Affirmative Action
For New County Faculty Training
http://ded.ifas.ufl.edu/
&
http://pdec.ifas.ufl.edu/
Prepared and edited by Charles
Vavrina, Joe Schaefer and Pete Vergot
from text formatted by Marilyn Norman
Affirmative Action:
Positive and proactive steps to include
minority representation in and remove gender
bias from our programming (eliminate present
effects of past discrimination)
Civil Rights:
Life, liberty and pursuit of happiness . . .
(US Declaration of Independence)
dis·crim·i·nate
• to make a difference in treatment or
favor on a basis other than individual
merit <discriminate in favor of your
friends> <discriminate against a
certain nationality>
Legal Mandates for AA
- mandated by a USDA charter in 1972 to
insure Extension programs were open to
all persons without regard to race, color,
sex, age, disability, religion, or national origin.
- 760, Florida Statutes,
- 6C1-1.0061 and others, UF Rules, 1972
- IFAS Civil Rights Compliance Review, 2001
"The U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its
programs and activities on the basis of race,
color, national origin, sex, religion, age,
disability, political beliefs, sexual
orientation, and marital or family status.
The University shall provide equal
employment opportunities and practices for all
qualified persons which conform to laws
against discrimination on the basis of race,
creed, religion, color, marital status,
veteran status as protected under the
Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment
Assistance Act, sex, national origin,
disability, political opinions or affiliations,
age, or handicap;
2004 Florida Census Data
• % White
IFAS Employees (June 2003)
• % IFAS employees White
2004 Florida Census Data
• 63% White (non-Hispanic)
IFAS Employees (June 2003)
• 75% IFAS employees White
County Extension Office
Responsibilities
- office staff meeting minutes
- AA/Civil Rights files
- materials: education level and language
- filing complaints
Advisory Committees
- Overall Advisory Committees
- Programmatic Advisory Committees
- Committee membership lists
- Committee minutes
- Discuss AA annually to review
compliance.
4-H Compliance
Expansion and Review Committee (ERC)
- composition
- review and monitor geographic boundaries
- meet at least one time annually
- place copies of their minutes on file
4-H & FCE Clubs in General
- Club locations must be identified on maps
- Geographic areas designation
-Club boundaries reflect ??% of club members
- Review club boundaries and data when?
All Volunteers, e.g., Master
Gardeners
• These groups are an important part of
our organization
• Must be trained in Affirmative Action
• Bylaws/org. guidelines – nondiscrimination statement
Program Implementation
- Compliance letters
- These letters must be updated every five
- Mailing lists should be coded
- Program or Event announcements, pubs
and articles should contain a
non-discrimination statement in text.
Program Implementation (cont.)
“Extension programs are open to all
persons without regard to race, color, sex,
age, disability, religion, or national origin.”
Program Implementation (cont.)
- Media venues may remove
statements so keep a hard copy of
submittal on file.
- Clip newspaper program notices that
show compliance & retain pictures
exhibiting Multiracial participation – put
in file.
Communication Outlets
- List of mass media outlets should be kept
on file and program notices sent to them.
- A list of “Grass Roots” organizations should
be kept on file (i.e., those that represent or
interact with minorities/disadvantaged) and
program notices routinely sent to them.
- Develop avenues that specifically target
minorities, such as church newsletters, social
service orgs., social sororities/fraternities.
Participant Lists
- Program participant lists (sign-up sheets)
should be kept and coded by race and gender
and filed.
- Such lists will be important for audits.
- Keep lists for 5 years
- 4-H-ers don’t forget to list general enrollment,
participants, and volunteers for both club
(ES237) and camp attendance and file.
Program Evaluation
- Each county faculty member records
Clientele Contacts by County Major Program
in the ROA.
- These contacts must be compared to those
indicated for the potential audience (POW).
- If you are out of parity (+ or - 4%) you must
make “All Reasonable Efforts” to bring your
program, club, etc into compliance with
AA guidelines.
Parity
The % distribution of program participants
by race and gender in ROA is proportionate
to or within reasonable limits (± 4%) of their
respective % distribution in the target
audience (POW for the same year).
This is a goal not quota.
Parity (cont.)
ROA Examples for potential audience (POW)
that is 80% White and 20% Black,
- 80% White/20% Black - perfect parity
- 84% White/16% Black - within reasonable
limits
- 85% White/15% Black - out of parity
All Reasonable Efforts
Minimum Requirements:
(mention in next year’s POW if non-parity)
1. Use all available mass media to inform
potential clientele of programs and
opportunities available.
2. Personal letters or special circulars sent to
minorities inviting them to participate.
3. Personal visits to a representative number
of potential program participants.
Affirmative Action File
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Affirmative Action Plan (Back to Basics)
All Reasonable Effort Certification
Annual Reports of Accomplishments
County Participation Data
ES 237 (4-H Enrollment data)
Plans of Work Boundary Maps for clubs
Letters of Compliance
Correspondence
Mailing lists
Newspaper clippings
Grass roots
Affirmative Action
- It’s Good for All of Us!
For more info:
http://ded.ifas.ufl.edu/
http://pdec.ifas.ufl.edu/