Rotary’s 2016 Council on Legislation

11 April 2016

Dear Friends

I am currently in Chicago attending Rotary’ 16^th tri-annual Council on Legislation (COL). The Council on Legislation is Rotary’s legislature. Meeting in Chicago every three years, it considers changes to the policies that govern Rotary International and its member clubs, and holds the authority to amend Rotary’s constitutional documents. The Council is made up of one representative from every Rotary district. These representatives are the voting members of the Council. I feel truly blessed to have been given this opportunity.

The room is full of delegates milling around as we begin to take our seats. There is a high buzz around the room as friends from all over the world gather together, some meeting after several years. There are many, many, familiar faces. People with whom we are in regular contact. It is also a fantastic opportunity for photos and as you will see later I too took up that opportunity.

Day 1 was on Sunday 10^th April with our International President, KR Ravindran opening proceedings by welcoming all delegates and encouraging them into good healthy debates for the better of the Rotary world. The COL chair and vice chair were introduced and so were the rest of the Parliamentary team. We then entered into a mock session on what the procedure for the COL would be and “all things being equal” we experienced some faulty equipment. One must remember that this is the first time that electronic voting takes place at the COL. Later in the session, we were provided with an update on the RI Strategic Plan and a forward look at the next 5 year’s financial plan and forecast which I must confess, does not look healthy unless we increase fees drastically. It is a resolution that will be discussed and debated on Wednesday afternoon. After much clarity on procedures and rules we adjourned to enjoy some welcome drinks before heading off to supper and some much needed rest from the travelling.

Day 2 began early and after a quick breakfast we settled into our specially assigned seating (RI insists on specially assigned seating for two reasons – one to allow for greater interaction amongst members from different parts of the world and secondly as a monitoring mechanism for those delegates whom “escape” for sessions or don’t pitch at all). Big-bother is watching !

After retesting and ensuring that the electronic voting system was working properly the first proposed enactment was announced to be tabled and so began the discussions, debates and voting process.

Readers must please understand that the sum total of votes on each of the proposals may be different due to the fact that some delegates may not vote on a proposal and that the system has no mechanism for recording abstentions. Of the 534 Rotary districts around the world, 510 were represented at the COL.

A summary of the voting is provided below. Note that the VOTES column should be read as “123-345” where “123” will represent the YES votes and “345” will represent the NO votes.

 

No	Proposal	Notes	Result	Votes
16-01	To provide for written board meeting minutes	To allow for access and transparency	Adopted	318-136
16-02	To provide that the club treasurer shall be a member of the board	Provides for greater accountability and reporting	Adopted	379-72
16-03	To provide for the secretary elect to be a member of the board	To provide for training and continuity	Rejected	144-312
16-04	To revise the provisions for club officers	To allow for the President Nominee to become a member of the board	Rejected	123-332
16-05	To provide for committee in clubs	There was an amendment to this proposal by changing the word “Public Relations” to Public Image. This proposal suggested the formation of committees to align itself to RI’s strategic plan.	Adopted	238-213
16-06	To define the purpose of Rotary clubs	This proposal is superfluous as the purpose of our organisation and hence our clubs is expressed in the Object of Rotary	Adopted	236-217
16-07	To remove admission fees for club members	I was really surprised with this one as I was unaware that clubs around the world charged an admission fee. Not sure what the practice is in SA!	Adopted	232-228
16-08	To revise the provisions for club admission fees	This proposal was withdrawn after 16-07 was approved	Withdrawn	0-0
16-09	To revise the provisions for club admission fees	This proposal was withdrawn after 16-07 was approved	Withdrawn	0-0
16-10	To amend the second Avenue of Service	Amending the definition of Vocational Service	Adopted	254-210
16-11	To amend the third Avenue of Service	To include the words “quality of life and cultural level”	Rejected	173-280
16-12	To remove the fifth Avenue of Service	We need to show the youth that we are indeed serious about their involvement in Rotary and the removal of this Avenue of Service would be a step backwards	Rejected	104-365
16-13	To amend the fifth Avenue of Service	Change the word “Youth” to “New Generations”	Rejected	148-308
16-14	To add a 5th part to the Object of Rotary to encourage a new generation of global leaders	This proposal was withdrawn	Withdrawn	0-0
16-15	To add a 5th part to the Object of Rotary to include the development of service and leadership in youth and young adults	After much debate PRIP Cliff Dochterman pleaded to the delegates not to confuse the Object of Rotary with the Avenues of Service. The Object of Rotary clearly states who we are and the Avenues of Service states what we do.	Rejected	49-435
16-16	To amend the 5th Avenue of Service	This proposal was withdrawn	Withdrawn	0-0
16-17	To amend the Object of Rotary	This proposal was referred to the RI Board	RI Board
16-18	To amend the Object of Rotary	This proposal was referred to the RI Board	RI Board
16-19	To amend the Object of Rotary	This proposal was withdrawn	Withdrawn
16-20	To amend the Object of Rotary	This proposal was referred to the RI Board	RI Board
16-21	To allow for flexibility in club meetings and attendance	This proposal endorses the idea of giving clubs the ability to craft rules and requirements regarding when the club meets and whether or not to track attendance that are relevant and in the best interest of their membership. It was amended from the floor with a proviso that all clubs must meet at least twice a month. It’s a new Rotary going forward !!!	Adopted	392-82
16-22	To allow clubs flexibility in structuring their weekly meetings	This proposal seeks to provide clubs flexibility in changing their time and day for meetings to suit their members	Withdrawn
16-23	To allow clubs flexibility in choosing a regular meeting schedule	This proposal was withdrawn. Refer 16-21	Withdrawn
16-24/25	To provide that clubs shall meet twice a month	This proposal was withdrawn. Refer 16-21	Withdrawn
16-26	To amend the provisions for cancelling a meeting	This proposal seeks to allow clubs to cancel a meeting where a public holiday falls during the week and is close to its meeting date	Adopted	272-222
16-36	To allow for flexibility in membership and classification	This proposal endorses the idea of giving clubs the ability to craft rules and requirements regarding the composition of their membership and how a club may wish to manage their membership. Another step in the right direction !!!	Adopted	386-75

