How is the RI Rotaract Committee chosen?

A number of people have asked how they can get on the RI Rotaract Committee. There is no easy answer to this question, as it is not a democratic process. To put it simply, the RI Rotaract Committee are selected at the whim of the RI President.

No, it's not fair. Very few Rotaractors get the opportunity to serve on the committee, especially as the number of Rotaractors appointed changes every year (apparently the rules call for 4 Rotarians to be appointed for 3 years, 2 Rotarians for 1 year, and at least 3 Rotaractors appointed for 1 year - there is no requirement to have the members evenly distributed around the globe, so quite often many regions are not represented), and this is not helped when some manage to get reappointed for a 2nd term, either the year after their first or even a few years later. It means that the majority of very capable Rotaractors who could do a great job on the committee will never get the opportunity. Unfortunately, that's life. All of the Rotary International task forces and advisory committees are appointed by the RI President - that's just how things work at that level, and it's not about to change anytime soon - so if he doesn't know you exist, you have no hope of getting on.

One thing that does seem to be a requirement for Rotaractors to be appointed to the RI Rotaract Committee is a perceived high level of Rotaract knowledge and leadership. It appears that to be considered for the RI Rotaract committee, you need to have served as a DRR. So if you haven't served as a DRR, your chances of making it onto the committee are slim to non-existant.

I spoke with some Rotarians on the RI Rotaract Committee at the Rotaract Preconvention in Chicago in June 2005, and they had no idea how they came to be appointed to the committee! But for Rotaractors to be appointed, there seem to be 2 main ways:

1. Meet the RI President in person

This appears to be how Glen Estess appointed the Rotaractors to the RI Rotaract Committee in 2004/05 - he mentioned during his speech at the Rotaract Preconvention that met some Rotaractors during visits to their countries, and any that "stood out" were remembered and appointed! So if the RI President doesn't visit your city prior to taking office, and he chooses this method of selecting members for the committee, you have little chance of making it unless he happens to visit your city, and you are able to actually meet and talk with him!

2. Be recommended by a Senior Rotarian

This appears to be the more usual way of being appointed to the RI Rotaract Committee - it is how Marcos and I were appointed. After you have served as a DRR (or during your year as DRR), approach any senior Rotarians you know personally, and ask them to write a recommendation on your behalf to the RI President Elect (RIPE). By "senior" Rotarian, we recommend at least a DG, but a current or past RI Director or RI President is better. Because the more senior the Rotarian, the more likely the RIPE is to know them personally, and the more likely he is to take that Rotarian's recommendations on board. It is possible that recommendations of the Rotarians on the RI Rotaract Committee have some bearing too. But either way, it is important that you do know the Rotarian recommending you, and that they are aware of your knowledge and achievements (sending them a resume might help), because they are unlikely to recommend someone they don't know. After all, how do they truly know you are capable, if all they have to go by is your word?

Important Note: The appointments are normally made in January, so make sure you get a Rotarian(s) to nominate you sometime in the first half of the Rotary year!

How can you maximise your chances of being selected?

Knowing that very few Rotaractors are selected to serve on the RI Rotaract Committee and that there is no way to guarantee that any particular Rotaractor, no matter how well known within Rotaract (eg very active on RotaractNET) will be selected, there are perhaps some things you can do to increase your chances of being selected (providing you have served as a DRR):

• Be very active in Rotaract, in your club, district, and at an international level.


• Be PASSIONATE about Rotaract. Be genuine about your involvement; don't just participate in it to try to win kudos for yourself by being appointed to the committee.


• Learn as much as you can about Rotaract. Visit as many different Rotaract Clubs as you can, and see how they conduct themselves, and perhaps take some ideas from them. Attend as many training seminars as possible, including Rotaract Preconventions and Interota, or conferences and assemblies of your MDIO, and participate on RotaractNET. Attending multidistrict conferences also has the benefit that you are likely to meet Rotarians from other counties too.


• Attend Rotary projects and functions, especially any training seminars open to Rotaract (such as PETS), so Rotarians can get to know you