Highlights from the 2005-06 Board of Directors meetings
June 2006 Board meeting
Club and district matters
The Board continued its efforts to establish Rotary clubs around the world by opening Laos for extension. New clubs from Laos will be grouped in District 3360.
The Board requested 2006-07 Rotary institute conveners to conduct training sessions for representatives and alternates on the operations and procedures of the Council on Legislation. It also requested that conveners hold plenary sessions on selected proposals to come before the Council to allow voting representatives the opportunity to hear the views of local Rotarians on these topics.
The Board changed the governors’ expense reimbursement policy, most notably removing the requirement that governors supply RI with their predecessor’s annual financial report before receiving the remaining 30 percent of their allocation.
RI awards, programs, and communications
The Board recommended that governors appoint governors-nominee to the district Youth Exchange committee in preparation for their term as governor. The Board also took several steps to ensure the protection of youth in RI programs.
The Board encouraged governors to make membership recruitment and retention their highest priority. District membership committees are encouraged to recruit Foundation alumni as club members.
The Board requested that governors and governors-elect work with nonfunctioning clubs in their district to help them meet the minimum standards of a Rotary club.
Services of The Rotary Foundation will no longer be provided to clubs that have not met their district financial obligations. Services of Foundation programs will resume only once the governor verifies to the general secretary that the club has remitted its district per capita levy.
RI administration and finances
The Board designated the conveners, dates, and meeting places for RI director-nominating committees that will meet in September 2006 to select directors-nominee for election at the 2007 Salt Lake City convention. Directors will be selected from zones 4, 7A, 11, 15, 21, 25, 32, and 33.
February 2006 Board meeting
The 2005-06 RI Board met for its third meeting in Evanston, Illinois, USA, from 24 February to 1 March. The Board reviewed reports from 15 committees and recorded 86 decisions.
Club and district matters
The Board reviewed the Zones Review Committee report and made several decisions recommended by the committee, notably agreeing not to change the current zone boundaries and to propose to the Council on Legislation that an additional director be appointed to serve on a rotating basis from areas demonstrating significant membership growth. The full report is available to Rotarians upon request.
The Board agreed to open Vietnam for the extension of Rotary clubs. To pave the way for the formation of clubs, the Board encourages Rotarians, districts, and clubs around the world to initiate service projects in Vietnam and to inform the general secretary of their progress with these projects. Clubs in Vietnam will be grouped in District 3350.
The Board reorganized several districts. Numerous other districts will be asked to demonstrate significant membership growth by the end of 2006, and others will be asked to submit proposals for consolidation by 30 September 2006.
To help Rotarians discuss issues of global relevance while highlighting areas of particular importance in the upcoming Rotary year, the Board recommended three discussion topics at 2006-07 Rotary institutes: the 2006-07 president’s emphases, the Club Leadership Plan, and PolioPlus.
Programs and communications
The Board approved two new fellowships: the International Fellowship of Marathon-Running Rotarians and the Advancement of Latin Culture Fellowship. It deferred consideration of new Rotarian Action Groups to its November 2006 meeting to allow time for additional study by the Rotarian Action Groups Committee.
The Board reaffirmed its commitment to youth and the district certification program established by the Board in November 2004, and noted that the youth protection policy allows for variations based on local laws. Districts that are working toward certification but have not fully met the requirements by 1 July 2006 will be considered provisionally certified and shall work with the general secretary to fully comply no later than 30 June 2007.
International meetings
The Board agreed to hold the 2007 Salt Lake City convention at the Salt Place Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, 17-20 June 2007.
November 2005 Board meeting
The 2005-06 RI Board met for its second meeting in Evanston, Illinois, USA, from 31 October to 4 November. The Board reviewed reports from 14 committees and recorded 97 decisions.
Club and district matters
The Board opened Cuba for Rotary extension, effective 30 January 2006, subject to the provisions of RI Bylaws section 15.010. The Extension of Cuba Committee is asked to identify potential Rotarians to establish a provisional club in Cuba. The Board agreed that all future clubs in Cuba shall be grouped in District 4200.
The Board opened Kosovo for the extension of Rotary clubs. Subject to the provisions of RI Bylaws section 15.010, future clubs will be part of District 2480.
