Highlights from the 2009-10 Board of Directors meetings
June 2010 Board Meeting
Board minutes - June 2010
The 2009-10 RI Board of Directors held its fourth and final meeting on 11–15 June 2010 in Evanston, Illinois, USA.
Club and District Matters
The 2010 Council referred numerous resolutions to the Board. In response, the Board:
- Encouraged clubs to appoint a training and leadership committee if it meets the club’s needs.
- Encouraged clubs to provide people with disabilities appropriate access to club meetings and the opportunity to participate in club service activities.
- Requested districts to take a more active role in club public relations efforts.
- Agreed that RI does not issue formal statements for or against any specific issue, as it is the policy of the association to maintain a neutral position.
- Did not agree to consider implementing a new program for Rotary Peace Communities.
- Did not agree to establish a disaster relief committee, but encouraged Rotarians to work with established disaster relief organizations.
- Agreed to study the concept of a new RI program for children under 12.
- Recognized the valuable contributions Inner Wheel makes in association with Rotary clubs.
The Board revised the purpose of Rotary institutes: to provide current, incoming, and past RI officers with policy and program updates; to provide a forum for Rotary leaders to interact with RI directors; and to provide fellowship and a participative learning experience that will inspire continued leadership and service among current, incoming, and past governors. The Board further identified common purposes for district conferences: to recognize district-wide service programs and projects; to give Rotarians a broader vision of RI beyond the club level; and to provide fellowship and an opportunity to interact with Rotary leaders.
In discussing vocational service issues, the Board agreed that the classification system is a critical club-level activity and requested clubs to ensure that a member’s classification is included on all club badges and updated to reflect current professions.
The Board agreed to move ahead as quickly as possible with realigning those districts that fall below the current and future membership minimums specified in the RI Bylaws. It also requested the general secretary, working with the appropriate RI directors and Rotary coordinators, to contact district leadership in large districts to ascertain their willingness to divide into two districts or to realign clubs in the district.
In discussing RI membership issues, the Board requested that clubs submit their membership goals to the governor-elect by 1 May, and that the governor-elect submit district membership goals to RI by 15 May. The Board suggested that governors-elect increase their district membership goals by at least three percent after receiving club goals. The Board also raised the minimum number of charter members for a new Rotary club from 20 to 25, beginning 1 January 2011.
The Board opened the Republic of Nauru, a Micronesian island nation in the South Pacific, for the extension of Rotary clubs, to be included in District 9600.
RI Administration and Finances
The Board designated the conveners, dates, and meeting places for RI director nominating committees that will meet in September 2010 to select directors-nominee for election at the 2011 RI (New Orleans) Convention. Directors will be selected from zones 2, 8, 11, 15, 19, 21, 24, and 33.
The Board adopted a new investment policy statement for the Rotary International General Surplus Fund and further adopted, based on the Fund’s objectives and spending policy, a new asset allocation mix.
The Board appointed the firm Grant Thornton to audit RI’s financial statements for fiscal years 2011, 2012, and 2013, subject to the successful negotiation and execution of a contract by the general secretary.
RI Programs, Communications, and Awards
The Board received a report on Rotary’s US$200 Million Challenge, indicating that as of mid-June 2010, RI received over US$133,600,000 toward this fundraising goal to eradicate polio.
The Board identified several key messages (published in the final minutes to this meeting) to help sharpen the focus of the Rotaract and Rotary Community Corps programs. The moratorium on recognizing new RAGs was extended until the Board’s November 2010 meeting, and the Board agreed to recognize the Rotarians on Social Networks Fellowship. The Board also discontinued the Best Cooperative Projects award, recognizing that RI has other methods for honoring and tracking these kinds of projects.
Youth Exchange students may undertake approved travel with host parents or for Rotary club or district events only after the district obtains written permission from parents or guardians for travel outside their local community. For all other travel, host districts must ensure that parents or legal guardians are provided specific details about the program, location, itineraries, accommodations, and contact information.
Noting that Council enactments regarding RI magazine subscriptions will take time to implement, the Board agreed that a full online version of The Rotarian will be available by 1 July 2011, when joint magazine subscriptions to the same household will also be allowed.
