Rotary Club of Bakersfield East
HOW TO PROPOSE A NEW MEMBER

Every Rotarian has the privilege and obligation to seek qualified members and to "share the gift of Rotary". Membership is the means to accomplish Rotary's mission and goals.

General Qualifications:
Rotarians are adults of good character and good business or professional reputation, who hold or have held an executive position with discretionary authority in any worthy and recognized business or profession.

Active Membership:
Active members must meet the above qualifications and as a general rule live or work within the club's locality or surrounding area.

Honorary Membership:
People who have distinguished themselves by meritorious service in the furtherance of Rotary ideals may be elected to honorary membership.

Classification:
Each active member of a Rotary club is classified in accordance with the member's business or profession. A classification describes the principal and recognized activity of the firm with which an active member is connected or the member's principal and recognized business or professional activity.

The club shall not elect a person an active member if the club has already a certain number of active members from that classification. For clubs with over 50 members, the club may elect a person to active membership in a classification so long as it will not result in the classification making up more than I 0% of the club's active membership. Retired members require a classification but are not included in a club's total number for each classification.

Standard Procedure:

• The prospective member is invited to attend at least two club meetings
  
• Part I of the Membership Proposal Form is completed and given to the Club Secretary.
  
• The proposal form is sent to Classification and Evaluation to assure that the person is fully qualified.
  
• The proposal form is submitted to the Board for approval. The Board approves or disapproves the proposal within 30 days. The prospect is notified of the decision by the Club Secretary.
  
  NOTE: Until approval is granted, prospective members should not be informed that they have been proposed for membership.
  
• After approval has been announced, the proposer/sponsor is notified and the prospective member is fully informed of the privileges, expectations and responsibilities of Rotary club membership. He/she is then asked to sign Part 11 of the proposal form and give written permission to publish his/her name and proposed classification to the club membership.
  
• If no objections to the proposal are received within seven days following the publication of the name, that person is invited to attend a Rotary Orientation Session ("Rotary Information"); at this time the prospective member is formally invited to join the club.
  
• Upon completion of a membership questionnaire and payment of an admission fee (currently $1 60), the person is admitted to the club.
  

Sponsor and/or Mentor Role:

Typically the person sponsoring the new member will also assume the role of mentor, i.e. introduce him/her to other members and board members, accompany them to a make-up at another club, encourage him/her to attend a District Conference or Assembly, and help them complete other requirements of the club's Red Badge Program.

Sometimes the sponsor does not have the time or is not comfortable assuming the mentor role. Our Membership Committee has developed a formal Mentor Program that matches Past Presidents with new members to help them complete the Red Badge Program and get involved in club projects and activities.