Highlights of actions taken by the the Rotary International Board of Directors
November 2009 Meeting
The second meeting of the 2009-10 RI Board of Directors was held on 2–5 November 2009, in Evanston, Illinois, USA. At this meeting the Board reviewed reports from 17 committees and recorded 90 decisions.
Club and District Matters
The Board replaced the current regional Rotary International membership coordinator program with a new Rotary coordinator program. Rotary coordinators will have a broad role in efforts to increase club membership. They will be trained in all aspects of RI programs and will promote best practices for the strengthening of clubs and districts. The Board authorized the president-elect to appoint 41 new Rotary coordinators to serve in the same geographical regions as the regional Rotary Foundation coordinators, beginning in 2010-11.
The Board amended its policy regarding the definition of a properly functioning Rotary club to include the adherence to Rotary policies, procedures, and best practices. Clubs that do not meet these criteria will be considered non-functioning.
Effective 1 January 2010, directors and officers/employment practices liability insurance will be included in the U.S. Rotary Club and District Liability Insurance Program.
RI Administration and Finances
The Board adopted revised RI mission and vision statements and amended RI’s strategic priorities.
The RI Mission:
- We provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.
The RI Vision:
- We will be the service organization of choice with dynamic, action-oriented clubs whose contributions improve lives in communities worldwide.
RI Strategic Priorities:
- Support and Strengthen Clubs
- Focus and Increase Humanitarian Service
- Enhance Public Image and Awareness
At the request of the president-elect, the Board suspended the Rotary Code of Policies section on appointments to Rotary Foundation Trustees, which requires the president-elect to submit to the Board the names of individuals he intends to appoint as trustees, until after the conclusion of the 2010 Council on Legislation.
The Board confirmed that, notwithstanding RI Bylaws section 12.020.5., the RI Bylaws deadline of 1 June for submission of names for membership on the director nominating committee is firm, and that any individual submitted by a governor after that deadline (except as provided in RI Bylaws section 12.020.7.) may not serve as a member of the director nominating committee.
The Board accepted the audited statements and report on RI’s financial results for 2008-09. The results will be published in the annual report.
RI Programs, Communications, and Awards
The Board received a report on Rotary’s US$200 Million Challenge, indicating that as of 27 October, RI has received over US$100.8 million toward the challenge. The Board also received an update on PolioPlus, which noted that while four countries remain endemic for the wild poliovirus (India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria), much progress has been made in containing the virus from spreading.
To increase awareness of the Rotary Peace Centers, the Board encourages district governors to include the peace centers in all appropriate district events and agreed to consider making the centers a topic for discussion at the 2010 RI institutes.
The Board agreed to appoint an ad hoc committee to develop the details of a new Rotarian Action Groups (RAGs) pilot project. RAGs under the pilot are to serve as an available resource to one or more of the Future Vision Plan’s six areas of focus. Additionally, these revised RAGs are to be controlled and managed by a seven-member board; they will continue to identify club and district projects that are supported by existing Foundation programs; they will be subject to RI circularization policies; and they will be required to establish a Rotary Foundation donor advised fund to accept all charitable funds they receive.
The Board selected 144 recipients for the 2009-10 Service Above Self award, which recognizes exemplary humanitarian service provided on a continual basis by Rotarians who might otherwise go unrecognized. The names of the recipients will be announced at the end of the Rotary year.
The Board recognized the new Fellowship of Rotarian Magicians.
International Meetings
The Board reviewed and approved plans for the 2011 RI (New Orleans) Convention, including its logo, promotional slogan (Let the Good Times Roll…Again!), preliminary program, official host area, registration fees, and budget. It agreed to pursue the proposal from Atlanta, Georgia, USA to host the 2017 RI Convention.