards have been made.

Noting that RI’s liaisons with the United Nations and other organizations are a vital part of Rotary’s public relations outreach, and provide increased recognition to Rotary as a distinguished, effective organization working toward common humanitarian goals, the Board expanded RI’s liaisons with the United Nations to include the European Union, League of Arab States, Commonwealth of Nations, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

The Board provided US$50,000 to the Paul and Jean Harris Home Foundation for maintenance and to develop a detailed business plan to restore Comely Bank—the Chicago home of Paul and Jean Harris.  Upon approval of the business plan, RI may enter into a loan agreement with the Paul and Jean Harris Foundation for the interior reconstruction of Comely Bank. 

International Meetings

The Board accepted the proposal from Districts 9680, 9690, and 9750 to host the 2014 RI Convention on 1-4 June 2014 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.  It also agreed to hold the 2016 RI Convention in Seoul, South Korea, with the KINTEX exhibition and convention center as the primary venue.  Honolulu, Hawaii, USA was tentatively selected as the site for the 2020 RI Convention.

Administration and Finance

The Board elected Monty J. Audenart, Noel A. Bajat, and Kalyan Banerjee to be trustees of The Rotary Foundation to serve four-year terms beginning 1 July 2013.

Key organizational initiatives for 2012-13 include improving the functionality of the rotary.org website, ensuring a successful global launch of Future Vision, executing measures recommended by the Committee to Strengthen Rotary’s Brand as approved by the Board and Trustees, implementing the Secretariat reorganization plan, and implementing the fundraising plan approved by the Trustees.

The Board considered 18 Council on Legislation resolutions that had been withdrawn from the Council and sent directly to the Board for reply.  Three were referred to the Foundation Trustees for further consideration, and two were referred to committee.

The Board noted that a total of US$228,698,000 was received from districts, clubs, alumni, Rotaractors, Interactors, Rotary Fellowships, and individual Rotarians to End Polio Now, and thanked Past Trustee John Germ for his outstanding leadership in surpassing the goal of Rotary’s US$200 Million Challenge.

The Board accepted the audited financial statements and report on Rotary International’s financial results for 2011-12.  An annual report will be published in accordance with the RI bylaws.

“July” 2012 Board Meeting Highlights

Board minutes - July 2012

The 2011–12 RI Board of Directors held its fourth and final meeting on 11–16 May 2012 in Pattaya, Thailand. The 2012–13 RI Board held its first meeting on 17 May 2012 in Pattaya, Thailand. At these meetings the Board reviewed reports from 13 committees and recorded 94 decisions.

RI Administration and Finances

The Board welcomed the appointment of Kenneth M. Schuppert as 2012–13 RI vice president, Elizabeth S. Demaray as 2012–13 treasurer, and elected Yash Pal Das as its executive committee chairman.

Following the resignation of Trustee Anne L. Matthews, the Board elected Stephanie Urchick to fulfill the remainder of Anne Mathews’ term as a Foundation trustee.

The Board established the following goals for 2012–13:

1. Support the eradication of polio and promote humanitarian service in the six areas of focus;
   
2. Advance peace through service;
   
3. Strengthen Rotary clubs and membership;
   
4. Enhance Rotary’s public image;
   
5. Address regional issues and concerns as needed.

On President Tanaka’s recommendation, the Board established the 2012–13 RI committees and approved their terms of reference. The Board agreed that Zones 4, 6B, 10B, 13, 17, 22, 26, 29, and 30 shall select committees in 2012–13 to nominate RI directors for election at the 2014 RI convention in Sydney, Australia.

The Board confirmed the 2012–13 RI budget with revenues of US$95,511,000, the use of up to $12,110,000 from the general surplus fund, $583,000 from the convention reserve fund, and expenses of $106,522,000, resulting in an excess of approved funds over expenditures of $1,682,000. It further approved The Rotary Foundation’s 2012–13 budget of $80,572,000 for Foundation programs that are funded with unrestricted Annual Programs Fund contributions.

