New club year: Help… I’m now on the board!

The roles of the various officers are varied, and are distributed and organized differently within clubs. However, when preparing for these roles, many questions frequently arise.

This overview is intended to give you a general insight into the main administrative topics related to IT (Polaris).

How do I get admin access to Polaris?

Future board members can be granted the necessary administrative rights by the {{glossary.CICO}} or frequently by the current secretary.

NOTE
Since there are only 4 administrators with full permissions available, it is advisable to select the role of "Unit life administrator" during the transition period (June). This allows for modifications and additions to all content except for the management of member data.

How do I get access to rotary.org?

Every Rotarian should have access to the members' area of rotary.org to view the protected sections. To do this, create an account using your rotary email address under My Rotary > Sign In or Register Account.

As a board member, you can access my.rotary.org > Login (or sign in to My Rotary) to enter the internal area: Under Administration, you will find the Club Management section, which includes club billing, member information, club details, and more.

How do I manage rotary.org?

Member information, club officers, and club details do not need to be entered separately into rotary.org. The {{glossary.SEMDA}} interface automatically transfers all required data from Polaris to rotary.org.

Note for new clubs

New clubs can be set up at my.rotary.org > Administration > Club Management > Club & Member Information

In the club management systems, first select "Full Access," then choose the respective SEMDA country interface from the provider dropdown. By confirming "I agree" (at the very bottom), the data transfer will be activated.

ATTENTION
It is mandatory to select the “View and Edit” option; the “View Only” option does not apply to Polaris and prevents SEMDA synchronization!

For RI, only rotary.org is relevant, so the information should be verified on rotary.org despite SEMDA.

Incoming board members

IMPORTANT: Enter all new board members in Polaris by 31.12. for the upcoming club year!

On rotary.org, only the roles of {{glossary.President}}, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Community Service Officer, Foundation, Membership, and Public Relations, as well as possibly the Executive Secretary, are included. (If any of these roles are not board members in the club, they must be registered separately in rotary.org for RI!)

Meetings: Board meeting

The board consists of the president, {{glossary.President elect}} (or president nominee if a successor for the next year has not yet been determined), secretary, treasurer, immediate past president, and possibly additional members as outlined in the club's bylaws. The sergeant-at-arms, program chef, or CICO may also be part of the board.

The board meetings are chaired by the president. Approximately six board meetings occur each club year. The secretary typically handles the following responsibilities:

Setting the agenda in consultation with the president
Create an event (recommendation: visibility "My Club > Board")
Participants: "Delete all participants" > "+ Add recipient groups" > choose "Board current"
Activate registration option
Inform board members about the event (email, newsletter)
Invitation of the Assistant Governor (if appropriate)
Provision of additional materials (if necessary)
On the day of the event: Record attendance
Record the event and send report as a newsletter
If necessary: Preparation of a report for the club

The president elect may call a meeting of the new board to prepare for the upcoming year.

Meetings: Statutory event (weekly, every two weeks)

The allocation of responsibilities may vary from club to club regarding these topics. It is advisable to establish a division of "Who does what." The secretary, sergeant-at-arms, program chef assist the president in preparing and developing an agenda for each club meeting.

Pro Club year includes approximately 45 regular (statutory) meetings. The tasks of those responsible include, among others:

Planning programs
Booking of guest speakers (preparation of the visit of guest speakers (travel, expenses, thank you letters)
Create event (recommendation: visibility "Community > All members")
Activate registration option
Inform members (newsletter) about (ongoing) events
On the day of the event: Record attendance & compensation
Record the event and send report as a newsletter

How do I promote club life? A few tips...

Some suggestions from proven actions to enhance a positive atmosphere and performance in the club:

Birthdays are meant to be celebrated: Polaris offers a fantastic sorting option ("AZ symbol") for upcoming birthdays on the club website for its members.
Meaningful titles and visuals capture interest: the presentation and format of an event enhance its appeal and subsequently increase attendance.
Transparency and engagement enhance identification: it activates the registration option for events and displays the members who have already signed up. This boosts attendance and aids in carpooling as well as assisting event organizers for improved planning (restaurant, ...).
Information requires communication: When the secretary (or program master) briefly reminds attendees about the presentation or event shortly before a meeting, it can significantly enhance participation. There are numerous methods to achieve this: newsletters, emails, phone calls, WhatsApp messages, social media posts, ...
People enjoy looking at current portrait photos: members are encouraged to keep their portrait photos up to date. This not only enhances the club's appearance but also assists new members in getting to know their friends.

Schedule for orientation – when should what be done?

WHEN	WHAT
Ongoing	Manage new candidates, members, deaths, and resignations Edit personal and club data Prepare and announce events Take minutes of events and inform members (newsletter) Provide information about news and projects Announce and take minutes of board meetings Maintain club archives (document filing, photo galleries) Maintain the flow of information
June, July – change of club year	Update club information and review member data Review RI club financial statements for the first half of the year (treasurer) Report new board to the authorities (country-specific) Distribute program information and brochures if necessary
November, December or after the General Meeting (by mid-January at the latest)	Prepare for the Annual General Meeting Register the incoming board Verify member information in a timely manner (member information must be up-to-date for club dues to RI!) If necessary, invite widows and widowers to the Christmas party If necessary, prepare the semi-annual report for the president
January	Review RI club accounts for the second half of the year (Treasurer)
May, June	Inform successors about procedures and train them Review member information in a timely manner (member information must be up-to-date for club dues to RI!) Prepare for the general meeting and handover meeting

What do I do if a member leaves or moves to another club?

Termination

If a member leaves the club and does not transfer to another club (within the Polaris instance), the status of the active member must be updated to "Resigned" in the member data under "Community" within 28 days.

Club transfer

Details about the different options for changing clubs are described here.

NOTE
If a SEMDA transfer is not set up, the modifications must also be manually applied on rotary.org.

What do I do if a member dies?

If a member passes away, the status must be updated to "Deceased" in the member data under "Community" for the active member within 28 days.

Club life > Obituary can be created for the deceased member.

NOTE
If a SEMDA transfer is not set up, the modifications must also be manually applied on rotary.org.

What do I do if a Rotary widow/widower wants to continue participating in club life?

If rotary widows wish to continue participating in club activities, they can be granted access to the Polaris system as "Other Contacts". This will allow them to access the club website's content similarly to members. However, a member search within the district or multi-district is not available for other contacts.

For these contacts, a separate recipient group can also be created, allowing for easy addition to event invitations or newsletter subscriptions.

What do I do if club data changes?

If club details (e.g., meeting location, schedule, contact information, etc.) change, it is important to promptly update this under "Club Information" so that members or guests can access the latest information.

NOTE
If a SEMDA transfer is not set up, the modifications must also be manually applied on rotary.org.

What do I do if I want our club's email address forwarded to me?

Often, the official club email address is forwarded to the president and/or secretary. The management and technical administration of email addresses vary from country to country.

Information for Austria & Bosnia-Herzegovina

Information for Switzerland & Liechtenstein

What do I do if I need to request a Paul Harris Fellow for a club member?

The Paul Harris Fellow is awarded by numerous clubs as a recognition for Rotary friends and members. The application is submitted via a form that is sent to {{glossary.Rotary International}} in Zurich.

Additional details are outlined here.