New Diversity Affirmative Action Board will help address Labwide multicultural issues

The new board, a joint venture of the Diversity Office (DVO) and the Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO), will help the Laboratory more effectively address multicultural institutional decisions, reduce or eliminate duplication of effort and help the Laboratory "walk the talk" when it comes to diversity, according to Lisa Gutierrez, Diversity Office (DVO) director.

Laboratory Director John Browne and the Senior Executive Team recently approved the plan.

"This board is a mechanism to advance diversity efforts. We expect it will help the Lab implement strategies related to recruiting and employment practices, Rich Marquez, the Lab's associate director of administration, said. "I've been impressed with the quality of Lab employees, and I look forward to broad participation on this board."

Amy Sahota, the Lab's Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) director, said the Labwide D/AAB also will help improve the work/life environment for all workers, "create one work force with common diversity and affirmative action values and create an infrastructure of information for sharing resources and knowledge."

"In today's world, it's not okay for people to only manage people like themselves," said Gutierrez. "The real learning is being able to lead and develop people who are different from you."

University of California Lab employees can serve on the Diversity/Affirmative Action Board.

Subcontract personnel can continue to serve on the seven diversity working groups, which will continue to exist, said Gutierrez.

Gutierrez and Sahota expect to have the new Diversity/Affirmative Action Board in place by August. Initially, Gutierrez said, the board will meet twice a month for two hours. Its schedule of meetings will evolve as the board begins addressing Laboratorywide diversity issues.

Gutierrez said the existing working groups for Hispanic; American Indian; Women; Asian American; African American; Deaf Awareness; and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Laboratory workers will act as "subteams" to the Diversity/Affirmative Action Board. The working groups, she said, will continue to address specific concerns, hold monthly meetings and otherwise function as they have been.

Two delegates from each of the working groups will serve on the Labwide Diversity Board. In general, all terms are 12 months, and a person may serve no more than two consecutive terms. For the start-up period, half of the delegates from DWGs will serve for 12 months and half for 18 months, but subsequent terms will all be for 12-month periods. After the first year, this will allow new members to join the board every six months, bringing with them fresh ideas and perspectives.

Other members of the D/AAB include six delegates from the work force at large, the existing diversity champions, the DVO and OEO directors and a liaison from the Diversity Office. Nonvoting liaisons from the Employee Advisory Council, Science and Engineering Advisory Council and the Student Programs Advisory Council also will be included.

Sahota said she thought it was necessary to have the Lab's three diversity champions on the new diversity board to have "organizational credibility within this scientific organization."

Rich Mah, associate director for weapons engineering and manufacturing, Don Cobb, associate director for threat reduction, and Tom Meyer, associate director for strategic research, are the Laboratory's diversity champions.

"The concept of the diversity champions was initially piloted to champion for issues specific to certain ethnic groups. However, it was decided that many of these issues transcend the Laboratory and that the champions could play a broader role," says Rich Marquez, associate director for administration. "Therefore, the diversity champions will play key roles in addressing broader diversity issues pertinent to all employees, as well as issues specific to certain groups."

Gutierrez said a call for nominations will be issued shortly for the six at large positions. Gutierrez is writing a master management memo that will include specific information for managers to present to employees.

A frequently asked questions page has been developed with more information about the new initiative. It can be found at http://www.lanl.gov/orgs/dvo/Teams/DAABFAQs.pdf online. (Adobe Acrobat Reader required)

For more information, go to http://www.lanl.gov/orgs/dvo/ online or call DVO at 7-5665.

-- Steve Sandoval

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