Return to Article: Experts call for top leaders at agencies to commit to diversity
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41128
Ignorance is at an all time peak when it comes to what diversity means and what it doesn't mean (all across the US). It is the same for Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity. Many comments/reactions come from fear and ignorance (not using the word ignorance in a derogatory manner, for we ALL are ignorant ... Will Rogers once said, "All people are ignorant - just on different subjects." This review panel is not being created to ensure individuals are promoted beyond the glass ceiling simply because of their race or gender...that would be blatant discrimination. Instead, they are there to ensure justifiable and objective qualification factors are consistently being considered for promotions into SES levels...we already know (statistically) this isn't happening at several management layers in the federal government. It should never be who you know or who knows you...but it should be what you know and how you apply that knowledge to being the best at your job. The person who does meets all the qualification factors the most, should be awarded the position. As for the terms Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity...there isn't enough space to clarify here. Don't fear the fairness of our equality laws...they apply to everyone who has a race (that would be...everyone), gender (yep, again, everyone), etc. Final quote from Will,"An ignorant person is one who doesn't know what you have just found out." Good Luck to the panel - keep fairness and equality at the top of your agenda.
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38670
How about extending the benefits of diversity to professional sports? Perhaps a recruiting panel should prescreen athletes prior to coaches to insure candidates that "look like America". But that would be crazy. Pro sports is about optimum performance, regardless of skin color. Like our government and military should be.
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38300
All I've seen in almost 30 years of federal employment is an extraordinary emphasis on diversity, with extensive EEO programs and mandatory diversity training on a frequent basis, and recruitment aimed at members of minority groups. I'm a white male, and despite having a record of significant accomplishments in my career, and scoring well on promotional exams and interviews, I have never been selected for a GS-14 position, despite ranking highly on many Best Qualified lists. Others with less experience and accomplishments, who are younger and members of minority groups, have gotten promoted instead. It seems that white males are the new minority these days, so where's the beef?
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38288
Just take a look at all the varied comments. I'm surprised that in 2007, there is such a divide along the perecptions of America and how "far" we have come to reach equality. Really, we haven't come far at all. It's just called something else now.
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38198
In Stroman's insinuated/stereotyped world, all that white men do is walk the halls and think, "I want to talk to someone. Hmmmm. Who looks like me?" Did Stroman read the "2004 Demographic Profile of the Federal Workforce"? Here are some quotes from it:
"Between 1994 and 2004, the percentage of women holding administrative or professional positions has risen from 38.7 to 43.4 percent. During this same span, the percentage of women holding positions under the General Schedule and Related grades 12-15 has risen from 27.6 percent to 36.9 percent, an increase of 26,659 workers. The number of women in clerical jobs (typically below GS-9) saw a sharp decline of 122,770 workers."
"The number of minorities in the Federal civilian workforce as of October 2004 was 580,983 (31.4 percent). This figure has increased by 14,425 since October 2002 and by 64,969 since October 1994. The Black, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander minority groups experienced net gains, but the American Indian/Alaska Native group experienced an overall loss of 546 workers. Hispanic employment recently increased by 10,665, bringing the total count to 135,533 in October 2004. Furthermore, minorities have accumulated 10,269 additional employees in General Schedule and Related grades 12-15 and 227 employees at the Senior Pay level."
The number of employees with disabilities decreased, as did American Indians and Alaska Natives. Look at the veteran population, who are supposed to have hiring preferences, only 12,948 VRA appointments. What needs worked on are the wink-wink ploys that are used to step over qualified vets. Preselection runs rampant in the federal workforce.
Based on the loss in numbers, why didn't the powers to be consider a permanent member that is disabled? How about a disabled vet? Likewise with the American Indian, as if any group of people was screwed over, it's those fine Americans. This whole "Who screams loudest wins" initiative is nonsense. All panels should be diverse but not automatically assigned based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin or age. Bias exists in every group of people, not just white men. Also, will this process be used for political appointments, or will it just be potential career executives that get put under the scope? I'd rather see policies that make it easier to get rid of the lazy dead-weight federal workers.
