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Statement of Policy

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  • The Rotaract program was created by and is an activity of Rotary International, who holds for the establishment of constitutional provisions, organisational requirements, and standards of procedures, as well as the protection of the Rotaract name and emblem.
  • A Rotaract is a Rotary sponsored organization of young men and women between the ages of 18 and 29 whose purpose is to provide an opportunity for young men and women to enhance the knowledge and skills that will assist them in personal development to address the physical and social needs of their communities, and to promote better relations between all people worldwide through a framework of friendship and service, and set goals.
  • Rotaract Club programming shall consist of professional development; leadership development and service program development as outlined in the "Standard Rotaract Club Constitution".
  • A Rotaract Club is organized, sponsored and counseled by a Rotary Club or Clubs and is established following the endorsement of the District Governor upon certification by Rotary International; its existance depends upon the continued sponsorship of its sponsoring Rotary Club and continued recognition by Rotary International.
  • Within a framework established by Rotary International, the sponsoring Rotary Club is responsible for organising the Rotaract Club and providing it with guidance thereafter.
  • Rotary Clubs which sponsor Rotaract Clubs are encouraged to invite Rotaractors on at least a quarterly basis to their regularly scheduled meetings, project planning meetings, and special events and are encouraged to review Rotary Club membership potential within their Rotaract Clubs on a periodic basis.
  • Rotaract Clubs are encouraged to invite their sponsoring Rotary Club to Rotaract Club meetings, project planning meetings and special events on at least a quarterly basis.
  • Rotaract Clubs are encouraged to develop list of their Club members who might hold a Rotary classification as well as maintain lists of current and past club members indicating their interest in Rotary service projects, both lists to be shared with sponsoring Rotary Club(s).
  • Where the Rotaract Club is University based, control and counsel by the sponsoring Rotary Club shall be exercised in full cooperation with University authorities, with the understanding that such a Club is subject to the same regulations and policies established by the authorities for all student organizations and extra curricular activities of the University.
  • All Rotaract Club activities, projects and programs shall be conducted in harmony with the policies of Rotary International.
  • There shall be Standard Rotaract Club Constitution prescribed by the Rotary International and subject to amendment only by the Board of Directors of Rotary International. As a perquisite of its organization and certification, each Rotaract Club shall adopt the " Standard Rotaract Club Constitution" and all amendments.
  • Each and every Rotaract Club shall adopt by-laws not inconsistent with the "Standard Rotaract Club Constitution" and with policy established by Rotary International. Such by-laws shall be subject to the approval of the sponsoring Rotary Club.
  • A Rotaract Club may be organized and sponsored by more than one Rotary Club under the following conditions:
    • The District Governor must give his approval, stating in writing that, in his considered judgement, the best interest of the District, the Rotary Clubs concerned and the Rotaract program would be served by the proposed joint sponsorship.
    • The circumstances must be such that the organization of separate Rotaract Clubs, each sponsored by a single Rotary Club, would create an artificial division of what is essentially single body of young adults within the community or university.
    • A joint Rotaract Committee must be created with effective representation from each of the sponsoring Rotary Clubs.
  • Each member of a Rotaract Club, agrees to accept and to adhere to the provision of the constitution and by-laws of his / her Club.
  • Membership in a Rotaract Club shall be evidenced by Rotaract Club membership identification cards supplied to the Rotaract Club by Rotary International.
  • The Rotaract name and emblem are the property of Rotary International and shall be preserved for the exclusive use of those involved in Rotaract program. When displayed by individual Club members, an emblem may be used without further information. When the emblem is used to represent a Club, the name of the Club should appear with the emblem. Where a Rotary District exists, it may use the respective emblem but only in conjunction with reference to the District and its number.
  • A Rotaract Club member shall be entitled to use and display the Rotaract name and emblem in an appropriate and dignified manner during the period of his / her membership in a Rotaract Club. He /she shall relinquish such entitlement upon termination of his/her Rotaract Club.
  • A Rotaract Club may be terminated:
    • By Rotary International, with or without the connect, approval or concurrence of the sponsoring Rotary Club(s), for failure to function in accordance with its constitution, or for other cause.
    • By its sponsoring Rotary Club or
    • By the Rotaract club itself upon its own termination.
  • Upon termination of a Rotaract Club, all rights and privileges relating to the name and emblem shall be relinquished by the Club and by its members individually and collectively.
