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Rotaract Preconvention Meeting in New Orleans
By
Arnold R. Grahl
A
Rotaract Council will be held for the first time on 20 May during
the Rotaract Preconvention Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
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. President 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 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," President
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.
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
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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."
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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.