Diversity and Equal Opportunity Board Meeting Minutes
Date: May 31, 2006
Time: 9am-11 am
Location: Jack Boyd
Committee Room (Building 200)
Board Members Present: Pete Worden, Chris Christensen, Paul Davis, Dana Bolles, Orlando Santos, Eric Kristich, Laura Doty, David Morse, Joan McCullough, Sally Mauldin, Mike Liu, Tom Edwards, Eugene Tu, Lewis Braxton III, Michael Dudley, Adriana Cardenas, Steven Zornetzer, Maureen Sarjeant,
Others Present: Darlene Gross, Ruth Marlaire, Brett Vu, Carolina Blake, Byron Kunisawa, Leticha Hawkins, Barbara Miller, Gabriella Gannon Avila, Pepsi Phounrath, Deborah Strine
Steven Zornetzer began the meeting at approximately 9:05am.
Introduction
The meeting began with a brief introduction by the new Ames Center Director, Pete Worden.
Diversity
Sub-Committee Status Report by
Carolina Blake introduced herself as the Diversity Sub-Committee Co-Chair along with Steve Zornetzer. Blake indicated that in December of 2005, the Diversity Sub-Committee after intensive Diversity Leadership Training presented their recommendations to senior management via the Diversity and Equal Opportunity Board (DEOB). During that meeting the DEOB agreed that the subcommittee should develop the Ames Diversity Plan and ensure involvement from both senior management and the Diversity Leadership Alumni. Blake explained that the timeline for the implementation of the Diversity Plan would be over the next 3 years. The plan will encompass 4 categories: Action, Awareness, Assessment, and Accountability. Each category has a designated work team lead. Blake introduced Leticha Hawkins as the Team Lead for Awareness.
Awareness Team Status
Report as presented by Team Lead, Leticha Hawkins
Leticha Hawkins stated that the Awareness Team is responsible
for developing the awareness component of the Diversity Plan and this would prepare
to make the Center aware of diversity principles. The Awareness Team is concerned with
effective communication of diversity principles and policies at the Center,
effective communication of mission statement and business case, and educating
the
Assessment Team Status
Report as presented by Team Lead, Ruth Marlaire
Ruth Marlaire indicated that the Assessment Team’s goal was
to provide the DEOB Subcommittee periodic assessments of how the NASA Ames
workforce defines, exhibits awareness off, and supports Center diversity. Marlaire indicated that doing this would
include establishing baselines and conducting periodic assessments of NASA Ames
workforce’s understanding and definition of Diversity, awareness of Diversity,
support for the Center’s Diversity Program.
Marlaire stated that Satern was a tool that already existed and that
this tool could be used as a tool to collect data and provide assessment. She stated that there should also be a tool
customized specifically to
Action Team Status
Report as presented by Team Lead, Mike Liu
Mike Liu mentioned that this team wanted to make sure that they understood their role with respect to the diversity plan development effort. He stated that the Action Team will begin to work with the other teams and that they will identify products and actions which the Action Team will then implement. Liu stated that the long term role of the Action team as the Diversity plan is implemented would be to monitor the actions and maintain/report the status of actions to the DEOB.
Accountability Team
Status Report as presented by Team Lead, Darlene Gross
Darlene Gross presented the Accountability Team’s proposed Accountability component for the ARC Diversity Plan. The goal is to establish a long range process for organizational culture change to promote inclusion, improve employee access to career opportunities, encourage the demonstration of management commitment to diversity, promote investment in avenues to enhance employee retention, and ensure success of diversity initiatives in the future. The objectives of the goal are focused on the following key areas: Leadership, Training/Career Development, Retention, Outreach, and Performance.
Steve Zornetzer suggested that another measure of accountability is to see whether or not Center Organizations demonstrate a change in their hiring procedures and recruitment. Zornetzer stated that looking to see how aggressive we are in actually seeking groups from different cultures is a way to change things. Carolina Blake stated that the next steps for the group between June and September 2006 include the integration of the 4 elements, the preparation of a draft of the Diversity Plan for presentation to the DEOB, and the identification of potential implementation costs of the plan. Zornetzer mentioned that there are lots of demands on FY06 money and that the sooner the group can give an estimate for the need of resources, the sooner it can be approved.
MD-715 Status/Review
as presented by Byron Kunisawa
Byron introduced himself as the coordinator for the MD-715 report. He mentioned that what appears to be missing from the DEOB is a clear rationale that what the board is doing now is different than what it was before. Diversity has now been added to the name. In addition, he stated that a missing link is the belief that change is possible and that change is positive. Kunisawa went over the Strategic Implementation Plan for MD-715 drafted on 10-19-05. He stated that he is looking at the board for leadership. He stated that another missing link from MD-715 is accountability. Kunisawa mentioned that he would like to use a DEOB work group to address MD-715. He then went over Part I Barriers 1-4. He stated that he would like to connect MD-715 to the Diversity Plan. Steve Zornetzer asked the DEOB for a sub-committee for MD-715. The following individuals volunteered to be on the sub-committee: Laura Doty, Dana Bolles, David Morse, Tom Edwards, Joan McCullough.
Zornetzer asked that the DEOB reconvene no later than one month from today’s date. The next meeting was tentatively set for June 28, 2006.
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 10:40 am.
Minutes submitted by, Gabriella Gannon Avila