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38194
How are you defining 'expert"? How are you defining diversity? What does adding a woman and a minority as "gatekeepers' to the SES selections do for the process? Why not have an Albino and a dwarf on the committee? They are underpresented minorities as well. How about calling for these positions to be filled by those with the most merit and ability, regardless of race, sex, ethnicity or minority status. Competence counts? Did you learn nothing from Katrina? I readily agree that diversity presents valuable benefits and contributions. I don't think we should be filling positions by quota's on sex, race, or any other measure other than ability, merit, and competence. Doing so demeans the accomplishments of talanted American's of all races and classes, who have worked hard to advance. I don't care what race or sex the boss is as long as he or she is fair, knows how to do their job and get results. That is the way it should be, and all this politically correct pandering and politics of special interest groups stuff ought to take a back seat to doing the most competent job for the nation (and all Americans minority or otherwise). One of the evil things about "affirmative action" is that it is fundamentally unfair to candidates, and to minorities who are viewed as holding positions due to being in a "priviliged protected class" rather than as gaining a position on their own merits. This denigrates the ability and the dignity of capable minority or female executives and calls their competence into question unnecessarily. In case you did not notice we are competing on a global scale and don't have time for all of this special interest politics sideshow. Do you think the Chinese, Russians or Iranians are fielding their teams based on "diversity", or do you think they are putting their best most capable players out there, regardless of who they are?
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38193
I read the majority of the comments. The bottom line is that those comments are shocking. Right now my management is only hiring in the top spots young, inexperienced, people that are white males. The "Good ole boys club" is back in full swing. Minorities and women with more degrees, experience, as well as skills are being passed over. EEO under this administration has evolved into a comic story. During this administration there is diversity in conjecture only, but not in practice.
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38182
It's time to bring all of these "Diversity" programs to a close. All they do is continue and even expand discrimination via reverse discrimination. I am the proud grandson of four Ellis Island Immigrants. My grandparents emigrated legally from Eastern Europe during the early 1900's. They worked in the most dangerous and adverse conditions, experiencing discrimination at the highest levels because of where the immigrated from. Immigrants from Eastern Europe were white slaves in the coal mines, steel mills and factories, working in the most dangerous and adverse conditions. Yet these people persevered, worked hard, went to night school to prepare them for the U.S. citizenship exam and became naturalized citizens. They were proud of their new country and assimilated into society. They raised their children to be productive citizens and believed that through honest, hard work, and education, their offspring would have opportunities and not experience the discrimination that they endured. Unfortunately, identified as white males and females, their offspring continue to be discriminated against under diversity programs. Why don't they get special consideration? Let's face it, there are no equitable ways, racial or gender based, to make-up for past discrimination. The diversity programs haven't worked, so it's time to put an end to them NOW!
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38179
It seems pretty apparent that folks are fed up with, and sick and tired of "diversity" being rammed down their throats and other orifices. Sounds like it's time for the pro-diversity forces to come up with some alternative terminology. Maybe a government grant for that effort is in order?
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38178
bee bee, unfortunately any time you have a minority diversity program its by defination, not the best and the brightest, so yer they are mutualy exclusive. The word merit means selecting the best person for the job. Diversity means selecting someone who has minimual qualifications.
As for SES I can't pass judgement on level of diversity because to be honest I don't care. The best person should be in those jobs as with any civil serice position.
As for the postings about diversity bring in new ideas your using the wrong term. A mix of young and old. new and vetern brings in new ideas not someone's color or sex
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38176
When you see diversity in the military do you call it quotas? No, it is not referred as that but as a diverse force. When I see how many individuals give themselves to the protection of the country and the diversity in death somehow diversity in leadership becomes an applicable committment.
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38170
Diversity appointments are nothing more than doing quotas. Business and engineering acumen comes from education and experience not racial or gender backgrounds. When the educational process starts producing the numbers for diversity then the work place will start reflecting the population. I'm just waiting for the first illegal immigrant to be an SES.
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38167
What ever happened to being honest and forthright.
Diversity has a new definition these days: Favoritism toward women and any minority. The term Merit Promotion has been replaced with the word Diversity.
It already takes 9 to 15 months to get a non-minority male approved for promotion to GS-14 and above in the Defense Department.
If a minority or female is selected it takes 1 to 4 months to get approved. Great idea to get another bottle neck "Panel" established to encourage canidates to apply. No wonder the current generation of non-minority young folks don't apply for employment in the US Government.
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38165
The agency I work for has been committed to diversity and what they have is unqualified managers that have made a mess of this office. When you worry about the diversity issue you lose quality in the leadership roles. I'm for diversity but individuals qualified for the positions must come first! It looks good on paper but lets get real, it doesnt work in real life. As previously stated some of these agencies are overrun with minorities in supervisory positions. The only thing the agency cares about is what it looks like on paper.