 

Please note that both 16-21 and 16-36 were RI Board proposals and were part of the “Orders of the Day” schedule and were therefore discussed and voted on out of sequence. Tomorrow we begin with proposal 16-27 regarding attendance requirements and given that 16-21 was overwhelming favored, I think that 16-27 to 16-35 will be withdrawn. We wait to see what happens.

Until the next round….take care

 

Warm regards from a chilly Chicago

Natty Moodley

ROTARY LEADERS GATHER IN EVANSTON

They came from Denmark and Spain, Thailand, the U.S., and other points around the globe. Last fall, the Rotary International Board of Directors gathered again in Evanston, Ill., not far from the office where Paul Harris hosted the first Rotary club meeting.

One hundred eleven years later, Rotary’s Board spent three days addressing dozens of issues that boiled down to one: How will the organization Harris founded thrive in its second century?
They met on the top floor of Rotary’s world headquarters, an 18-story tower with commanding views of broad-shouldered Chicago in the distance. Fifteen men and four women convened for the second of four scheduled Board meetings at 8:55 a.m. on Monday, 12 October, getting a five-minute jump on the workday.

Pundits say board meetings often take on the chairman’s personality. From the start, these proceedings reflected the style of K.R. “Ravi” Ravindran. Like him, they were convivially efficient. Previous meetings typically lasted four or five days; President Ravindran had trimmed that to three, so there was no time to waste.

A tall man with a soft voice, he chaired the meeting in shirtsleeves, his tan jacket draped over the back of his chair. Encouraging debate at all times, Ravindran noted on one report to the directors that the committees were hardworking “but not infallible.”

Each day, one director was asked to put forth the opposing view, challenging any quick consensus. Brad Howard was today’s official “devil’s advocate.” Ravindran also introduced electronic voting on issues that generated contentious debate “to preserve the independence of the directors,” he said.
Much of the heavy lifting happened behind the scenes. A cadre of Rotary staff members spent weeks preparing the Board, and the committees that report to it, for the meeting. Matt Hohmann, Rotary’s corporate governance manager, uploaded the latest data, which the directors then synced to their iPads. “Until 2011 we gave every Board member a giant paper binder 400 or 500 pages long, full of everything they’d need for the meeting,” Hohmann said. “If there was a last-minute change we’d round up all the binders, replace those pages, and send them out again. Now the directors have a secure Web portal where they can see changes. They can prepare for the meeting on a plane or in a car, making electronic notes on their iPads. It’s made meetings more efficient.”

Rotary's Board of Directors spent three days addressing dozens of issues that boiled down to one: How will the organization Harris founded thrive in its second century?

