Welcome to News and Notes, our online journal of selected articles related to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management (OEODM) celebrations, events, and topics of interest to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) community.

DIRECTOR’S NOTES…

Self Celebrates Third-Year Anniversary at NIH

August 6, 2004, marked the third anniversary of Lawrence Self’s tenure at NIH as the Director of OEODM. “Its been a quick three years since I started, and I can say, I still feel the same level of excitement as I did when I first set foot on the NIH campus,” he said. “I remember the first few weeks spending time to learn about the NIH culture, the names of all the ICs (and the shorthand for each), as well as the operation of the NIH EEO and Diversity Management programs."

Since becoming the Director, Mr. Self has focused on providing quality and timely customer service to the institutes and centers (ICs), since it is the guiding principle of the work that OEODM performs. One of his first requests to the OEODM staff was to ask them to concentrate their individual and collective activities around the five components of the OEODM mission:

• Develop equal employment opportunity (EEO) and diversity policies and programs for the NIH
• Provide EEO and diversity leadership and guidance to the ICs
• Assist in assuring that all NIH policies, programs, functions, and activities comply with Federal EEO statutes, laws, and regulations
• Develop and manage EEO, affirmative employment, and workforce diversity programs
• Foster an environment that respects the diversity of the entire workforce, and provide opportunities for employees to contribute to fulfilling the NIH mission

Mr. Self added: “The OEODM Reorganization Project has taken a lot of time and effort in planning and coordinating the various pieces of the program, and I see a great deal of potential resulting from the consolidation process. I’m convinced that this effort will pay off in a stronger EEO and diversity management program for NIH and the ICs and will result in a better workplace environment for its employees and fewer complaints of discrimination.”

Mr. Self indicated that he still is somewhat surprised at the number of meetings he must attend daily, but knows they are part of the job and are necessary to keep the lines of communication and discussion open. “Effective communication is the key to the type of work we do in OEODM and it is vital that all employees, that are either currently a part of OEODM or are projected to join OEODM under the reorganization, recognize its value,” he stated.

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Dr. Raynard Kington (front row, left) poses with Lawrence Self, Director, OEODM (back row, left)
and the staff in front of Building 1

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Around the ICs . . .

On June 30, 2004, the NIH Native American Powwow Outreach Initiative, sponsored by the Office of the Director (OD), traveled to Pembroke, North Carolina, for the 36th Annual Lumbee Homecoming. The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina resides in communities throughout Robeson, Cumberland, and Hoke Counties. The homecoming annually brings 47,000 Lumbee tribal members to Pembroke, the historic township, for a week of festivities. NIH was provided a prominently visible location for the NIH booth on the lawn of the Lumbee Regional Development Association grounds for the homecoming events.

During the group dinner on the first evening in Pembroke, Mr. Lawrence Self, Director of OEODM and the NIH Native American Powwow Outreach Initiative Team met with members of the Lumbee community. NIH was well represented by staff for the NIH Native Powwow Initiative Team—Suzanne Aubuchon, NLM; Sharrell Butler, NIDCR; Michael Chew, OD/OEODM; Lee Erlichman, NLM; George Franklin, NLM; Dawn Henderson, NIDCR; Nicole Hollis, NLM; Sandra King, NIDCR; Pierre Levermore, NLM; Pamela Oliver, NIDA; Lakota Mowrer, OD/OEODM; and Becky Tudisco, NIDDK. During the dinner, Dr. Kristi Woods, pediatrician, practicing in nearby Lumberton, spoke of the impact obesity has on her patients' health, and Mr. Gene Brayboy, a former professor at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP), discussed the pursuit of health science careers by Native American students at UNCP.  All enjoyed the opportunity for the insightful exchange of information and the regional cuisine.

On the following morning, Mr. Self and Hilda Dixon, OD EEO Officer, met with Dr. Allen C. Meadors, the Chancellor of UNCP, and Ms. Sheila Brayboy, Director of the UNCP Health Science Careers Program. Plans for a partnership with the university are being developed to include a series of lectures and workshops at UNCP addressing NIH career and training opportunities.

Later that morning, WBTW Channel 13 (CBS) interviewed Mr. Self about the NIH Native American Powwow Outreach Initiative. Ms. Lakota Mowrer, a Washington, DC, Internship for Native Students (WINS) intern was also interviewed about her experience at NIH. Mr. George Franklin (NLM) was featured discussing diabetes information found on NLM’s MedlinePlus.

