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FOREST SERVICE HANDBOOK
PACIFIC SOUTHWEST RESEARCH STATION (PSW)
ALBANY, CA
FSH 1709.11 - CIVIL RIGHTS HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 10 - CIVIL RIGHTS PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
Supplement No.: PSW_1709.11-2005-01.
Effective Date: August 1, 2005.
Duration: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
Approved: JAMES R. SEDELL
Station Director
Date Approved: 07/15/2005
Posting Instructions: Supplements are numbered consecutively by Handbook number and
calendar year. Post by document; remove the entire document and replace it with this
supplement. Retain this transmittal as the first page(s) of this document. The last supplement to
this Handbook was PSW_1709.11-2001-01 to Chapter 10.
New Document
PSW_1709.11_10
9 Pages
Superseded Document(s)
by Issuance Number and
Effective Date
PSW_1709.11, 10 (10/1/2001)
8 Pages
Digest:
By unanimous vote of the Civil Rights Committee, the following changes were made to the
Charter:
Sec. IV.A. - Removed the maximum number of Committee members.
Sec. IV.A.1. - Added a member from Davis/Placerville.
Sec. IV.A.2. - Added Special Emphasis Program Managers as voting members.
Sec. IV.A.4. - Decreased the number of non-voting members.
PSW SUPPLEMENT 1709.11-2005-01
EFFECTIVE DATE: August 1, 2005
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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Sec. IV.A.4.d. - Removed the representative to the Service-wide Civil Rights Committee as a
non-voting member.
Sec. IV.B.1.a. – Removed the date of July 1 and added “as vacancies occur”. Removed
“upcoming vacancies to be filled” and added “seek nominations and/or volunteers.”
Sec. IV.B.1.b. - Removed the date August 1.
Sec. IV.B.1.e.1) - Removed “failure to attend meetings” and replaced with “two or more
consecutive unexcused absences” as a cause for removal of a Committee member.
Sec. IV.B.1.e.3) – Added “repeated” to “disruption of meetings” as a cause for removal of a
Committee member.
Sec. IV.B.2. – Removed the limitation of member serving two terms.
Sec. IV.B.3.b. - Removed notification if the member cannot attend “any of the meetings” and
replaced with “a meeting, as soon as possible” as a duty of Committee members.
Sec. IV.C.2. - Removed calendar year as the term of the office of Chair and replaced it with one
year.
Sec. IV.D.2. - Removed calendar year as the term of the office of Vice Chair and replaced it with
one year.
Sec. IV.F.2. – Added serving as an advisor to the Committee to the duties of the Civil Rights
Program Manager.
Sec. IV.F.3. – Removed carrying out other duties as noted elsewhere in this charter from the
duties of the Civil Rights Program Manager.
Sec. IV.F.4. - Reworded for clarity.
PSW SUPPLEMENT 1709.11-2005-01
EFFECTIVE DATE: August 1, 2005
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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FSH 1709.11 - CIVIL RIGHTS HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 10 - CIVIL RIGHTS PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
13 – CIVIL RIGHTS ADVISORY COMMITTEES ............................................................ 4
13.1 – Committee Charter and Bylaws ....................................................................................... 4
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EFFECTIVE DATE: August 1, 2005
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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13 – CIVIL RIGHTS ADVISORY COMMITTEES
13.1 – Committee Charter and Bylaws
Exhibit 01 displays the Pacific Southwest Research Station Civil Rights Committee Charter.
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EFFECTIVE DATE: August 1, 2005
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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FSH 1709.11 - CIVIL RIGHTS HANDBOOK
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13.1 – Exhibit 01
CHARTER
CIVIL RIGHTS COMMITTEE
PACIFIC SOUTHWEST RESEARCH STATION
I.
Authority: The Chief of the Forest Service, as the Equal Employment Opportunity
Officer (EEOO), has designated the Director of the Pacific Southwest Research Station
(PSW) (hereafter, the Station) as his Deputy Equal Employment Opportunity Officer
(DEEOO) to assist in carrying out the functions described in DPM 713 (2-6). The
DEEOO has a continuing responsibility to actively support the Civil Rights policy and
programs, and by work and deed to communicate this support to subordinates. The
Station Civil Rights Committee (hereafter, the Committee) was established as stated in
PSW Supplement No. 4, Subchapter 2 [to FSH 6109.41, Federal Personnel Manual].
II.
Mission: Advise and assist the Director and staff in carrying out the continuing Civil
Rights Program to achieve equal opportunity in every aspect of the Station's management
policies, procedures, practices, and work programs.
III.
Functions and Goals:
A. Recommend to the Director and staff methods for establishing, implementing, and
monitoring an effective Civil Rights Program.