The directors dealt with housekeeping matters – the election of trustees, the 2016 schedule of Board meetings in Evanston and Seoul – before turning to issues such as an aging worldwide membership. Directors sat behind HD monitors and miniature flags of their nations, leaning forward to speak into desk-mounted microphones. When a Board member spoke Portuguese (José Ubiracy Silva of Brazil), Italian (Giuseppe Viale), or Japanese (Takanori Sugitani), his colleagues put on headphones to hear simultaneous translation by interpreters sitting in mirrored-glass booths overlooking the boardroom. Other directors, such as Frederick Lin from Taiwan, Saowalak Rattanavich from Thailand, and Eduardo San Martín Carreño from Spain, spoke in English. Few directors spoke for much more than a minute. Lest anyone drone on, another innovation timed discussions in fast-ticking green numbers on each director’s monitor. All in all, the conclave was the very model of a modern board meeting.
The Board analyzed the activities of its own individual members over the previous three months. As with any other business, each director, committee, and staff division has measurable annual goals aligned with the organizational goals, broadly referred to as KPIs (key performance indicators). At each meeting, the directors examine the progress made toward those goals. Directors learn from the best practices of the other directors. Vice President Greg Podd, an accountant from Colorado, was in charge of these presentations and had clearly done his preparatory work. Ravindran commended Manoj Desai from India on his well-structured plan to make working visits to each of his districts – while suggesting that another zone was falling behind. The president has asked directors to visit 60 percent of their districts and have personal contact with at least 80 percent of their district governors.
Between meetings, the directors chatted in the 18th-floor atrium, a sunny space under skylights that show the Rotary flag flying on the building’s roof. On the east end of the floor, with its postcard view of Lake Michigan, the photos of the 104 Rotary presidents who preceded Ravindran are displayed alongside a bust of Paul Harris. Glass cases hold a rotating exhibit from Rotary’s archives, such as sheet music for “The Rotarian,” a marching song, and letters between Rotary founder Harris and a friend, Grace Mann of Jacksonville, Fla. In 1906 she wrote to commend him on his original Rotary club constitution: “I would say you are a man of letters like Hamilton, a man capable of great things.”
Back in the boardroom, the directors took up another matter as part of a larger discussion on membership: Should employment be a requirement to join Rotary? Jennifer Jones, the director from Canada, said her sister-in-law, a highly educated woman with a family, active in her community, could be barred from membership if employment were required. American directors Julia Phelps and Karen Wentz agreed that such a rule might complicate Rotary’s long-standing gender issues.

Fifteen men and four women convened at 8:55 a.m. on Monday, 12 October, getting a five-minute jump on the workday.

The directors also agreed to allow nonmembers to attend conventions and to consider hosting conventions in cities that don’t meet the usual criteria. Robert Hall from Atlanta, who plays an important role as host committee co-chair of the 2017 convention, supported this action. Then they moved on to other matters: Member Benefits Program Manager Naish Shah gave the Board an upbeat report on the new Rotary Global Rewards program, which provides hotel, car rental, and other discounts to Rotarians. So far, the program is a success. Ravindran supports it, though he has heard from a few constituents who don’t. “They tell me they didn’t join Rotary to get something for themselves,” he said. “I tell them that’s no reason to discourage others. If they’re uncomfortable with a discount, they are free to say, ‘Oh, no, I would prefer to pay full price.’” Guiller Tumangan from the Philippines and Şafak Alpay from Turkey also voiced their support of the program. The directors called for a follow-up report on Global Rewards at another Board meeting.

In the evening, the directors met more casually in a conference room at Evanston’s Hilton Garden Inn. President-elect John Germ of Tennessee, who will chair next year’s Board meetings, said he has experienced less culture shock living in Evanston (as Rotary presidents and presidents-elect do) than his predecessor. It has been strange, Ravindran said, moving from Sri Lanka’s tea plantations, sapphire mines, and elephants to American apartment life. But he relishes the work. “I promised to drive costs down, introduce meritocracy in appointments, and add value to members, and we’re making progress on all fronts. Fortunately, I’ve got two wonderful successors far cleverer than me,” he said of Germ and Australia’s Ian Riseley (who was invited as an observer). The camaraderie and friendship among the three men is clear, one consulting the other on important matters and engaging in good-humored banter.

