Our friends and supporters at the office of Rotary International haven’t always used policies as the primary form of governance, but they have made a successful transition to being a ‘policy governed’ organization. Your Rotary club can take a few of their policies as positive examples ‘policy governance’ at work.
The General Secretary of Rotary International has created a complete set of all of the policies currently in effect with the topics arranged in logical order and with consistent language. The purpose of this effort was to make it easier for everyone involved in Rotary to know what policies govern the organization; the added benefit from the point of view of Rotary International is to make the Code a practical and helpful document, which will serve as a model for Rotary clubs and districts.
The following are a few of the hundreds of policies listed in the Rotary International Code of Policy. You can download the entire 600 page Code of Policy from the www.rotary.org website.
5.010. Honorary Membership
Clubs should guard the election to honorary membership as exclusively a distinction for meritorious service in the furtherance of Rotary ideals and for permanent support of Rotary’s cause. Honorary membership is the highest distinction that a club may bestow and should be conferred only in exceptional cases, but may not be conferred upon an active member by the members of one’s own club. (November 2004 Mtg., Bd. Dec. 59)
Source: May-July 1952 Mtg., Bd. Dec. 27;. Amended by November 2004 Mtg., Bd. Decs. 58 and 59. Affirmed by Jan. 1963 Mtg., Bd. Dec. 925.030. Membership Cards
Rotary clubs should issue membership cards to its active members in good standing. Every Rotarian visiting a club who is not personally known in such club should present his or her Rotary membership card as a means of introduction. (November 2004 Mtg., Bd. Dec. 59)
Source: COL 80-102; Amended by November 2004 Mtg., Bd. Dec. 598.010.1. Decorum of Club Meetings
No story, stunt, joke or entertainment is proper or fit to be placed before any Rotarian or any gathering of Rotarians which would not be perfectly proper and fit to place before such Rotarians if each one were accompanied by one’s parents, spouse or children. No story or joke is fit to be told or repeated by any individual Rotarian unless such joke or story might properly be repeated before such Rotarian’s family. (June 1998 Mtg., Bd. Dec. 348)
Source: Nov. 1917 Mtg., Bd. Item 3It is my belief that every Rotary club in the world should follow in the footsteps of Rotary International and become a ‘policy governed’ organization. That effort will pay off over the long-term in a better Rotary club and members who attain a much higher level of ‘customer satisfaction’ from their membership. How valuable is that idea?