To strengthen Rotary clubs in western Russia, the Board created the new District 2220, effective 1 July 2006. Comprising 46 clubs formerly in districts 1430, 2350, and 2370, the new district is in the process of selecting its first governor, who will be trained at the 2006 International Assembly.
The Board emended the RI Order of Protocol to include officers of Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland, RI, and the Foundation, as well as committee and task force members, advisers, representatives, training leaders, and resource groups (including regional Rotary International membership coordinators and regional Rotary Foundation coordinators). The Board also adopted a recommended order of protocol for zone-level committee members and district and club officers. The protocol listings are included in the RI Order of Protocol on the RI Web site.
RI administration and finances
In noting violations of the RI Bylaws in connection with the selection of the RI president-nominee, the Board has set aside the selection of Past RI Director Donald E. Osburn and called for a new Nominating Committee for President to meet on 5 December 2005. The Board directed the committee to consider everyone whose names were previously submitted to the committee, including Osburn.
The Board thanked President-elect Bill Boyd for his nomination of four distinguished Rotarians as Rotary Foundation Trustees to begin serving 1 July 2006. The incoming Trustees are Past RI Director Ron D. Burton, Past RI President Glenn E. Estess Sr., Past District Governor K.R. “Ravi” Ravindran, and Past RI Director Sakuji Tanaka.
The Board reviewed and amended the goals and objectives of RI's Strategic Plan and affirmed that a new corporate project will be initiated only after polio has been eradicated. The Board agreed to review the strategic plan every three years, with the first review to be conducted in 2006-07, three years from the time the Council on Legislation endorsed the plan.
Additional revenue of US$550,000 from the U.S. affinity credit card program was donated to The Rotary Foundation.
RI awards, programs, and communications
The Board selected 140 recipients for the 2005-06 RI Service Above Self Award, which recognizes exemplary humanitarian service provided on a continuing basis by Rotarians who might otherwise go unrecognized. The names of the recipients will be announced at the end of the Rotary year.
As an online, searchable database, the WCS Projects Exchange has served as a ready resource for locating club partners and funding for projects. Recent changes in Board policy have required Rotarian Action Groups to list their projects on the exchange. Considering the increased use of the WCS Projects Exchange, and aiming to better facilitate Rotarian involvement in projects, the Board increased the active project limit for clubs and districts registered on the exchange from one project per club to five.
Recognizing the efforts of Rotarians as individuals, through their clubs, and in districts throughout the world in assisting the many victims of recent natural disasters, the Board established a disaster relief program that will allow Rotarians to send contributions for specific disasters through a Rotary master account. Further details on this initiative will be available after the Board's February 2006 meeting.
The Board recognized two new Global Networking Groups: the Rotarians Eliminating Malaria Rotarian Action Group and the International Fellowship of Shooting Sports Rotarians. The Board approved general guidelines for those Global Networking Groups that may wish to incorporate.
An additional 26 regional magazines were certified by the Board.
International meetings
The Board recognized and appreciated the efforts made by Rotarians in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, to host the 2007 RI Convention but noted that the consequences of Hurricane Katrina required RI to move the convention to another city. Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, was tentatively selected for the 2007 RI Convention. The Board also tentatively selected New Orleans as the site for the 2011 RI Convention.
July 2005 Board meeting
The first meeting of the 2005-06 RI Board was held on 23 June 2005 in Chicago. At this meeting, the Board reviewed reports from 15 committees and recorded 110 decisions.
RI administration and finances
The Board welcomed the appointment of Vice President Serge Gouteyron (France) and Treasurer Jocelyn I. Bolante (Philippines), and elected Director José Antonio Salazar Cruz (Colombia) as the chair of its Executive Committee.
The Board formally ratified President Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar's appointment of Peter Bundgaard, Carolyn E. Jones, and Jonathan B. Majiyagbe as Rotary Foundation trustees.
On the recommendation of President Stenhammar, the Board established the 2005-06 RI committees and resource groups and approved their terms of reference.
The Board agreed that zones 4, 7, 11, 15, 21, 25, 32, and 33 shall select committees in 2005-06 to nominate RI directors for election at the 2007 RI Convention.
The Board approved The Rotary Foundation’s 2005-06 budget of US$62 million for all Foundation programs, with expenditures coming from unrestricted Annual Programs Fund contributions.
The Board confirmed the 2005-06 RI budget, with revenues of $79.6 million and expenses of $79.3 million.