RI Council News April 2014

Among other actions during the week, representatives:

• Allowed districts to have more than two e-clubs. The 2010 Council made e-clubs, which meet electronically, a permanent part of Rotary. Proponents argued removing the limit will bring in new members and will appeal particularly to young professionals, who may be less able to meet in person weekly.
   
• Approved satellite clubs, whose members meet at a different time and location from their parent club but are still considered members of the parent club. The measure is intended to make it easier for members to develop the core for a new club.
   
• Increased the number of clubs that can take part in pilot projects from 200 to 1,000. The RI Board uses these pilots, which last for up to six years, to test new ideas, methods, and organizational frameworks for clubs. Pilot clubs that participate in these experiments are fully functioning Rotary clubs but are exempt from some requirements of the Standard Rotary Club Constitution.
   
• Approved changing the name of Rotary's Fifth Avenue of Service, currently called "New Generations Service," to "Youth Service." The 2010 Council approved this Avenue of Service for youth, which joined the already established Club Service, Vocational Service, Community Service, and International Service. The name "New Generations" was meant to reflect the need to build the next generation of Rotarians, but proponents of the name change argued Wednesday that the word "youth" is more universally understood, both inside and outside Rotary, and clarifies the fact that these programs encourage Rotarians to empower youth.
   
• Approved a measure allowing participation in club projects to count toward club attendance requirements. The measure amends the Standard Rotary Club Constitution to require that a member attend or make up at least 50 percent of regular club meetings or engage in club projects for at least 12 hours in each half of the year, or a combination of both.
   
• Approved a measure allowing Rotarians outside the United States and Canada to receive an electronic edition of their official regional Rotary magazine, if one is available. Rotarians within the United States and Canada were given the option of receiving a digital version of The Rotarian by the 2010 Council.
   
• Approved a measure creating the office of vice governor, who would act as a substitute if the governor became unable to serve. The vice governor would be selected by the district's nominating committee from among the district's past governors.
   
• Removed the travel reimbursement policy from the RI Bylaws. This will enable the RI Board of Directors to develop a policy that is flexible, able to address emergency travel situations, and able to take advantage of cost-saving opportunities.
   
• Defeated two measures affecting Rotaract, Rotary-sponsored service clubs for men and women ages 18 to 30. The Council rejected raising the age limit to 35, arguing that the older members would have little in common with 18-year-olds. They also argued Rotarians should reach out to include Rotaractors who are reaching the age limit in their Rotary clubs. They rejected establishing lower dues for Rotaractors who want to join Rotary, partly because Rotaract membership records have not been collected by RI.

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