Highlights from the 2006-07 Board of Directors meetings
June 2007 Board meeting
Board minutes - June 2007
The fourth and final meeting of the 2006-07 RI Board of Directors was held 7-13 June 2007 in Evanston, Illinois, USA.
Club and district matters
The 2007 Council on Legislation referred numerous resolutions to the Board for study. In response, the Board
- Advises that a new pilot project beginning 1 July 2007 and lasting through 30 June 2013 gather more information on how Rotary club meeting frequency affects clubs
- Encourages clubs to welcome Rotary Foundation alumni as guests at their meetings, particularly alumni who have recently moved to the club’s locality
- Agrees to devise a more equitable zone alignment throughout the Rotary world
- Reaffirms its long-standing encouragement of clubs to support international understanding and peace, and recognizes the efforts of clubs that support Model United Nations programs to instill these values in youth
- Advises that Rotary’s membership database be upgraded during 2007-08 to allow read-only access for Rotarians using Member Access; this upgrade will include a review of the feasibility of expanding access to allow Rotarians to update their own membership records, among other self-service functions
- Requests the general secretary to examine RI’s current translation policy and to include a recommendation regarding the minimum number of Rotarians who speak a particular language to qualify that language as an officially recognized RI language
- Does not agree to dedicate certain months to particular causes
A few Council resolutions were deferred to the Board’s November 2007 meeting; others were referred to the Foundation Trustees. Responses to all resolutions will be provided in a timely manner.
The Board adopted a code of ethics for district governors. Some key points of the code provide that governors will adhere to all applicable laws in the conduct of Rotary business and in their private lives and will carry out their work with due diligence and care; that governors serve for the benefit of Rotarians and will not use the office for personal prestige or benefit; that governors will take actions based on an essential fairness to all concerned; and that governors will promote transparency and prohibit the disclosure of confidential information. All governors-nominee must read and agree to the code of ethics at the time of their selection.
The Board established responsibilities for governors-nominee that will be shown in an appendix to the June Board meeting minutes and posted on the RI Web site. The Board also agreed that the governor’s allocation will include reimbursement of business card and stationery expenses while serving as governor-nominee.
The Board opened Kiribati, an island republic in the western Pacific, for extension of Rotary clubs. Kiribati will be part of District 9920 (American Samoa; Cook Islands; Fiji; French Polynesia; New Zealand; Tonga; Samoa). The Board also took action to regroup clubs in seven districts in Argentina into five new districts, effective 1 July 2008.
RI administration and finances
The RI Strategic Planning Committee met twice since the February 2007 Board meeting to further develop the RI Strategic Plan 2007-10. On the basis of its recommendations, the Board adopted priorities and goals for the next three years, approved core values as part of the plan, and approved an RI mission and vision statement as follows:
- The mission of Rotary International, a worldwide association of Rotary clubs, is to provide service to others, to promote high ethical standards, and to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.
- The vision of Rotary International is to be universally recognized for its commitment to Service Above Self to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace.
Approved components of the plan were presented to the 2007 International Institute in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, and will be discussed at the 2007-08 Rotary institutes.
The Board designated the conveners, dates, and meeting places for RI director-nominating committees that will meet in September 2007 to select directors-nominee for election at the 2008 RI Convention in Los Angeles. Directors will be selected from zones 1, 6, 9, 14, 19, 23, 27, and 29.
The Board revised its policy regarding cooperative relationships with other organizations, which will be shown in an appendix to the June 2007 Board meeting minutes and posted on the RI Web site. It also revised the minimum requirements for any memorandum of understanding with another organization.
The Board extended its relationship with external auditors Deloitte & Touche through 2009-10.
The governor’s allocation policy was amended to require documentation on the initial 70 percent allocation advance or the return of unused funds to RI no later than 30 September after the governor’s year of service. Training on this policy will be provided at future international assemblies.
RI programs, communications, and awards
The Board requested that future RI presidents-elect include information on Rotaract at the International Assembly and recommended that future Rotary institute conveners emphasize Rotaract in their programs and allocate booth space at their institutes for Rotaract.
The Board waived its Rotary Youth Exchange certification requirements for districts that wish to send Youth Exchange students without serving as hosts. For multicountry districts where not all countries wish to participate in Youth Exchange, the nonparticipating countries need not be certified. The Board commended Youth Exchange leaders throughout the world for their cooperation and acceptance of the new certification policies.
International meetings
To encourage their attendance at the 2008 RI Convention and alumni reunion in Los Angeles, the Board set a significantly lower registration fee for recent Foundation alumni and current Foundation award recipients.
Expressing concern that all necessary contracts and other related matters for the 2009 convention were not yet in place, the Board rescinded its decision to hold the convention in Seoul, Korea, and tentatively selected Birmingham, England, as the site for the 2009 RI Convention.
The Board approved significant revisions to the site-selection procedures for future RI conventions.
February 2007 Board meeting
The 2006-07 RI Board met for its third meeting in Evanston, Illinois, USA, 5-9 February. The Board reviewed reports from 15 committees and recorded 87 decisions.
Board minutes - February 2007
Club and district matters
Building on the success of the New Models for Rotary Clubs pilot project, which is due to expire 30 June 2007, the Board established a new pilot project to explore the effect of club meeting frequency on membership development. The current New Models clubs and other clubs will be invited to participate in this new pilot project (guidelines are shown as an appendix to the February 2007 Board minutes, to be posted on the RI Web site), which will run from 1 July 2007 through 30 June 2013.
The Board took action to consolidate and regroup three of the 50 districts being considered for consolidation or redistricting. The remaining districts were granted extensions of time to demonstrate significant membership growth.
The Board also requested the Leadership Development and Training Committee to consider ways to optimize the training time currently required of district governors-elect.