Jones and Wentz compared notes. “I was the first female in my club, first female president of my club, and first female governor of my district,” Wentz said. “I am proud of those achievements and am an advocate for developing women in leadership roles in Rotary. But there are many Rotary issues I’m interested in, and the last thing I want to be is a single-issue director.” She chatted with Howard, whose prime issue is keeping Rotary relevant to the under-40 set. “Right now, young people are not our demographic,” he said. “For one thing, they look at gatherings differently. The meal, the singing at meetings – we have to ask ourselves, Are these traditions central to our brand? Does fellowship have to be in a restaurant or a conference room? I don’t think so. Fellowship can be on Facebook. We’re starting to realize that the Kiwanis and Lions are not our competition. Life is. Work, family, time. Rotary’s evolving, and I like being part of that process.”

The next day, the directors worried aloud about the graying of Rotary in their zones. England’s Peter Offer told of attrition in Great Britain due to the deaths of more than 700 members. Worldwide, the largest age group of Rotarians is from 50 to 59; only 10 percent are younger than 40. A decade ago the typical club had 42 members; today the figure is down to 34. The most common club size is 20. Still, there are positive signs. Total membership is up, and more than 140,000 members joined between 1 July 2014 and 30 June 2015. Scanning numbers on their monitors, the directors saw that 20 percent of today’s Rotarians are female, a number that varies geographically. Women account for about 26 percent of U.S. members, 13 percent in Western Europe, and 5 percent in Japan.

"We're starting to realize that the Kiwanis and Lions are not our competition. Life is. Work, family, time. Rotary's evolving, and I like being part of that process."

By Wednesday, a civilian might be forgiven for getting numb to the business jargon in the boardroom. Webinar. Optimize. Prioritize. Yet the Board’s labors had been optimized. Hefty paper binders are a thing of the past. The old way of voting on sensitive issues – paper ballots dropped into a cardboard box – has been replaced by electronic voting via directors’ iPads. In the end, Ravindran’s Board reviewed 17 committee reports and made 68 decisions in three days.
Per Høyen, a director from Denmark, admitted being perplexed by his role as devil’s advocate for a day. “It’s not my nature to be negative,” he said, adjusting his bow tie. Høyen went on to debate politely during the final-day discussions.

At 5 p.m., Ravindran announced that he was pleased with the Board’s performance. Going into the meeting he had told Andrew McDonald, Rotary’s deputy general counsel who serves as secretary to the Board, “I want to spend our time on strategic and transformative issues,” instead of time-wasting administrative matters. Cutting Board meetings to three days was one step; the next was steering the Board toward cutting-edge issues that will determine Rotary’s path in the near future.
McDonald’s stopwatch revealed that the Board had spent nearly 60 percent of its time on “strategic and transformative issues.”
At 5:05, the directors gave Ravindran a round of applause.
“Well done,” he said. “See you at the International Assembly in San Diego.”

After every Board meeting, members can find decision highlights and meeting minutes at: www.rotary.org/learning-reference/about-rotary/board-decisions.

By Kevin Cook

The Rotarian

April 2016

Rotary gives US$35 million to end polio worldwide

Rotary announces $35 million in grants to support the global effort to end polio. In 2015, the world saw historic progress against the paralyzing disease, with just two countries – Afghanistan and Pakistan – reporting a single strain of the wild virus. If the current momentum is strengthened, this year may mark the last case of wild poliovirus.     

“We are closer than ever to achieving a polio-free world,” said Michael K. McGovern, chair of Rotary’s International PolioPlus Committee.  “To ensure that no child ever again suffers the devastating effects of this disease, we must all ensure that the necessary funds and political will are firmly in place in 2016.”  

2015 Milestones

Nigeria – the last polio-endemic country in Africa – was removed from the World Health Organization’s list of endemic countries in September, following one year without a new case of the wild virus. The last wild polio case anywhere on the African continent was in August 2014.

In September 2015, one of the three strains of the wild poliovirus – Type 2 – was certified as eradicated, with no cases since 1999. Type 3 has not been seen anywhere in the world since November 2012.

Pakistan, which continues to report the majority of the world’s polio cases, reduced its caseload by 82 percent in 2015 over the previous year.

Funds Needed

To sustain this progress, and protect all children from polio, experts say $1.5 billion is urgently needed. Without full funding and political commitment, the disease could return to previously polio-free countries, putting children everywhere at risk.

Rotary’s funds will support efforts to end polio in Pakistan ($11.4 million) and Afghanistan ($6 million).