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38163
You want diversity? Just look at the Middle East. Diversity causes WAR. Are you sure you would not prefer UNITY?
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38157
The best and the brightest usually is defined as their best friends and colleagues. To address if minorities are not available, what is the bureau to do? This is a blatant discrimination based on the statistical data that most minorities do not have a PHD. Your bureau knows this, but choses this criteria to wing out minorities. For these reasons and many more like it is why our Federal Government has to work so hard for diversity programs.
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38149
I would be interested to see what the "minority" representation in government jobs really is. For example, in the Navy, the active duty workforce is actually MORE diverse than the population as a whole and in the enlisted force it is much, much more diverse than the population as a whole. In the enlisted force of the Navy (and likely the whole military), the only under reprepresented group is caucasian males...really. As for GLBT folks re: an earlier comment, how would the government know? Ask? Spy in your bedroom? Do the same people that don't want the government to "spy" on possible terrorists now want us to ID citizens by sexual preference? Talk about intrusion...wow.
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38148
These "experts" need to talk to EEOC, which no longer uses the word "minorities." An agency can have good representation of one group but not of another; they need to be aware of these differences so they can address them. Lumping all non-Whites together as "minorities" defeats the purpose of efforts to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity. Also, White women have a low participation rate and so do people with severe disabilities.
In some agencies, Hispanics, WHite women, and people with severe disabilities are the ONLY groups with low participation rates. So it depends on the agency, but most have no clue how to analyze their workforce data.
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38132
To agree with poster "abbey"; Diversity Divides, it NEVER unites! Someone should bury that dumb mantra from the '70's, and start looking at people as individuals, not pigeonhole them into racial, gender, or age groups. Of course, a lot of statisticians would then have to rework their tedious studies, guess it won't happen soon.
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38107
"In the long run, the world is going to have the best, and any difference in race, religion, or previous history will not long keep the world from what it wants." Booker T. Washington, circa 1901.
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38100
They need to stop using the word "minority," for starters. As Ron said, people with disabilities (I would amend that to people with severe disabilites) are under represented. Also, White women are very under represented in the Federal government, compared to the CLF.
But the issue that (I hope) the "experts" are trying to get the government to look at is one of balance. If you have a group of people (of any race/origin/gender/disability status) who are well represented in your workforce but who are rarely, if ever, selected for the senior pay grades and SES positions, the agency creates the appearance of discrimination and would have a hard time proving that it does not discriminate.
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38068
The whole idea behind performance-based work evaluations is to score employees on measurable behavior. Shouldn't we hire and promote based on demonstrated performance? I say we should diversify out all the politically correct idiots that think skilled white males should become extinct.
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38062
Discrimination and racism are rampant in some federal agencies in Hawaii.
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38057
Diversity is divisive only if those who are doing the discussing are dismissive.
Seriously folks, get rid of the talking points and cutesy slogans and think about what you are saying.
We all work for the government, a government of the people, for the people and by the people. Maybe a government composed of different kinds of people would do a better job at coming up with acceptable solutions for such a broad-based constituency than a government composed of, say, only direct descendants of Mayflower pilgrims.
A diversity of life experiences generally leads to a diversity of ideas and many different ways of thinking. And -- assuming you have good managers to guide the process -- those diverse ideas can be leveraged to come up with better solutions than a group of like-minded people might otherwise have come up with. Of course you have to have good managers or else the process can easily be taken over by the most vocal (or most powerful or most privileged or most protected or most tenured) group -- and it's this maybe that creates divisiveness.
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38037
Dan, Dan, Dan. We can always count on you for an off-the-wall comment.
Can you honestly say with a straight face that minorities are "overrepresented" in the SES ranks, for instance?
And who's to say that these "overrepresented" minorities that already work in government are not among the "best and the brightest"? Why Dan, if I didn't know better I would think that you're trying to imply that the two are mutually exclusive.
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38035
If by diversity, you mean the best qualified! I'm all for it!
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38023
I don't think you really want comments on this. Just keep shoving this crap down our throats.
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38022
This is wonderful news. What about the inclusion of the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) minority? Based on studies by the Williams Institute derived from census data demonstrate that this minority is prevalent. When are they going to get the same considerations? Every government organization must provide statistics pertaining to all the other minorities hiring levels and within specific grades/ levels, but the LGBT community is completely left out. Even the governments of South Africa as well as most of the European nations are more respectful of their LGBT citizens. When is the Federal government going to do the same? Some of the best programmers/ scientists that were/ are Federal employees as an example are LGBT. Not having these talents available to the government would have severely hurt our technological standing in the world. LGBT also have families and deserve e the abilities to share their benefits just like their heterosexual counterparts. When will domestic partnerships and civil unions be treated based on State law the same way common law 'marriage' is treated by the Federal government. Why is LGBT community fully taxed, but less than adequately represented at these discussions?