May 2012 Board Meeting Highlights

Board minutes - May 2012

The 2011–12 RI Board of Directors held its fourth and final meeting on 11–16 May 2012 in Pattaya, Thailand. The 2012–13 RI Board held its first meeting on 17 May 2012 in Pattaya, Thailand. At these meetings the Board reviewed reports from 13 committees and recorded 94 decisions.

Club and District Matters

At its September 2011 meeting, the Board requested RI directors and directors-elect to convene regional planning meetings with local leaders to develop three-year regional membership development and retention plans. The Board reviewed these plans at this meeting and adopted those from Europe, India, Japan, Korea, Latin America, North America, RIBI, and Southeast Asia, Zone 6B. To ensure that these plans are successfully implemented, communicated to the district and club leadership, and regularly monitored for progress, the Board requested an annual report on the status of the plans at its fall meeting. Regional plans not adopted at this meeting are to be reworked for presentation at the Board’s October 2012 meeting.

RI Administration and Finances

The Board adopted the 2012–13 RI budget, reflecting revenues of US$95,511,000, the use of $12,110,000 in general surplus funds, $583,000 in convention reserves, and $106,522,000 in expenses, resulting in an excess of approved funds over expenditures of $1,682,000. Strategic initiatives to be funded by use of reserves include regional membership development plans, additional public relations grants, strategic branding, communications, social networking, End of Polio initiatives, and $5 million to The Rotary Foundation for polio eradication.

The Board authorized the president to designate conveners and meeting places for RI director nominating committees that will meet in September 2012 to select directors-nominee for election at the 2013 RI (Lisbon) Convention. Directors will be selected from Zones 3, 7A, 12, 16, 20, 27, 32, and 34.

RI Programs, Communications, and Awards

The Board received a report on the continued success of Rotary’s US$200 Million Challenge. As of 11 May 2012, US$218,067,511 had been raised toward the challenge.

The Board agreed to several structural changes to the New Generations Exchange program, effective 1 July 2013, to include shifting the program participant age range to adults ages 21–30, requiring a focus on service in these exchanges, revising the name of the exchange to reflect this service component, and including these exchanges as part of New Generations Service. The Board further agreed that “New Generations” refers solely to the Fifth Avenue of Service and not to Rotary clubs or to Rotarians. New Rotary clubs shall not include “New Generations” in the club’s official name.

After reviewing a proposal from the RYLA Committee that significantly revised the program for the international RYLA event (which the Board had discontinued at its November 2010 meeting) and further reduced the per-participant cost paid by RI, the Board agreed to reinstate the event on a three-year pilot basis, beginning at the 2014 RI convention in Sydney, Australia.

The Board agreed that Comely Bank—the Chicago home of Paul and Jean Harris—is of great historical importance to RI and merits the organization’s support. Noting the declining condition of the home, the Board also agreed to help identify potential donors to help in its restoration and to further publicize the need for assistance in this effort.

To recognize Rotarians who sponsor new members, the Board approved development of a new recognition pin. The pin, similar to the Foundation’s Paul Harris Fellow pin, will provide levels of recognition based on the number of new members sponsored.

The Board amended its circularization policy to better reflect how Rotarians are using new communication tools like Facebook and Twitter. Clubs soliciting cooperation through websites or social media that rely on users selecting to opt-in to receive information are now exempt from submitting their purpose and plans to the governor of the involved area for approval.

The Board officially recognized the Go Playing Fellowship of Rotarians.

January 2012 Board Meeting Highlights

Board minutes - January 2012

The third meeting of the 2011–12 RI Board of Directors was held on 23–27 January 2012 in Coronado, California, USA. At this meeting the Board reviewed 10 committee reports and recorded 91 decisions.

Club and District Matters

The Board took several decisions regarding districting issues, including requesting several districts to merge their small clubs where appropriate and to submit redistricting proposals if specific benchmarks are not met. The Board reorganized clubs in District 2070 (Italy) into new Districts 2071 and 2072, effective 1 July 2013, and the new country of South Sudan was assigned to District 9212, also effective 1 July 2013. The Board also amended districting procedures to allow governors—rather than the Districting Committee or the Secretariat—to manage the process of clubs voting on redistricting proposals.

