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Asian American/Pacific Islander Employment Strategic Plan
Table of Contents
Section I - Introduction
Section II - Enhance Recruitment & Hiring
Practices
Section III - Improve Retention
Section IV - Disseminate Accurate & Compelling
Information About Training & Development
Opportunities
Section V - Monitor & Ensure
Accountability
Section VI - FY 2002/2003 Goals
I. Introduction
Federal Agencies are being challenged to lead our Nation into the
21st Century by building a highly skilled and well-trained Federal
work force that looks like America. NIH is committed to building
a talented work force that is representative of the Nation's diversity
and which utilizes the skills of all employees in serving the American
public.
More and more, NIH finds itself competing with private industry
to attract skilled employees to fulfill its mission in environmental
science and technology research. By tapping the talents of our increasingly
diverse communities, NIH is building a stronger foundation for itself
and the Nation.
One of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management's
(OEODM) highest priorities has been to undertake a serious effort
to strengthen the NIH's work force and management capabilities while
addressing work force diversity issues. On April 4, 2001, the Acting
Director of the NIH announced the NIH Policy on Diversity Management
and directed the NIH to build and manage a talented and diverse
work force. Under this policy, NIH managers have an opportunity
and responsibility to address the longstanding under representation
and underutilization of Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders (AAPI)
in its work force - especially in senior management and scientific
positions.
This Asian American/Pacific Islander
Employment Strategic Plan (AAPIESP) is tied to the overall NIH Policy
on Diversity Management. The Diversity Management Strategic Plan
and the AAPIESP will be institutionalized in all facets of NIH operations.
Through this plan the NIH is seeking to build relationships with
Asian American/Pacific Islander communities and engage them in the
NIH's vast scientific, technical, and research operations. The plan
calls for strengthening the NIH's outreach activities in a comprehensive
effort to promote partnership opportunities with the Asian American/Pacific
Islander community in three critical areas: employment, education,
and biomedical research.
This plan has been developed to address and assist in reversing
the under representation and underutilization of Asian American/Pacific
Islanders at the NIH. The plan seeks to recruit talented candidates
from outside the NIH; retain, promote, develop current employees;
and create a pipeline for addressing current and future work force
needs.
This plan is challenging, manageable, measurable, and consistent
with and supportive of the NIH's Affirmative Employment Plan (AEP).
The AAPI community needs total commitment from all managers and
employees to meet its goals and objectives.
The successful accomplishment of the OEODM's goals is predicated
on three strategic actions:
- Creating effective working partnerships with both internal
and external organizations in order to correct the under representation
and underutilization of AAPIs at the NIH.
- Communicating the successes and activities of the AAPI community
across all sectors of the NIH community to focus attention on
issues surrounding their employment at the NIH.
- Make management aware of the barriers to senior level positions
and launch an effort to put in place active recruitment and retention
initiatives.
II. Enhance Recruitment & Hiring Practices
- Provide in-depth analyses of current entry-level intern programs
designed to develop a diverse groups of professional, administrative,
and scientific trainees.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Create a portfolio of placement and
intern programs by end of Quarter IV - FY 2002.
- Promote increased recruitment at the GS-5 and GS-7 level for
positions covered by the Luevano*
consent decree and use the Outstanding Scholar and Bi-lingual/Bi-cultural
hiring authorities as a supplemental authority with competitive
examining.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Identify recruitment opportunities
trans-NIH by the end of Quarter III - FY 2002.
*Under the Luevano decree, Outstanding Scholar
Program provision, agencies may directly hire, without regard
to a list of eligible (except for displaced Federal employees),
college graduates who obtained a grade point average of 3.5 or
higher on a 4.0 scale for all undergraduate courses completed
toward a baccalaureate degree, or who stand in the upper 10% of
a baccalaureate graduating class (or of major university subdivision
such as the college or arts or sciences). Engineering and science
positions (e.g., 801/1301) are not covered under this provision.
- Research NIH recruitment strategies used to target Asian American/Pacific
Islander through professional organizations (e.g., Asians in Science
Magazine), and colleges and universities (e.g., the University).
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Create an AAPI employment communications
plan and initiate dialogue with a minimum of four major AAPI publications
and organizations by end of Quarter III - FY 2002.
- Ensure that the requirement in vacancy announcements and the
language in ranking factors are not restrictive or biased in nature;
areas of consideration are broadened, where possible and review
"status only" requirement.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Review vacancy announcement language
and procedures by end of Quarter IV - FY 2002.
- Initiate dialogue to establish long-term relationships with
AAPI organizations and advocacy groups, e.g., FAPAC, OCA and AAPI
professional organizations.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Initiate dialogue and secure agreements
with a minimum of three AAPI organizations by end of Quarter III
- FY 2002.
- Identify and target three institutions that graduate a significant
number of AAPIs with degrees that meet NIH job needs. Partner
with these institutions to identify ten graduates who qualify
for Outstanding Scholar appointments to be interviewed for positions
at NIH.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Develop list of viable candidates
by end of Quarter IV - FY 2002.
- Identify existing High School Intern/Apprentice Programs that
prepare students for jobs and careers in the NIH and create awareness
of these programs among local school systems.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Develop partnerships with three local
school systems and secure their participation in existing NIH
internship/apprenticeship programs by end of Quarter III - FY
2002.
- Develop NIH recruitment and career planning presentations/workshops
for AAPI institutions and organizations.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Develop a prototype by end of Quarter
IV - FY 2002.
