ROTARACT COUNCIL SCHEDULED FOR MAY

A Rotaract Council will be held for the first time on 20 May during the Rotaract Preconvention Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.

At the three-hour council, which will be modeled after the RI Council on Legislation, Rotaractors who are registered for and present at the preconvention meeting will be able to consider and vote on nonbinding resolutions to change the Rotaract program. The Rotaract Council's recommendations will be reviewed by the 2011-12 Rotaract and Interact Committee, then considered by the RI Board of Directors in September 2011. (more after the break)

A Rotaractor proposed the idea for the Rotaract Council during a question-and-answer session with 2010-11 RI President Ray Klinginsmith at the Rotaract Preconvention Meeting in Montréal, Québec, Canada, in June. Klinginsmith liked the suggestion and moved the proposal forward.

"I'm excited about this, and I think Rotaractors are as well," he said. "This is a recognition of the important role they'll play in the future of Rotaract.

"The Rotaract Council will give Rotaractors the opportunity to make some decisions about which direction the program will go," Klinginsmith added.

An e-mail has been sent to presidents of Rotaract clubs and their sponsor Rotary clubs with information about the council, including the Proposed Rotaract Resolution Form necessary to propose a resolution. Rotaract clubs should update their club's contact information to make sure they receive future information about the council.

Rotaract clubs will be able to propose up to two resolutions to be considered by the council. Each resolution must include a statement of purpose and effect and may be no longer than two pages. Rotaractors will then have an opportunity to vote online to determine the order of consideration for the resolutions. More details about that vote will be provided later.

Resolutions will only be accepted on six topic areas: Standard Rotaract Club Constitution and Bylaws; Rotaract Statement of Policy; the 18-30 age range for membership; Rotaract alumni activities; Rotaract program name, emblem, and motto; and RI fees and dues for Rotaract clubs and their members.

Although the Rotaract Council will be modeled after the RI Council on Legislation, there will be notable differences. Because all attendees of the preconvention meeting will be eligible to take part, participation will not be geographically representative. Decisions by the Rotaract Council will also be advisory and nonbinding.

Last year, about 300 Rotaractors attended the preconvention meeting in Montréal. Attendance is expected to exceed that for the 2011 preconvention event.

"The creation of the Rotaract Council demonstrates President Klinginsmith's and Rotary International's responsiveness and commitment to Rotaract," said Dong-Joon Lee, chair of the Rotaract and Interact Committee. "Hopefully many Rotaract clubs around the world will actively participate, and in the process shape an even brighter future for Rotaract."