The health-related promotional items provided by the NIAID, NIAMS, NLM, NIDDK, NIDCD, NICHD, NHLBI and NIDA were exceptionally educational and popular with the attendees.

NIH was the only Federal agency represented from more than 50 other vendors, and it was apparent that NIH’s presence at the homecoming was novel and welcome.

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NIH Native American Powwow Outreach Initiative at Lumbee Tribe Homecoming

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Disability Awareness Month Celebration News

U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao has selected “You’re Hired! Success Knows No Limitation!” as the official theme for October’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This year marks the 59th anniversary of Public Law 176, designating the first week of October as “National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week,” and the 14th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is a good time to reflect on the many contributions employees with disabilities make in our work place every day.

“You’re Hired! Success Knows No Limitation!” promotes the advances and resources available to enhance the skills and abilities of employees with disabilities throughout NIH. These employees represent a nontraditional pool of qualified individuals who can meet and exceed the needs of today and tomorrow’s work force. Employees with disabilities have demonstrated their skills and in concert with today’s technological advances are ready to be tapped to tackle tomorrow’s challenges in a cost-effective, high-quality manner.

This year, the NIH kicks off National Disability Employment Awareness Month with an event covering the topic, “Emergency Preparedness for People with Disabilities,” jointly sponsored by OEODM and experts from the Office of Research Services' Division of Emergency Preparedness and Coordination. The NIH celebration of Disability Awareness Month will be held on October 12, 2004, at the Natcher Conference Center from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Attendees will have the opportunity to exchange ideas and share information related to the development, implementation, and maintenance of emergency preparedness plans that involve people with disabilities. The ability to evacuate and/or find shelter during an emergency can be a daunting task for an employee with a disability and his or her supervisor. Consequently, emergency preparedness plans must address the unique needs of people with disabilities.

We hope to see you there!

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Hispanic Heritage Month Underway

This year, Hispanic Heritage Month will be nationally celebrated from September 15, 2004, through October 13, 2004. Through careful planning, this year's event is both educational and memorable. The theme is “Disease Invasion/Emergent Species,” which complements the Government’s national theme, “Hispanic Americans: Making a Difference in Our Communities and Our Nation.” The NIH-specific theme fits perfectly with how NIH research makes a difference in our communities and our Nation and highlights bioterrorism research underway at NIH.

The opening ceremony, held on September 15, 2004, featured two guest speakers, Dr. Mercedes Pascual of the University of Michigan and Dr. Carlos Castillo-Chavez of the University of Arizona. The NIH Deputy Director, Dr. Raynard Kington, opened the celebration and welcomed the guests.

Additional events during the month will include student scientific presentations, concluding with a closing event on October 13, 2004, that will feature two local Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) researchers.

Please plan to join us!

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26th Annual Blacks In Government
National Training Conference
NIH Health Awareness Symposium

The 26th Annual National Training Conference of Blacks In Government (BIG) was held on August 16–20, 2004, at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, DC. Its theme was "Promoting Knowledge, Growth, and Flexibility in a Global Government” and featured an NIH health symposium jointly sponsored by the NIH Chapter of BIG and OEODM.

The symposium, entitled “Making Health Care a Priority for African Americans,” was held on August 18, 2004, and attracted a large audience of participants eager to learn more about minority health issues. Dr. Vivian Pinn, Director of the Office of Research on Women’s Health, served as the keynote speaker and later moderated the following NIH panel of experts on minority health:

• Dr. Lauren Wood, NCI
• Dr. Vicki Cargill, Office of AIDS Research
• Dr. Regina James, NIMH
• Dr. Chad Womack, NIAID, and President of the NIH Black Scientist Association

The panel members addressed the links between health disparities and diversity in clinical trials, including the need for minority recruitment, from their perspective in their particular areas of expertise. The attendees to the symposium were treated to a lively discussion. Completing the afternoon’s activities was a discussion with Dr. Gabe Mirkin about his recent book, “The Healthy Heart Miracle, Your Road Map to Lifelong Health.” The event concluded with Dr. Mirkin signing copies of his book for interested readers.

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2004 DHHS Annual Honor Awards

The OEODM was pleased to have one of its employees chosen to receive Secretary Thompson’s Distinguished Service Award for 2004. Gary M. Morin, Program Analyst, was selected for his contributions to the Office of Civil Right’s (OCR) Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Team and the DHHS’s LEP Interagency Team project. The DHHS Honor Awards Ceremony was held on Wednesday, July 14, 2004, at the Humphrey Building’s Great Hall.