The Board agreed that the countries of Bhutan and Maldives meet the criteria for the extension of Rotary clubs. Clubs in Bhutan shall be grouped in District 3292 and clubs in the Maldives in District 3220.

The Board agreed that training on The Rotary Foundation’s new grant structure (Future Vision) will be provided at all 2012–13 and 2013–14 Rotary institutes and GETS.

The Board, with the concurrence of the Foundation Trustees, approved a project partner relationship with ShelterBox Trust Ltd., the UK-based disaster relief organization.

Programs, Communications, and Awards

To recognize spouses and partners of Rotarians who have demonstrated exemplary humanitarian service through Rotary, the Board established a new Rotarian spouse/partner service award. Up to 100 recipients will be selected annually by a selection officer appointed by the RI president.

In discussing New Generations issues, the Board agreed that clubs and districts should appoint committees to develop, implement, and support New Generations activities and further encouraged clubs and districts to include a service dimension in all New Generations programs.

The Board approved 137 Rotarians to be awarded 2011–12 Service Above Self Awards. It also recognized a new Rotary Fellowship: the International Fellowship of Rotarian Photographers.

The Board established a 2011–12 Rotary South Asia Committee with the goal of promoting world understanding and peace by strengthening cooperation and development in South Asia.

Noting that no new polio cases had been reported for a 12-month period in India, the Board agreed to support a PolioPlus summit in India to recognize the Indian government’s efforts in polio eradication and Rotary’s role in supporting that effort.

The Board established mandatory minimum student travel insurance for all Rotary Youth Exchange students, such coverage to be coordinated by Rotary districts and purchased by the student’s parent or legal guardian.

International Meetings

The Board agreed to provide Italian interpretation at the 2012 RI (Bangkok) Convention. Russian interpretation will be provided if there are 100 or more registrants from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. It also set a US$265 registration fee for the Lisbon convention.

Both the 2013 and 2016 Councils on Legislation will continue to be held at the Marriott Chicago, (Illinois, USA) on 22–26 April 2013 and 11–15 April 2016

Administration and Finances

The Board elected Ray Klinginsmith, Michael K. McGovern, Samuel F. Owori, and Julio Sorjús each to serve four-year terms as Rotary Foundation trustees, beginning 1 July 2012.

The Board adopted a social business strategy statement as follows:

Rotary will increasingly use digital, social strategies to engage Rotarians, the "family of Rotary," and the general public. The tools we choose to implement will be worthy of Rotarians’ trust. These tools will make it easier for Rotarians to build and deepen relationships with one another and to discuss and collaborate on Rotary-related business. We will encourage the use of social technologies consistent with these goals and development of new technologies where gaps exist.

The Board reviewed a findings report from branding agency Siegel+Gale regarding RI’s brand revitalization effort.

September 2011 Board Meeting Highlights

Board minutes - September 2011

The second meeting of the 2011–12 RI Board of Directors was held on 26–30 September 2011, in Evanston, Illinois, USA. At this meeting the Board reviewed 17 committee reports and recorded 120 decisions.

Club and District Matters

The Board reviewed redistricting proposals from Europe and the Middle East and agreed to the following, effective 1 July, 2013:

• District 1840 is split into new District 1841 (Austria) and new District 1842 (Germany).
  
• District 2040 is split into new District 2041 and District 2042, both in Italy.
  
• District 2450 is split into new District 2451 (Egypt) and District 2452 (Armenia, Bahrain, Cyprus, Georgia, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates).

The Board endorsed a membership goal of 1.3 million Rotarians to be reached by 30 June 2015. To help reach this goal, regional teams of Rotary leaders will develop three-year regional development and retention plans.

In an effort to increase the number of young professionals in RI membership, and to better transition Foundation alumni into Rotarians, the Board encouraged Rotary clubs to allow Foundation alumni to attend their sponsor club’s meeting for six months without invitation following their term of service. The Board also adopted specific guidelines—called New Generations are the Future of Rotary— for club use to more effectively attract and engage young professionals.

The Board added Rotary public image coordinators to the Governors-elect Training Seminar training team and further added the topic of public image to the training curriculum.