  • As a matter of policy, the Board does not recognize a right of any individual or organization except R. I. To circularise Rotaract Clubs for any commercial purpose, except in case of Rotaractors who are responsible for organising Rotaract Club, District and Multi-District meetings.
  • District Governors are requested to appoint District Rotaract Committee, composed of Rotarians from different parts of the District, to assist the District Governor in publicizing Rotaract program, promoting the organisation of new Rotaract Clubs, and administering the program of Rotaract within the District. Where feasible and practicable in the appointment of District Rotaract Committee, there should be provision for continuity of membership by appointing one or more members for a second term.
  • Rotaract organization and meetings beyond the Club levels:
    • A District with two or more Rotaract Clubs must elect a District Rotaract Representative from among their membership. The method of election shall be determined by the Rotaract membership. As a qualification for election to District Rotaract Representative, person must have served as a Rotaract Club President or as a member of the Rotaract District Committee for one year.
    • In a District with one Rotaract Club the District Rotaract Representative shall be the most recent, available past Rotaract Club President.
    • The District Rotaract Representative will be guided and counseled by the Rotary District Governor, the Rotary District, Rotaract Committee, or other appropriate Rotary District Committee.
    • Each District is encouraged to develop a District Rotaract organization, headed by the District Rotaract Representative to carry out the following responsibilities. Develop and distribute a District Rotaract Newsletter;
    • Plan, arrange and hold a District Rotaract Conference;
    • Encourage attendance and participation at the Rotary District Conference;
    • Conduct Rotaract promotion and extension activities throughout the District in coordination with the District Rotaract Chairmen;
    • Serve as Rotaract information liaison to the R. I. Scretariat for the District;
    • Plan and implement service activities (if approved by three-fourth of the Rotaract Clubs in the District);
    • Provide advice and support to the Rotaract Clubs in implementing their projects;
    • Work with District Rotaract Chairmen to help coordinate with the Rotary Rotaract activities at the District level;
    • Coordinate public relation activities for Rotaract at the District level;
    • Work with the District Rotaract Chairmen to plan and implement a training session for Rotaract Club Officers in the District.
    • The purpose of the District wide meeting of Rotaract Clubs is to promote community service projects, increase international understanding and enhance professional development in a context of friendship and camaraderie.
    • No meeting of members of Rotaract Clubs beyond the Club level shall have any legislative authority nor shall be so organized as to give the appearance of having such authorities. Nevertheless, such meeting may include ideas which might be of value as advisory observations to those involved at the District or other levels of Rotaract Administration.
    • At a District Rotaract Meeting a three-fourth majority of the Rotaract Clubs in a District may vote to underrtake a District Service Project and to establish a District Rotaract Service Fund to raise funds for this project. Contributions to such a fund must be voluntary. Such a project and service fund must be approved by the District Governor, and specific plans and instructions for the administration of the District Project and use of the fund must also have the approval of the District Governor and three-fourth of the Rotaract Clubs in the District. The District Governor must appoint a District Fund Committee to be responsible for collecting and administering the District Fund, such committee to be composed of Rotaractors and atleast one Rotarian from the District Rotaract Committee. The District service funds must be kept in a bank account which clearly indicates that the fund is the property of the District Rotaract Organization and not the personal property of any individual Rotaractor or Rotaract Club.
    • All District Rotaract activities shall be financed by the Rotaract Clubs in the District. No expense of District Rotaract Club meeting shall be paid by the Rotary International. The cost of such meetings shall be minimal and within financial means of those participating.