English is the predominant language of the United States, and according to the 1990 Census, is spoken by 95 percent of its residents. Of those U.S. residents who speak languages other than English at home, the 1990 Census reports that 57 percent above the age of four speak English “well to very well.” But the United States is also home to millions of national origin minority individuals who are “limited English proficient.” That is, they cannot speak, read, write, or understand the English language at a level that permits them to interact effectively with health care providers and social service agencies. Because of these language differences and their inability to speak or understand English, LEP persons are often excluded from programs, experience delays or denials of services, or receive care and services based on inaccurate or incomplete information.

With this in mind the DHHS' OCR convened a working group to attack the problem and develop strategies to overcome the barriers. The OEODM’s Gary Morin joined the OCR LEP Team and the DHHS LEP Interagency Team project, as well as participated in the Department of Justice’s Interagency Working Group on LEP. Mr. Morin brought to the groups his background in health care interpreting, as an interpreter and a trainer of interpreters. Due to these various working groups, within and across other departments and agencies, the Federal Government has become more accessible to a great many more consumers in the United States.

We will provide more on this timely topic and how the ICs are addressing this matter in the coming months.

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Equal Employment Opportunity Award of the Year

The OEODM congratulates this year’s EEO Award winners recognized at the 2004 NIH Director’s Award Ceremony held on July 22, 2004, in the Natcher Auditorium. The EEO Awards of achievement recognize superior performance or special efforts to furthering equal opportunity for all at the NIH. The awards fall into two categories: the Harvey J. Bullock, Jr., Award for Equal Opportunity Achievement open to all NIH employees whose primary duties are not specifically related to EEO; and the NIH Equal Employment Opportunity Award of the Year that recognizes significant contributions by executives, supervisors, and managers to furthering equal opportunity.

Dr. Eugene O. Major, Chief, Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Neuroscience, NINDS, received the 2004 NIH Equal Employment Opportunity Award of the Year. Dr. Major was honored for outstanding contributions and exemplary leadership in expanding opportunities for minorities to engage in state-of-the-art brain and nervous system research.

Harvey J. Bullock, Jr. Award

This year’s recipient of the Harvey J. Bullock, Jr., Award for Equal Opportunity Achievement was M. Deborah Ingram, Program Specialist, Division of Services and Intervention Research, NIMH. Ms. Ingram was honored for her visionary work as the Chair of the NIMH Employees Advisory Committee benefiting all NIMH employees and dedication to EEO at NIH.

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What Our Interns Say About NIH

Ray Emanuel

Facilitated by the Dale Ride Internship Program, Ray Emanuel spent the summer of 2004 at NIH working in OEODM as a staff member of its Minority Corporate Outreach Program (MCORP). The Dale Ride Internship Program was established in 1991 at Santa Monica College (SMC) in the memory of Ride, who taught political science and served in administrative posts at SMC for 33 years until his death in September 1989 at the age of 67. SMC students who express interest in a life of public service have been selected to be summer interns at the White House, U.S. Congress, and NIH. The Dale Ride Internship Program is underwritten by the SMC Foundation President’s Circle, Stratton-Petit Foundation, U.S. Bank, and Verizon. Interns receive stipends to cover transportation, housing, and other expenses throughout the eight-week internship.

Mr. Emanuel, a native of Burma, who grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, is a biology major and the President of SMC’s Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. He plans to attend law school after graduating. Regarding his experience at MCORP, Mr. Emanuel stated, “Working in MCORP gave me insight into how the component institutes and centers comprising NIH go about achieving their targeted goals in recruiting, hiring, mentoring, and retaining underrepresented minority scientists and senior management officers. As part of my daily work in this office, I came to appreciate the value and benefits of having a diverse workforce. Understanding that an individual’s actions, motivations, and frame of mind are the result of their background and life experiences is one of the key ingredients to being a successful manager. My internship this summer has provided me with a solid foundation on which to build a successful career.”

Lakota Mowrer

As the summer comes to an end, OEODM and NIH bid a fond farewell to Lakota Mowrer, who departs after completing an internship with the Division of Diversity, Policy, Planning and Evaluation, OEODM. Ms. Mowrer, a Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe member from South Dakota, had heard about the internship from her supervisor at the University of Notre Dame where she is a sociology major, and was accepted into the American University WINS program. (American Indian and Alaska Native students enrolled in a college or university as sophomores, juniors, seniors, or graduate students in good academic standing are eligible to apply to participate in WINS.)