RI administration
The Board adopted in concept a revised mission and vision, priorities, and goals for RI’s Strategic Plan. It requested that the Strategic Planning Committee further refine these statements, priorities, and goals for report at the June 2007 Board meeting.
Recognizing the many challenges faced by Rotarians in Zone 10, which covers multiple African and Mediterranean countries, the Board requested future RI presidents and Foundation trustee chairs to hold global peace symposiums in the zone to address conflict resolution issues.
The Board thanked the president-elect for his plans to schedule seven membership development seminars in North America during 2007-08, to be organized at the local level, with expenses to be offset by registration fees.
The Board revised its policy with regard to cooperative relationships with other organizations, as shown in an appendix to the February 2007 Board meeting minutes, to be posted on the RI Web site.
RI programs, communications, and awards
The Board approved four new Rotarian Action Groups: the Global Network for Blood Donation – A Rotarian Action Group; the Rotarian Action Group for Microcredit; the Water and Sanitation Rotarian Action Group; and World Health Fairs – A Rotarian Action Group. The Board also removed the regulation against Rotarian Action Groups listing projects on their Web sites that are seeking financial support. However, Rotarian Action Groups may not contact or solicit any organization on the no-contact list, as established in the cooperative relationships policy.
The Board encouraged governors to train district Rotaract chairs in developing stronger relationships with Rotaract clubs and to include Rotaract representatives as members of their district leadership teams. Furthermore, the Board encouraged Rotaract chairs and representatives to help Rotaract clubs develop stronger relationships with their sponsor Rotary clubs.
The Board clarified certain aspects of the Rotary Youth Exchange certification program, authorized the general secretary to grant waivers or exceptions where necessary, and affirmed its commitment to the protection of youth and the Youth Exchange program. Governors-elect are encouraged to participate in the Youth Exchange and Rotaract preconvention meetings planned for the 2007 Salt Lake City convention.
In light of the tremendous response to the public relations grants project this year, the Board allocated an additional US$750,000 to fund the 2006-07 grant applications already received by the general secretary.
Beginning in 2007-08, the Board has established a recognition program for small clubs that demonstrate membership growth. Governors-elect will be asked to work with the incoming presidents of clubs with fewer than 20 members to establish membership goals and an action plan for the year, with a recognition certificate to be presented to clubs that achieve their goals.
The Board encouraged districts to appoint a district-level awards committee to promote and consider nominations for all RI and Rotary Foundation awards.
November 2006 Board meeting
The second meeting of the 2006-07 RI Board of Directors was held from 30 October to 3 November in Evanston, Illinois, USA. At this meeting, the Board reviewed reports from 16 committees and recorded 105 decisions.
Board Minutes - November 2006
Club and district matters
The RI membership coordinator program began in 2001-02 to provide a network of volunteers at the regional level to keep districts and clubs focused on the importance of membership issues. The Board agreed to continue the program and evaluate its achievements again in 2008.
The Board suggested that clubs establish a new club trainer position to help develop the personal leadership skills of club members. Club presidents, governors, assistant governors, and the district training committee should support such club-level training efforts. Guidelines for the club-level leadership development program will be published in the near future.
RI administration
The Board noted its September ballot-by-mail decision to elect Past District Governor Barry J. Rassin as the Zone 34 director to replace Director Milton O. Jones, who resigned in August for health reasons. The Board thanked President-elect Wilfrid J. Wilkinson for his selection of four distinguished Rotarians as Rotary Foundation trustees to begin serving 1 July 2007. They are Past RI Director David D. Morgan, Past RI Vice President Louis Piconi, Past RI President Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar, and Past RI Director José Antonio Salazar Cruz.
In conjunction with a decision by The Rotary Foundation Trustees from their October meeting, the Board agreed to post the minutes of its meetings on the RI Web site within 90 days of the meeting.
RI programs, communications, and awards
To help strengthen Rotary club and district health and hunger service opportunities, the Board agreed to pursue a cooperative relationship with the World Food Programme, the food-aid branch of the United Nations, and requested that the general secretary develop a memorandum of understanding to define the cooperative relationship between the two organizations, for review by the Board at its February meeting. The Board also agreed to a cooperative relationship with USAID.
The Board adopted additional criteria for the recognition and functioning of Rotarian Action Groups, requiring all to adopt standard bylaws. RI resource groups are asked to facilitate the activities of Rotarian Action Groups within their geographical area.
The Board selected 145 recipients of the 2006-07 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.
A special certificate will soon be available to host districts to present to Youth Exchange students upon completion of their exchange.
The Board recognized the International Fellowship of Old and Rare Antique Books and Prints.
International meetings
The Board discussed sites for the 2013 international convention and tentatively selected Lisbon, Portugal, subject to various logistical concerns.
July 2006 Board meeting
The Board welcomed the appointment of Jerry L. Hall as 2006-07 RI vice president and Frank N. Goldberg as 2006-07 treasurer, and elected Anthony de St. Dalmas as chair of its Executive Committee.
The Board formally ratified President Bill Boyd’s appointment of Ron D. Burton, Glenn E. Estess Sr., K.R. Ravindran, and Sakuji Tanaka as Rotary Foundation trustees.
On the recommendation of Boyd, the Board established the 2006-07 RI committees and resource groups and approved their terms of reference.
The Board agreed that zones 1, 6, 9, 14, 18, 19, 23, 27, and 29 shall select committees in 2006-07 to nominate RI directors for election at the 2008 RI Convention.
The Board confirmed the 2006-07 RI budget, with revenues of US$85.3 million and expenses of $82.8 million.
The Board approved The Rotary Foundation’s 2006-07 budget of $79 million for all Foundation programs, with expenditures coming from unrestricted Annual Programs Fund contributions.