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37999
How ludicrous, minorities are already OVER represented in the government. Now we will guarntee that the best and brightest will no longer need apply
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37996
It's probably unlikely that any meaningful change will be made until after the November 2008 Election results. Unfortunately, the agencies (and the US public) suffer because the department/agency leadership teams are not reflective or representative of the country it is supposed to serve. Also, while you do see women and some small numbers of minority women coming to the leadership table, did someone forget that there are large numbers of highly qualified minority males that should be included in the merit-based mix, as well? Finally, whether the Administration is Republican, Democratic, or Independent, the leadership within the Executive Branch should include individuals with diverse political affiliations to keep the level of "group think" under control. Just a thought.....
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37995
So when are we going to start treating the Irish fairly?
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37992
Listen everyone, diversity, in and of itself is not necessarily a good thing. There are many in our government that see this idea as the latest glad fad to "improve" government. I am afraid that there are some groups that have promoted this idea to forward their own agenda labeling anyone who opposes it as "racist", "biased", or whatever. What really needs to be promoted is equal access and equal opportunity at all levels of government. If we start choosing our leaders based on race, gender, or religion, etc., then we may very well be cheating ourselves. My former supervisor was a Hispanic female who thankfully got the job because she was the best qualified. In our program, she is still the best we have and she is very good! So, for value to the program and to the citizens of this country, and to the cohesiveness of our crew, this person's gender and race is irrelevant. Perhaps that is what the diversity crowd wants, but it just seems like their emphasis is in the wrong place. I believe Dr. King was correct when he envisioned an America that judges an individual by their merits and character and not by the color of their skin or their gender or any other outward appearance.
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37986
This article is timely. I have worked for the federal government for 31 years. I have several college degrees. I have bid on several GS-14 positions over the years; was placed on the Best Qualified List many times;and for some reason, I am NEVER skilled enough to be chosen even when I am performing the job of the position. We have no Black Females in IT Positions that are a GS-14. I question this all the time with my Management. They always have a reason why I was not good enough. It would be nice to insist that Managers use objective criteria, instead of subjective criteria which seems to always lead to a friend, a male, or a white female getting the GS-14's at my Agency.
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37985
Those hired should be the best the agency can hire. Period. Even if it means (gasp!) hiring a (are you ready?)...a WHITE male. Yes. A white male. Diversity just Divides when it is used to hire inferior help. Ohnly when this numbers game of diversity ends and people are hired on their own merit, will discrimination end.
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37983
Will this new diverstiy initiative include disabled employees I wonder? Seems like these diversity issues always revolve around females and minorities when in fact disabled employees are the most under-represented of all within the high grades and SES and the Joke-Of-The-Day is that the Government is supposed to be a "model employer" of the disabled
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37973
How about first defining "diversity"? If the three person panel is to be made up of diverse people, why are we limiting two of the choices to one woman and one racial minority? Is that their definition of diverse? What about the wheelchair bound, the obese, the left handed, the hearing impaired, etc? Diversity should mean diverse. OBTW, always hire the most qualified person you can.
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37972
Diversity Divides. Government agencies should be hiring the best they can get regardless of color. Otherwise, Goverenment will water down and then get dumbed down. Look at USDA.
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37968
This bill is long over due! I work with human capital and hold Federal agencies accountable for alignment of performance plans and Diversity. One would think that the agency that oversees the PMA and these types of issues would be the model or show best practice but instead we face the same disconnect when it comes to minority performance ratings vs their counterparts that are white.
I applaud the government for atleast looking into this and hope it makes an impact. Based on Ronald Stroman of GAO facts he reported on disparities in promotion and performance ratings the truth is no backed by facts
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37967
Where is the discussion that has to do with qualifications? This smells like the failed quota systems of the 1980's. Opportunities for advancement should be gender and color-blind and based solely on performance and results.
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37966
Within the bureau I used to work for, a minimum of a phD is generally required for employment. However, within the pipeline, starting with undergraduates at universities across the country, minorities literally constitute only a handful of students. If minorities are not available, what is the bureau to do? It is very well to set goals and objectives but if the source of employees, even at entry level do not exist, the goals and objectives are meaningless.
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