Diversity and Equal Opportunity Board Meeting Minutes

 

 

 

Date: July 13, 2006

Time: 1:00 pm-3:00pm

Location: Jack Boyd Committee Room, N-200

 

 

Board Members/Alternates Present: Mike George, Dora Herrera, Kevin Jones, Angela Phillips Diaz, Michael Dudley, Eugene Tu, Steve Zornetzer, Adriana Cardenas, Chuck Duff, Eric Kristich, Laura Doty, Sally Mauldin, Deborah Feng, Mike Liu, Brett Vu, Dana Bolles, Maricela Davis, Maureen Sarjeant

 

Others Present: Leticha Hawkins, Byron Kunisawa, Carolina Blake, Gabriella Gannon Avila, Barbara Miller, Deborah Strine, Pepsi Phounrath

 

Welcome/Approval of the Minutes-Steve Zornetzer

Steven Zornetzer began the meeting at approximately 1:15 PM.  The minutes from the previous meeting on May 31, 2006 were approved by the Board.

 

HQ-Mandated Information-Adriana Cardenas

Adriana Cardenas reported that HQ had sent to all NASA Centers brochures that further explain Title VII, Title VI and EEO laws.  The brochures were handed out to all Board members.  The first brochure relates to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973—Comparable Access for Individuals with Disabilities to NASA Information and Electronic Technology.  Section 508 requires all Federal agencies to make electronic and information technology developed, procured, maintained, or used by the agencies accessible to Federal employees and members of the public with disabilities.  The second brochure was regarding Executive Order 13160-Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity in NASA conducted Education and Training Programs and Activities.  The Third brochure was regarding Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964-Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity in NASA-Assisted Programs and Activities. Under Federal civil rights law, all recipients of NASA financial assistance are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age.  Steve Zornetzer suggested that the brochures should not only be handed out to Org Directors, but that they should be made available to the entire Center.  Cardenas agreed to contact HQ to ask for additional copies for the Center.

 

Diversity Session-Byron Kunisawa

Byron Kunisawa passed out 3 items that included information on Diversity.  He began his presentation by going over the differences between EEO and Diversity.  The first document entitled Organization Barriers and Bias reviewed barriers and biases in the workforce that impede the successful participation of diverse employees and spoke of the need for a Diversity initiative.  The second handout was an example of the Mission statement of a Diversity Council.  Kunisawa explained that a mission statement/purpose was critical to the success of a group like the DEOB.  The third handout entitled “The Equity Continuum” showed 6 levels of an organization in recognizing Diversity.  Kunisawa asked the group to look at all levels and figure out where Ames fits into the categories.  Kunisawa expressed some concern that some members of the DEOB were not attending all of the meetings on a consistent basis but rather sending representatives.  Zornetzer assured Kunisawa that the representation at the DEOB was quite good given the heavy travel schedules of most of the managers.

 

MD 715 Status/Review-Byron Kunisawa

Kunisawa went over the Center Self-Assessment (Part G) of the MD-715 report.  He then referred to the 2005 ARC MD 715 Strategic Implementation Plan.  A discussion was held about the meaning of some of the wording within the plan.  A suggestion was made that the MD-715 Sub-Committee refine the implementation plan for the new fiscal year 06.  Angela Diaz suggested using a wiring plan to connect all the components of the report with each other.  Kunisawa agreed to meet with the subcommittee prior to the next DEOB meeting in order to work on this item. 

 

Update on Budget for Diversity Plan-Carolina Blake

Carolina Blake reported on the Diversity Budget Plan.  She stated that the Diversity Plan was awarded a total of 100K to be implemented throughout the next 3 years.  She stated that the budget was divided as follows: Awareness Team-$25K, Assessment Team-$40K, Accountability Team-$0.00, Action Team-$25K, and Other-$10K.  Blake mentioned that as of the end of September, her role in the Diversity Plan would end and that the Center would need to identify a Project Manager to lead the Diversity Effort.  Zornetzer asked Blake to be in charge of identifying this individual.  Blake agreed but asked that Adriana Cardenas and Byron Kunisawa be part of the selection process.

 

Other Items

Dana Bolles announced to the group that there was currently a proposal for a $40-million dollar building to be built at Ames without an elevator.  She expressed concern as to what kind of message that would send to the Center about Diversity and individuals with disabilities.  A discussion regarding this issue followed.  The board agreed that this would send the wrong message.  David Morse was designated as the appropriate individual to relay this information to the appropriate parties.

 

Sally Mauldin asked who was most appropriate to send to the DEOB meetings in the case of her absence—her deputy or another attorney?  Zornetzer replied that he would like to keep the representation at a high-level and therefore a Deputy was most appropriate.

 

Next DEOB Meeting Date/Adjournment

Zornetzer indicated that it would be more effective to meet on a monthly basis given the amount of action items for the group.  Thus, from here on and until further notice, the DEOB meetings will be held monthly.  The next DEOB meeting will take place on Thursday, August 17th. 

 

 

 

ACTIONS

 

  1. Adriana Cardenas to inquire into obtaining more brochures from HQ to distribute to the entire Center.
  2. Byron Kunisawa and the MD-715 Subcommittee to refine the implementation plan.
  3. Carolina Blake to identify a new Diversity project Manager prior to her leaving her role as Diversity Co-Chair.
  4. David Morse to relay the message to the appropriate parties that the new building proposal should include an elevator and/or a ramp or some form of access for individuals with disabilities. 

 

 

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 2:40 pm

Minutes submitted by Gabriella Gannon Avila