Strategic Planning

In support of the RI Strategic Plan goal of increasing humanitarian service by working with other organizations, both the RI Board and Foundation Trustees approved a new joint partnership model and guidelines.  Further to this goal, the Board

• renewed its Memorandum of Understanding with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for an additional three years;
  
• concurred with the Trustees’ decision to finalize a strategic partnership with UNESCO-IHE;
  
• authorized an agreement with Shelterbox as a project partner;
  
• renewed its service partnership with the Dollywood Foundation.

The Board agreed to establish annual and bi-annual RI Board performance goals in alignment with the RI Strategic Plan, and requested the general secretary to develop a mechanism to ensure annual strategic alignment between the RI president, president-elect, president-nominee, and the Board, for annual review at the Board’s first meeting.

The Board agreed that a “one Rotary” alumni approach is consistent with the RI Strategic Plan.  A joint RI/TRF alumni function would recognize all Rotary program participants and allow a uniform gathering of information about alumni, while still differentiating the groups by program and status.

Programs, Communications, and Awards

As of 10 August 2011, US$188,194,000 has been raised toward Rotary’s US$200 Million Challenge.

The Board discontinued RI recognition of multidistrict service activities and projects. Policy guidelines for groups involved in these types of activities and projects will remain; only now they will no longer have formal RI recognition.

Noting that Rotary club membership now includes community leaders, retired persons, and others not currently in businesses or professions, the Board amended RI’s Declaration of Rotarians in Businesses and Professions to now be a “Rotary Code of Conduct.” To relate the Object of Rotary to corporate social responsibility practices, the Board adopted the following statement:

From its origins, Rotary has built a philosophy based upon integrity in businesses and professions. Rotary clubs and individual Rotarians are committed to Vocational Service and high ethical standards in all of their interactions. These are summed up in the Object of Rotary, our core values (Service, Fellowship, Diversity, Integrity, Leadership), The Four-Way Test, and the Rotary Code of Conduct , carried out through our worldwide network of Rotary clubs and Rotarians.

For Rotary International, as a corporate entity, its social responsibility philosophy can be summed up by our commitment to transparency in governance, stewardship of financial resources and the environment, and fair labor practices.

To ensure that districts can begin public outreach initiatives at the beginning of the 2012–13 Rotary year, the Board advanced its deadline for the 2012–13 Public Relations grant applications to 4 March 2012.

Depending on local circumstances, the Board provided for Rotaract clubs to conduct meetings online.

The Board recognized the Rotarian Jazz Fellowship, which aims to build new and lasting relationship between Rotarians around the world interested in jazz music.

International Meetings

The Board accepted the proposal from Districts 1960 and 1970 (Portugal) to host the RI convention in Lisbon, Portugal on 23–26 June 2013, and tentatively selected Toronto, Ontario, Canada as the site for the 2018 RI convention.

Finances

The Board accepted the audited statements and report on RI’s financial results for 2010–11. The results will be published in the annual report.

"July" 2011 Board Meeting Highlights

Board minutes - July 2011

The 2010–11 RI Board of Directors held its fourth and final meeting on 12–18 May 2011  in Evanston, Illinois, USA. The 2011–12 RI Board held its first meeting on 27 May 2011 in Baton Rouge, LA, USA. At these meetings the Board reviewed reports from 12 committees and recorded 108 decisions.

RI Administration and Finances

The Board welcomed the appointment of Noel A. Bajat as 2011–12 RI vice president, Elio Cerini as 2011–12 treasurer, and elected John Smarge as its executive committee chairman. 

On recommendation of President Banerjee, the Board established the 2011–12 RI committees and approved their terms of reference. The Board agreed that zones 3, 7, 12, 16, 20, 27, 32, and 34 shall select committees in 2011–12 to nominate RI directors for election at the 2013 RI (Bangkok) Convention.

The Board confirmed the 2011–12 RI budget with revenues of US$92,498,000 plus use of up to $3,500,000 from the general surplus fund, and expenses of $95,496,000. It further approved The Rotary Foundation’s 2011–12 budget of $89,830,000 million for Foundation programs that are funded with unrestricted Annual Programs Fund contributions.