Ms. Mowrer stated that her internship at the NIH has been enlightening. She admitted that when she first arrived on the campus, she was amazed at all the institutes and the magnitude of research underway. On her reservation, many of her family members had been participants in the NHLBI's Strong Heart Study. She herself had worked on the study, tracking and recruiting participants and filing records, but did not realize it was part of NIH until she met the principal investigator here. "I didn't realize the connection," she remarked.

During her internship, Ms. Mowrer gained practical skills and work experience, and participated in numerous NIH outreach activities. Highlights of her internship include serving on a discussion panel as part of the American Indian/Alaska Native Youth Initiative, escorting the visiting students on a tour of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Endocrine Lab, and joining the OD EEO Office as part of the NIH Native American Powwow Outreach Initiative on a four-day trip to the Lumbee Tribe Reunion in North Carolina. For two weeks of her internship, she was assigned to the Office of Science Education. She reviewed one of the office's curriculum supplements and provided feedback on how to make it more culturally relevant for Native Americans. She also joined OSE staff at a local high school to see how the supplement was used in the classroom and how the students responded to it.

“Growing up on the reservation, you don’t view the Government very well. You go to the Federal hospitals and see the health disparities and wonder why no one is doing anything about it. After coming here, I realize that something is being done,” she stated. “I’m going to make sure my tribe appreciates what NIH does, because it’s very important,” she added.

Ms. Mowrer plans to complete her studies at Notre Dame and continue in her other roles there as the President of the Native American Student Association and the President of the Rodeo Club. She is considering law school after graduating. “I want to be involved in Native American policy, and work on issues that affect our people such as suicide, alcoholism, and domestic abuse,” she remarked. She hopes to return to NIH next summer.

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Women of DHHS Share Success: NIH Leads Agency Participation at the Federally Employed Women's National Training Program

The DHHS agency forum, "Sharing Our Success at One HHS," at the Federally Employed Women’s (FEW) National Training Program in Nashville, Tennessee was an amazing success. This site served as the temporary duty station for the women of DHHS, on July 20, 2004, who wanted to address the issues of quality of work life, women’s health, career development, and mentoring in the department. The forum served to share successes and as a venue in which to stimulate thinking, advance new ideas, deal with obsolete trends and techniques related to career development and advancement, reconfigure component programs, and add new emphasis to program areas that have long been neglected. The forum was planned by volunteers from the NIH and OPDIVs. Rose Pruitt, the Federal Women's Program manager, was Chair of the Planning Committee.

Meeting participants representing a cross-section of HHS include (from l) Rose Pruitt and Larry Self of NIH; Palmeda Taylor of the Indian Health Service; HHS deputy assistant director for health Dr. Wanda Jones; Deborah Kallgren of FDA; Angela Washington of the Health Resources and Services Administration; Sandra Haldane of IHS; Yvonne Greene of CDC; and Alisa Green of NIH.

Mr. Lawrence N. Self, Director, OEODM, at NIH provided introductory remarks, noting that over half the department’s workforce is comprised of women. Further, he set the stage for the discussion by reaffirming his own support for the Federal Women’s Program at NIH as one of OEODM’s program priorities.

Forum participants were empowered by keynoters, Dr. Wanda Jones, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, DHHS, and Dr. Yvonne Maddox, Deputy Director, NICHD. Employees from NIH, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the Indian Health Service participated by presenting their agency’s programs. Presenters and panelists proffered program priorities for the upcoming year. Some thought the focus should be on quality of work life issues, such as improving lactation rooms and workout spaces, while others thought the additional focus should be placed on improving mentoring and career development. As to women’s health, the consensus was to have enough information on prevention and intervention to facilitate self-determination with regard to health concerns such as obesity, heart disease, menopause, HIV/AIDS, or depression.

The forum ended with many solid resolves, and all agreed to do what can be done to make a positive difference.

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NIH EEO Community Receives Management Directive 715 Training

As a result of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC's) issuance of its new Management Directive (MD) 715, representatives from the commission came to the NIH campus on July 27 and September 9 to provide an all-day, in-depth training session. Approximately 60 members of the NIH EEO community, including several invited staff members from other EEO offices in three sister operating divisions (OPDIVs), FDA, HRSA, and the DHHS Program Support Center attended and heard first-hand about the guidance.

The new MD, “Equal Employment Opportunity,” provides policy guidance and standards to Federal agencies and departments for establishing and maintaining effective affirmative EEO programs as required under Section 717 of Title VII, as well as effective affirmative action programs under Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act. The guidance is posted on the EEOC Web site at http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/md715/index.html.