Additional funds will support efforts to keep other at-risk countries polio-free:  Nigeria ($5.5), Cameroon ($1.6 million), Chad ($2 million); Ethiopia ($4.1 million), Somalia ($1.8 million), Iraq ($1.6 million) and India ($618,000). Finally, $355,000 in funds will be dedicated to polio research.

More Ideas on How to Increase Membership

1.     To overcome cost of Rotary meeting, one club is an evening dessert club.

2.     To reward sponsors of new members, how about a free trip to the District Conference?

3.     To reward sponsors of new members, how about making the sponsor fine free for a month?

4.     To reward sponsors of new members, how about making a S100 contribution to the Rotary Foundation in the sponsor's name?

5.     Search alumni for potential members: Past GSE team members, Past Ambassadorial Scholars, RYLA, lnteractors, Rotoractors, Youth Exchange.

6.     Review past bulletins for speakers who might be good candidates.

7.     Club Presidents should present a program on Rotary to the local Chamber of Commerce.

8.     Put a blue dot on every member's watch face to remind them to propose a new member.

9.     Put a red dot on the badge of every member who has proposed a member in the current year.

10.  Make some pins that say, "Ask me about my Rotary Club." Have club members wear the badge and respond to persons who do ask.

11.  Scan the local business journals for names of influential persons.

12.  Watch "People in the News" columns in newspapers for people newly promoted who could be prospects.

13.  Deterrent to membership growth are attitudes and inertia. Change them.

14.  Publicise your club and its projects.

15.  If a club cannot grow due to lack of meeting space, start another club that can use that same space at a different time.

16.  If a club determines it is at the size it wants to be, it has the responsibility to share Rotary by starting a new club.

17.  If your club does not want to grow, recruit members for nearby clubs.

18.  If a recruit just can't make a lunch club, suggest a breakfast or dinner club.

19.  Have your membership committee be a cross section of your club by age, gender, and classification. Diversity !!!!

20.  The President can ask three members for a personal favor: to propose a new member. When the first does so, approach another member the same way so as to keep three members working on a personal pledge to the President.

21.  Ask members to approach the owners of business with which they do business.

22.  Find home based businesses. Start with the local printer who does their business cards.

23.  Add a new requirement to attain the blue badge: the sponsorship of a new member.

24.  Put a proposal card on the tables at meetings.

25.  Have the members fill out a proposal card at club meetings.

26.  Hold a club reunion for former members. They may want to rejoin.

27.  Rotary spouse (or partner) should attend the pre-induction new member orientation.

New tools for the membership tool belt

Looking to enhance your club membership experience? Do you want to find opportunities for growth in your club? Club and district leaders now have a set of updated Membership Assessment Tools (formerly Club Assessment Tools) to help them strengthen club membership and add value to your club membership experience, so that more people will join and fewer members will leave.

For your convenience, you can download the entire publication, or just the individual assessments that are most relevant to your club.

The individual assessments, which walk users through evaluation and development of an action plan, include:

1. Classification Assessment
2.  A Membership Diversity Assessment
3. A Prospective Member Exercise
4. A Retention Assessment and Analysis
5. Members Satisfaction Survey
6. Exit survey

Historical trends show that there’s an increase in membership soon after the new year, so this is the perfect time to consider how you welcome new members into your club.

Build stronger clubs with strategic planning

How to set goals that work for the long term

Some club presidents begin their year intent on making a splash with a once-in-a lifetime project or event. But such efforts can leave club members exhausted and
disinterested the next year, when the new president steps up with yet another big idea. By creating club goals and projects that are based on long-term strategic planning, an incoming president can leave a lasting legacy: a successful club during his or her year and also in the following years.

 

Presidents must realise that the days of ‘projects for my year’ are a thing of the past and that the most successful clubs plan multiyear, sustainable projects. These projects engage members, especially new members, and the best way to retain members is to keep them engaged.

 

The Club Leadership Plan provides guidance for developing a strategic plan or long-range goals, which should address membership, service projects, support for The Rotary Foundation, and leadership development. Include the following:

·        Long-range strategic goals that cover the next three to five years, with updates as the club evolves

·        Shorter-term annual goals that align with your overall strategic goals

·        Strategies for maintaining clear communication among club leaders, club members, district leaders, and potential members, including regular updates to your club’s website

·        Continuity in leadership and training for future leaders

We need to focus on projects that can grow over time, with our members, and that consequently allow us to increase our impact. We need to keep pace with the changing world and the changing demands of prospective Rotarians.

 

“As club presidents, you are the most important officers in all of Rotary.”