The Board granted its highest award, the Rotary International Award of Honor, to Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan.
International Meetings
The Board tentatively selected Atlanta, Georgia, USA, to host the 2017 RI Convention.
January 2010 Meeting
Board minutes - January 2010
The third meeting of the 2009-10 RI Board of Directors was held on 25–29 January 2010 in Evanston, Illinois, USA. At this meeting the Board reviewed reports from 11 committees and recorded 65 decisions.
Club and District Matters
The Board opened Palestine for the extension of Rotary clubs, subject to receipt of a letter of registration from the Palestinian National Authority, and agreed that clubs in Palestine shall be grouped in District 2450.
The Board agreed it would no longer recommend topics for discussion at Rotary institutes, but confirmed that each institute should schedule a status report on PolioPlus until polio is eradicated.
RI Administration
RI General Secretary Ed Futa announced his plan to retire at end of his contract term on 30 June 2011. The Board thanked the general secretary for his friendship, leadership, and stewardship during the past ten years and looks forward to his continued leadership during the coming Rotary year. The Board designated its Executive Committee, plus one Foundation trustee, to begin the search for a new general secretary.
The Board looked with favor on the president-elect’s plan to restructure RI committees. This restructuring included a review of which committees could be discontinued or consolidated to better align with the RI Strategic Plan. It will also cut RI expenses by reducing the total number of committees and their in-person meetings. The Board agreed that Web conferencing (meetings held via Internet technologies) can effectively reduce the costs of international committee meetings, and requested the general secretary to develop criteria and guidelines for RI use of this medium.
RI Programs, Communications, and Awards
The Board received a report on Rotary’s US$200 Million Challenge, indicating that as of 18 January 2010, RI received over US$107,280,000 million toward this fundraising goal to eradicate polio.
The Board established a new “Club Builder Award” to recognize Rotarians who have made a significant impact in supporting and strengthening their Rotary clubs. District governors may annually nominate one candidate from their districts for this award.
The Board recommended numerous actions that clubs and districts should take to provide greater Interact program support, including promoting the program through various media (publications, video, social networking), establishing strong relationships through club Interact committees, sharing information about Rotary with Interactors, and inviting Interactors to present at Rotary club and district meetings. The Board further encouraged governors-elect to include sufficient information at their PETS on RI’s youth programs, including where to find resources for starting or strengthening those programs in their own communities. The age of Interact eligibility was lowered from 14 to 12.
The Board requested the president to appoint a committee to study numerous issues concerning Vocational Service, including the adoption of a Rotarian Code of Ethics, the creation of training modules for use at PETS and GETS, and the re-emphasis of the classification system in RI, among other Vocational Service issues.
International Meetings
The Board finalized its budget for the New Orleans convention based on a projected 17,000 registrants, and set a US$300 fee for registrations received by 15 December 2010. The Board also considered its methodology for establishing budgeted attendance at RI conventions and agreed that the general secretary shall consider the suggestions of both the RI Finance Committee and the International Convention Committee (including the local Host Organizing Committee) when recommending to the Board for budgeting purpose the estimated attendance at an RI convention.
November 2009 Meeting
Board minutes - November 2009
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.
July 2009 Board Meeting
Board minutes - July 2009
The Board welcomed the appointment of Eric E. Lacoste Adamson as 2009-10 RI vice-president, Michael Colasurdo, Sr. as 2009-10 treasurer, and elected José Alfredo Sepúlveda as chair of its executive committee.
The Board formally ratified President Kenny’s appointment of Gustavo Gross C., Lynn A. Hammond, Ashok M. Mahajan, and Wilfrid J. Wilkinson as Rotary Foundation trustees.
On recommendation of President Kenny, the Board established the 2009-10 RI committees and resource groups, and approved their terms of reference.
The Board agreed that zones 2, 8, 11, 15, 19, 21, 24, and 33 shall select committees in 2009-10 to nominate RI directors for election at the 2011 RI convention.
The Board confirmed the 2009-10 RI budget with revenues of US$87.9 million and expenses of US$87.3 million.
The Board approved The Rotary Foundation’s 2009-10 budget of US$67.3 million for all Foundation programs, with expenditures coming from unrestricted Annual Programs Fund contributions.