- Develop a AAPI Recruitment Calendar that lists educational and
professional organizations, dates, and target audience.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Develop prototype by end of IV Quarter.
Senior-Level Employment (GS-14 and above)
- Review SES search and placement procedures and ensure effective
outreach tools are utilized to actively recruit qualified AAPI
candidates for senior-level position.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Make recommendations to Office of
Human Resources Management and IC Directors for correcting any
deficiencies by end of Quarter IV - FY 2002.
- Create awareness among NIH recruitment personnel about the
wide variety of AAPI recruitment sources that can yield potential
SES applicants (e.g., National Association of Asian American/Pacific
Islander Federal Executives, Society of Asian American Pacific
Islander Engineers, etc.)
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Initiate dialogue for the purpose of ensuring
a pool of qualified applicants, with a minimum of four AAPI executive-level
organizations by end of Quarter III - FY 2002.
- Create awareness among high-potential NIH AAPI employees of
SES opportunities.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Create SES awareness campaign by
end of Quarter IV - FY 2002.
- Create awareness among NIH AAPI employees of existing executive/leadership
training programs.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Review AAPI participation data for
executive training programs by the end of Quarter IV - FY 2002.
- Identify and promote awareness of government-wide and NIH executive
development training programs among high-potential AAPI candidates
in order to increase opportunities for inclusion in SES selection
pools.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Create an awareness campaign by end of Quarter
IV - FY 2002.
- Inform NIH minority employee groups and other Federal government
AAPI Employment Program Managers (AAPIPMs) about hiring and promotion
opportunities and utilize their networks for identifying qualified
candidates for senior positions.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management, in coordination with National Council of
AAPIs Employment Program Managers.
Completion: Secure membership to national AAPI Council
Employment Program Managers by end of Quarter I - FY 2003.
- Ensure that EEO Officers report their participation in NIH-administered
Executive Resources Boards, performance Review Boards, Qualification
Review Boards, and SES Selection Panels.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Review procedures on board and panel selection
and make suggestions to correct any deficiencies by end of Quarter
III - FY 2002.
- Ensure that IC Affirmative Action Plans contain goals to address
under representation within the IC's work force. Monitor implementation
of actions designed to achieve results.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Ongoing in Annual AAP.
III. Improve Retention
- Review IC's internal employment practices undertaken to retain
AAPI employees (e.g., use of retention bonuses, awards, promotions,
etc.)
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Review retention data and make suggestions
to correct any deficiencies by end of Quarter IV - FY 2002.
- Review exit interview procedures, questionnaires, and data for
AAPI employees and make recommendations for improvement.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Review existing procedures, questionnaires,
and data by end of Quarter I - FY 2003.
IV. Disseminate Accurate & Compelling
Information about Training & Development Opportunities
- Review NIH Asian American/Pacific Islander employee participation
in existing skill-building training programs, conferences, and
seminars.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Review AAPIs participation data for training
program by end of Quarter III - FY 2002.
- Promote awareness among NIH AAPI employees of opportunities
to compete for managerial, executive, and upward mobility training
(e.g., SES Candidate School, Federal Executive Institute, and
the executive potential program).
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Review procedures for advertising and notifying
employees about opportunities and make suggestions to correct
any deficiencies by end of Quarter I - FY 2002.
- Review NIH nomination process among AAPI and other employees
(GS-6 through GS-13) for participation in leadership, and executive
potential programs and other developmental programs.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Review procedures for advertising
and notifying employees about opportunities and make suggestions
to correct any deficiencies by end of Quarter I - FY 2003.;
V. Monitor & Ensure Accountability
The NIH's senior-level management is primarily responsible for
ensuring and emphasizing efforts to achieve a fully diverse work
force, inclusive of AAPIs. The Office of Equal Opportunity through
existing tracking and reporting mechanisms will assist the NIH Director,
IC Directors, managers, and supervisors in accomplishing work force
diversity by implementing and monitoring work force profiles and
measures. The NIH will take the following action items to promote
accountability and results with respect to AAPI employment.
- Periodically update and review organizational Asian American/Pacific
Islander work force goals and achievements.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Review goals and accomplishments semiannually.
- Submit Annual Status Report to the Director, OEODM on the NIH's
progress towards improving the under representation of AAPIs.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Annually.
- Develop and deliver a presentation to senior-level NIH groups,
executives, and managers to introduce and explain the goals and
the importance of the AAPI Employment Program, in order to secure
their support.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Prepare presentation by end of Quarter
IV - FY 2002.
VI. FY 2002/2003 Goals
- Initiative dialogue to establish long-term relationships with
Asian American/Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), Asian organizations
and advocacy groups, e.g., FAPAC, OCA, and Indian Organizations.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Quarter IV - FY 2002
- Identify and assess utilization of current entry-level intern
programs to develop diverse groups of professional, administrative,
and scientific trainees.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Quarter III - FY 2002
- Establish long-term relationships with three AAPI organizations
and professional groups.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Quarter III - FY 2002
- Identify ten AAPI students who qualify for Outstanding Scholar
appointments.
Lead Office: Office Of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Quarter IV - FY 2002
- Reviews SES search and placement procedures and ensure effective
outreach tools are utilized to actively recruit qualified AAPI
candidates for senior-level positions.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Quarter IV - FY 2002
- Create awareness among local AAPI high school students about
NIH Intern Programs.
Lead Office: Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Management
Completion: Quarter I - FY 2003
/s/ Lawrence N. Self
Director, OEODM
March 2002
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