MEMBERSHIP IS NOT A PROGRAM OF ROTARY INTERNATIONAL. MEMBERSHIP IS ROTARY INTERNATIONAL.

This, or something similar, should be RI's Position Statement

"Membership Development is RI's highest priority.  Without members, neither RI nor any of its programs can exist.  Polio Eradication is a special program of RI and continues to have the highest priority over all other RI programs."

and here is why:

2012 Rotary Code of Policies Section 26.120.  Membership Statistics: The development and continuation of activities and programs addressing membership must remain the association's highest priority.  The association and its clubs must remain focused on all aspects of membership.  (May 2003 Mtg., Bd. Dec. 324)  Source: February 2003 Mtg., Bd. Dec. 261  

2012 Rotary Code of Policies Section 28.005.  A.  The Structure of Rotary International

Rotary International is a not-for-profit association of member clubs.  The association represents, protects, encompasses, and promotes the interest of its membership, and it exists to serve the membership.  The association belongs not to its leaders, but to its members, who determine through a democratic process who the leaders will be and who will represent them at the association level.

    The leaders in turn make policy and financial decisions that affect and best serve the interests of the membership. Source:  July 1999 Mtg., Bd. Dec 9; Amended by November 2004 Mtg., Bd. Dec.58; July 2011 Mtg., Bd. Dec 8

Rotary International (RI) is a not-for-profit association of member clubs and exists to serve the membership.  The affairs and operating capital of RI are under the control of the Board of Directors.  Without operating capital, RI cannot sustain itself.  RI's operating capital comes from dues-paying members.  Without members, neither RI nor its programs can exist.

2012 Rotary Code of Policies Section 40.010.  Program Terminology

The following terminology and definitions shall be used for RI Programs:

Special Program of RI - PolioPlus is a special program of Rotary International and has highest priority over all other programs until the certification of eradication is achieved.

Structured Programs – organized activities recommended by the RI Board for clubs and districts that include a recommended framework and guidelines;

Global Networking Groups – groups of individual Rotarians organized to focus on shared topics of interest on an international basis.

The following are recognized as Structured Programs:

Interact

Rotaract

Rotary Community Corps

Rotary Friendship Exchange

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards

Youth Exchange (September 2011 Mtg., Bd. Dec. 34)

Source:  August 1999 Mtg., Bd. Dec. 61; May 2000 Mtg., Bd. Dec. 406; June 2005 Mtg., Bd. Dec. 302; Amended by June 2001 Mtg., Bd. Dec.  394; November 2008 Mtg., Bd. Dec. 58; September 2011 Mtg., Bd. Dec. 34

          Polio Eradication is ". . . a special program of RI and has the highest priority over all other programs."

 

Membership is not an RI program. 

Membership IS RI.