Allan's digest The RI Director brings news from Evanston
The first full board meeting of the Rotary year took place in September. A large part of the meeting confirmed recommendations and decisions taken by the previous board. Unlike Rotary International in Great Britain & Ireland (RIBI), which has an unwritten rule that a decision by the previous general council cannot be overturned, this is not so in Rotary International.
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t goes without saying that this does not help continuity. Also, I was surprised to learn that the RI Board
cannot make decisions that affect the Trustees. I was left searching for the ‘One Rotary’? The board agreed that a Rotarian should not serve concurrently as a Rotary Foundation Trustee and RI General Officer, and requests any trustee, elected as RI President or RI Director, to resign before beginning the term as RI Officer; another lead RIBI has on RI-under our rules you cannot stand for a senior position whilst serving in another position. A few decisions that affect RIBI:
n In support of the RI Strategic Plan, the three RI Coordinator groups, Rotary Coordinators (RCs), Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinators (RRFCs) and the Rotary Public Image Coordinators (RPICs) will be trained in March, with one day dedicated to working together.
n Communications is the heartbeat of any organisation. In recognition of this, the board has instructed the General Secretary to develop a comprehensive communications plan to market RI’s brand revitalisation effort to Rotary leaders, Rotarians and staff.
n PR Grants: the deadline for 2012/13 PR Grants has been extended to March 2012. A new PR grant process is being developed to make it simpler and increase the flexibility for district and multi-district applications, hopefully by the end of 2011.
n Consistent key messages: the board recognises that the Rotary Senior Leaders should be giving consistent key messages, especially on membership and retention. The board is to ask the directors and directors-elect to develop a three-year regional membership plan.
n To maximise the credit due to Rotary, for its part in the eradication of polio,
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www.ribi.org | December 2011
an end-polio communications plan is to be developed that will celebrate the accomplishments of this historic achievement and to demonstrate Rotary’s ability to meet large-scale, long-term challenges. This should raise member morale, attract new members and increase our credibility.
Board Proposals for CoL: With the deadline for proposals for CoL approaching, the board was challenged with discussing what enactments it would propose.
Membership: n Increase the number of clubs that may
participate in a pilot project from 200 to 1,000 clubs.
n Establish a new type of membership: Corporate Membership.
n Provide for satellite clubs. n Remove the limitation on number of e-clubs in each district.
Attendance: n Each member should participate or be
engaged in a club’s regular meetings, projects, events and activities.
n Eliminate club attendance requirements.
Dues: n Each club pays dues for a minimum
of 20 members. n Each club shall pay to RI, per capita, dues for each of its members as follows: US$25.00 per half year in 2010/11 US$25.50 per half year in 2011/12 US$26.00 per half year in 2012/13 US$26.50 per half year in 2013/14 US$27.00 per half year in 2014/15 US$27.50 per half year in 2015/16 US$28.00 per half year in 2016/17
It is difficult to summarise in the space
allocated the decisions taken over ten days of committee meetings and then the full board but, in conclusion, I must mention the controversial ones:
n Revise the role and duties of a district governor: It is acknowledged that the DG has far too many responsibilities and duties especially on reporting. If we are to attract younger Rotarians to take on Rotary leadership roles, the job must fit with their lifestyles. In many areas of the world, the role has become a position suitable only to a retiree.
n Increase the term of office for RI Director to three years: continuity is essential if Rotary is to have a future. With the rule in place where the decision of the previous board can be overturned, it is thought by having one third of the board retire each year, at least you would have two thirds remaining that would understand why the decision was made in the first place. If this was adopted, who knows, the trustees may agree to fall in line.
n Eliminate the travel reimbursement policy from the RI Bylaws: the board has recognised that travel by Rotary Senior Leaders, fulfilling their duties on behalf of Rotary, is of grave concern to a section of the RIBI membership. To that end I have been given the ‘poisoned chalice’ of chairing a small committee of three directors and three trustees to look at removing this from the by-laws and propose recommendations that are workable and fair to all. I hope to report to you in the next edition.
I love Christmas and the time spent
with family and friends. It is a time I spend with my family of Rotary in the Elland Club. The Christmas sleigh will tour the neighbourhood, bringing joy to young and old and raise a few bob for local charities. Isn’t it great being a Rotarian? Rose and I wish all the RIBI family a joyous and peaceful Christmas and New Year and look forward to a 2012 full of fun, fellowship and service. n
Allan O Jagger RI Director 2011/12
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