The plan: a does not place responsibility for EEO with any one b. c. d. person--the memo concerning the plan states that the "major responsibility for the success of this does not guarantee that all staff members will be does not point out whether the "one or two" positions being reserved for minorities next fiscal year are professional or nonprofessional, and this vagueness creates a serious loophole; does not provide for adequate communication of EEO information--dissemination of such information is to be done through formal and informal meetings "with greater frequency," but not on a regular basis. The plan does, however, specify that the two summer hires, one summer aide and one junior professional, are to be minorities. Most ASPER employees believe that the present situ ation was caused by a lack of affirmative action, not by any conscious discriminatory action. Those responsible for staffing the new office in 1969 were concerned with finding the most qualified people possible in the shortest period of time. They discovered that the easiest way to accomplish this goal was to recruit from among their professional acquaintances. Those recruiting were white, and the result of this approach was that all those hired were white. This informal, passive approach to recruitment has become self-perpetuating, and several people summarized the recruitment effort as being "a sin of omission, rather than commission." The clerical interviews focused on the availability There is at of upgrading and promotional opportunities. present a clerical shortage in ASPER with the ratio being about one secretary for every three professionals. Some of the secretaries felt that this factor combined with the nature of the work lessened the amount of opportunity for training during working hours. They were made to feel obligated to remain in the office in case their services might be required for an important job. Other secretaries felt that just working in ASPER was a valuable learning experience. Another feeling which emerged from the clerical interviews was a desire on the part of some to assume nonclerical responsibilities such as research. Such additional responsibility would result in personal on-the-job growth and possible advancement. ASPER should be a reflection of equal employment opportunity, especially since many of the Department's policies are of major interest to minority groups. Instead, the office has no minority professionals and is in an embarrassing position because of this situation. This problem of under-representation, noticeable throughout the Department, is a result of passive attitudes toward recruitment which have resulted in the lack of necessary affirmative action. This lethargy is characteristic of the entire Department's efforts but is especially noticeable in ASPER. Fourteen professionals, all non-minorities, have been brought into ASPER since the spring of 1969. An There must be more than just token representation of minorities in ASPER's professional ranks. The present administration has stated that it places a high priority on Equal Employment Opportunity and the Department shares ASPER's lack of minority professionals this commitment. is evidence that it is not carrying out this policy. As the Department's policymaking division, ASPER has an obligation to develop a model EEO Action Plan within the Department for many of the same reasons which obligate the Department to develop a model affirmative action plan within the executive branch. The goal of this plan must be to achieve equitable representation of minorities at all grade levels. 1. ASPER should institute the Vacancy Clearance System as part of its Action Plan. It could use this system in filling its five new professional slots for the next fiscal year. Minorities should be recruited for at least four of these new slots. The grade level of these positions should be varied as a means toward achieving an equitable distribution of minorities throughout the organization. 2. The plan should include an overall percentage goal for minorities in ASPER's professional workforce. To achieve this goal, a specific number of positions would be held open for qualified minorities until the desired percentage was achieved. 3. In addition to re-instituting the Vacancy Clearance System, the plan should incorporate the idea of positive recruitment by setting aside specific jobs for minorities only. Unlike Vacancy Clearance, positive recruitment requires that the positions be filled with qualified minorities and does not permit "good faith" failures. 4. The plan should also place EEO responsibility with one high level person in the organization. This person and the members of ASPER's top staff would have to devote more time and effort to minority recruitment in order to achieve their goals in this area. They should |