  • Rotaract activities beyond the District level:
    • Multi District Service Projects. Rotaract- sponsored service projects involving Clubs in two or more District may be implemented provided that such projects: Are, in nature and scope, within the capability of the Club and Rotaractors in the District to undertake successfully without interfering with or detracting from the scope and effectiveness of club activities in furthering the program of Rotaract at the club level;
    • Shall not be undertaken initially unless such District Rotaract Representative concerned has agreed to such a joint project and then, only after the approval of two-thirds of the club in each District;
    • Shall be undertaken with the approval of the District Governors concerned;
    • Shall be under the direct supervision of the District Rotaract Representative concerned; the custody of all funds contributed or collected for such projects shall be the responsibility of the District Rotaract Representative concerned, through a committee of Rotaractors from within the District involved who may be appointed to assist in administering any such projects and related funds;
    • Shall be undertaken only after the District Rotaract Representative have jointly secured in advance the authorization of the general secretary, acting on behalf of the Board, to undertake the project;
    • Shall involve the participation by Rotaract Clubs and/or individual Rotaractors on a voluntary basis, clearly presented as such, the cost of participation by a Club or an individual Rotaractor, if any should be kept minimum and not be implicitly or directly made an obligation in the form of a per capita tax, or assessment or otherwise;
    • Rotaract Multi District information Organisation. Districts may develop a multi District Organisation for the purpose of disseminating information and facilitating communication between Rotaract Clubs in the District concerned, provided that; There is no objection by the District Governor of each of the District concerned;
    • Approval is secured from the R. I. Board of Directors to develop such an organisation;
    • District Rotaract Representative of the District concerned comprises the membership of such organisation. Each District Rotaract Representative may appoint a member of his/her District Organisation, as needed to carry out the activities of the Multi District Organisation;
    • Funds needed to implement the Organisation's activities (i.e., production and distribution of regional club directories and newsletters, dissemination of Rotaract Programme information, general correspondence) shall be obtained on a voluntary basis only;
    • The organisation has no decision-making powers, except for decisions concerning the activities of the organization for which each member (District Rotaract Representative) shall have one vote.
    • Rotaract Multi District Meeting: Rotaract worldwide meetings shall require the approval of the host District Governor(s) and R. I. Director for the region, and shall also require approval of the RI Board of Directors, Proposals for such meetings shall be submitted by the host District Rotaract Representative and the proposal shall describe date, location, facilities, participants, program, budget and include proof of adequate liability insurance.
    • Rotaract Multi District Meetings (not at a worldwide level), shall require that the host District Rotaract Representative provide a copy of the meeting proposal which describes date, location, facilities, participants, program, budget and include proof of adequate liability insurance to the District Governor concerned, and the approval of the host District Governor. The District Rotaract Representative shall inform the R. I. Director(s) for the region(s) and the General Secretary of the event;
    • Rotaract exchange teams are encouraged when undertaken in the accordance with the guidelines established by the R. I. Board;
    • As part of the official program of the R. I. Convention, a special Rotaract Forum one-day prior to the commencement of the convention shall be arranged and implemented by the R. I., to include discussion of issues identified by the R. I. Rotaract Committee as important to Rotaractors.
    • The Rotaract Pre-Convention Forum may be used as an opportunity to informally guage Rotaract Opinion on policy or program matters, with each District Representative having one vote. Any recommendations made at the Pre-convention Meeting shall be forwarded to the R. I. Rotaract Committee for it's review and consideration.
  • Leadership Training
    • All incoming Rotaract Club Officers shall be provided with Rotaract Club Officers' leadership training at the District level, such training to include a one to two day leadership training seminar conducted by the District Rotaract Committee in coordination with the R. I. District Rotaract Committee for all incoming Rotaract Club Officers, Directors, and Committee Chairman to be paid for by the sponsoring Rotary Clubs, or where circumstances dictate, by a mutually agreed upon financial agreement involving the sponsoring Rotary Club, Rotary District, and the Rotary Participants.
    • Rotary District shall provide leadership training of District Rotaract Committees on a Multi District basis.
  • Financing the cost of Rotaract Program:
    • Individual Rotaractors shall pay annual membership fees to the Rotaract Club to cover the cost of club administration.
    • Rotaract Clubs shall pay annual R. I. Rotaract dues equivalent to US $20 to the regional R. I. Office through a Demand Draft to be submitted no later than 1st September.
    • Rotaract Club shall par annual fees or dues to the District Rotaract Organisation to cover the cost of District Administration;
    • Sponsoring Rotary Clubs shall pay for the atendance of their Rotaract Club Officers, Directors, and Committee Chairman at District level Leadership Training Meeting (or when circumstances dictate, these meetings shall be paid for through mutually agreed upon financial arrangements involving the sponsoring Rotary Clubs, Rotary District, and the Rotaract participants);
    • Rotary District shall pay for the attendance of the District Rotaract Representatives at Multi District Leadership Training Meetings;
    • Rotaract program financial policy include the following: Rotary International shall provide for the Rotaract Activities at the International Convention and shall provide program materials to the District Rotaract Chairman, Representatives, and Rotaract Clubs.
    • No part of the expenses of meetings of Rotaract clubs or groups of Rotaract Clubs shall be paid by the Rotary International, with the exception of the Annual Rotaract Pre-Convention Meeting.
  • As a matter of principle, Rotaract Clubs are not authorized to assume membership or merge with other organization regardless of the purpose of such organizations.