MD 715 outlines program requirements and responsibilities, including the following elements necessary for a model Federal agency EEO program:

• Demonstrated commitment from agency leadership
• Integration of EEO into the agency’s strategic mission
• Management and program accountability
• Proactive prevention of unlawful discrimination
• Efficiency
• Responsiveness and legal compliance

After listening to the lecture portion of the training, the participants were separated into work groups. They were then given real-life workplace situations and asked to conduct barrier analysis and determine the cause and effect of certain employment practices on various segments of an imaginary Federal agency’s work force. Later, the groups were tasked with developing a meaningful plan, with action items, designed to address and eliminate those barriers to equal employment.

This training was well received by the participants and provided them with a basic understanding of the new EEOC affirmative employment plan development and reporting requirements. It also provided an opportunity for the prospective members of the soon-to-be reconfigured OEODM team to come together in a collegial learning and working environment.

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OEODM Reorganization on Track

NOTE: DHHS EEO OPDIV Restructuring Initiative: Currently, the HHS EEO Restructuring Initiative has been temporarily placed on hold. However, the department has given NIH approval to continue restructuring its EEO and Diversity Programs.

The OEODM Restructuring Implementation Plan (Plan) responds to the President’s Management Agenda, the DHHS Secretary’s goal for a “Singular Department,” and NIH’s Administrative Restructuring Advisory Committee (ARAC) mandate to consolidate the EEO programs within OEODM and 27 ICs by October 1, 2004.

Since October 2003, the OEODM Restructuring Team made up of IC EEO Officers, OEODM management staff, representatives from the Office of Human Resources, the National Academy of Public Administration, the Office of Management Assessment, and the Chair of the NIH Diversity Council have been working closely to develop a Plan that would reduce duplication of effort and standardize NIH’s equal employment and diversity management programs. The Plan was designed to consolidate the NIH EEO programs being carried out by OEODM and the 27 ICs into a new organization made up of the Immediate Office of the Director and four components: (1) Division of Policy, Planning, Programs and Diversity Management; (2) Division of Program Evaluation; (3) Division of IC Services; and, (4) Division of Complaints Management. The new organization is projected to have a total staffing level of 75 FTEs. Restructuring was not seen as an effort to downsize or reduce FTEs, but a means to better apply the skills and abilities of the current staff. Restructuring may mean additional training and assignment of staff into positions that support the OEODM mission. In developing the Plan, the team was committed to ensuring that everyone had a job and kept his or her current grade. In considering how best to restructure, the team spent considerable time and effort meeting with various NIH components, Executive Officers, NIH Ombudsman, and members of the EEO community to solicit their recommendations. Based on these meetings, the team has developed a restructuring plan that is intended to accomplish the following:

• Identify the functions that will transfer from the ICs to the new OEODM organization.
• Identify potential IC functional transition issues and potential strategies for dealing with these issues.
• Transition the workforce in a manner consistent with NIH policies and procedures.
• Identify skills, competencies, and plans for developmental opportunities to prepare staff for the possibility of new roles and responsibilities within the OEODM organization.
• Identify the appropriate staffing and training to assist in a smooth transition from a decentralized to a centralized EEO/diversity organization.
• Effectively communicate the impact, scope, and timing of the transition.
• Consider cultural changes.
• Ensure fairness and equity throughout the transition process.

In addition to regular meetings with the OEODM Steering Committee, ARAC, and NIH’s leadership, the team has conducted the following briefings with the following groups to discuss and solicit recommendations:

• Separate briefings with an IC EEO Officer and Executive Officer participating
• NIH EEO Community All Hands Retreat—May 25, 2004
• NIH Office of the Ombudsman staff

Thus far, the team has developed the following documents:

• A new OEODM organizational chart and functional statements that consolidate OEODM and the 27 IC EEO and Diversity Programs into an OEODM office composed of an OD and three divisions.
• IC Functions List—functions that come to the new OEODM and those that stay in the ICs.
• A proposed staffing plan—top–down approach for staffing the new organization.
• Space, FTE, and budget requests.
• Implementation of a Restructuring Communications Strategy and Restructuring Web site.
• Implementation Timeline—The current goal for implementation of the new OEODM is October 1, 2004 (Phase I—paper transfer of all IC EEO FTEs and Budget). The actual logistical changes will occur over a 1–year transition period (staff, offices, files, phones, etc.).

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We welcome your ideas and comments about how we may make our News and Notes better. Please forward your input to John Gimperling, OEODM. He may be reached by telephone, (301) 594-3282, TTY (301) 480-3122, or by email, gimperlj@od.nih.gov.

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