1. Identify areas of concern or weakness and areas of strength.
2. Suggest improvements and corrections to the Director and staff.
B. Identify existing or potential Civil Rights problems.
1. Advise the Director and staff of problems.
2. Develop action plans to resolve problems.
3. Recommend solutions to the Director and staff.
C. Provide a visible means for Station employees to bring Civil Rights issues to members of
the Committee.
D. Ensure the confidentiality of employees submitting issues to the Committee.
E. Nominate individuals or groups to receive awards for significant Civil Rights
achievements, and submit these nominations to the Director.
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EFFECTIVE DATE: August 1, 2005
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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IV.
Organization:
A. Membership: The Committee will consist of no less than seven (7) voting members as
follows:
1. Two members will be selected from different locations among temporary employees
and one member from each of the following seven PSW units: Albany, Arcata,
Davis/Placerville Fresno, Hawaii, Redding and Riverside.
2. Appointed Special Emphasis Program Managers will be included as voting members
to the Committee.
3. Three additional members may be appointed when funding is available, and there is a
need for more representation.
a. The Committee shall initiate and submit to the Director, for action, its
recommendations to add members.
b. Nominations shall be submitted through the Civil Rights Program Manager to the
Director.
4. The Committee will include three non-voting members:
a. the Civil Rights Program Manager,
b. the Personnel Officer,
c. a representative of Union Local 2066, and
5. The Committee will have a Chairperson and a Vice Chairperson chosen by election
from the voting members of the Committee.
B. Selection and duties of members:
1. Selection.
a. As vacancies occur, the Station's Civil Rights Program Manager will notify PSW
at large and seek nominations and/or volunteers.
b. Employees will be asked to submit names of prospective new members to the
Director.
c. The Director will appoint new members, ensuring that the Committee is
representative of the diversity of the work force.
d. The Director shall notify nominees of their appointment to the Committee. The
Director shall also provide to the Committee Chair the names and e-mail
addresses of the newly appointed members.
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DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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e. Only the Director may remove a Committee member, and only for cause. The
following are guidelines for cause:
1) two or more consecutive unexcused absences,
2) violations of Civil Rights codes and ethics, and
3) repeated disruption of meetings.
f. The Committee can request the Director to remove a member by an affirmative
vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the voting members.
2. Terms of the voting members will be three years, overlapping so that approximately
one-third (1/3) of the voting members are replaced each year. Members may serve
additional consecutive terms.
3. Duties of Committee Members.
a. Attend all meetings of the Committee and participate fully in all its deliberations.
b. Notify the Chair if the member cannot be present at a meeting as soon as possible.
If possible find a replacement who has knowledge of the committee's purposes,
rules and operations. The replacement will have all the rights of membership for
that meeting or assigned task including the right to vote.
c. Before the next Committee meeting the outgoing member will brief his or her
successor and turn over all pertinent files and special projects.
4. To resign from the Committee a member must submit the reasons for resignation to
the Director in writing. Copies of the letter of resignation will be sent to the Chair
and the Civil Rights Program Manager. The Director will appoint a replacement
member to complete the term of the resigning member.
C. Selection and Duties of the Chair:
1. Selection. The Vice Chair will become the Chair at the expiration of the Chair's term
of office.
2. Term of office will be for one year from the date of assumption of duties as Chair.
3. In addition to the duties of a regular member, the Chair will also perform the
following duties:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Preside over Committee meetings;
Prepare and distribute agendas and work plans;
Edit and distribute minutes of meetings;
Forward to the Director and staff all Committee reports, recommendations, and
action items.
PSW SUPPLEMENT 1709.11-2005-01
EFFECTIVE DATE: August 1, 2005
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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e. Appoint ad hoc committees to investigate and recommend solutions to specific
problems.
f. Be responsible for preparation and signing of Committee letters.
g. Prepare an annual status report and submit it to the Director and to all other PSW
employees.
h. Assign to the Vice Chair, with his/her approval, other Chair responsibilities to
alleviate the Chair's workload and to help familiarize the Vice Chair with the upcoming Chair duties.
D. Selection and Duties of the Vice Chair:
1. Selection. A new Vice Chair will be elected each year.
a. Both incoming members and those members with at least two (2) full years left on
the Committee are eligible for nomination.
b. The Committee will elect a Vice Chair by majority vote.
2. Term of office will be for one year from the date of assumption of duties as Vice
Chair.
3. In addition to the duties of a regular member the Vice Chair will also perform the
following duties.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Assist the Chair in all meeting activities.
Conduct meetings in the absence of the Chair.
Coordinate arrangements for meetings and activities as necessary.
Assist the Chair in carrying out his/her other duties.
E. Vacancy of Committee Offices:
1. In the event that the Chair becomes vacant the Vice Chair will automatically become
Chair and call for the election of a new Vice Chair at the next Committee meeting.
2. If the Vice Chair becomes vacant the Chair will appoint another Committee member
to be acting Vice Chair until the next Committee meeting; at that time a new Vice
Chair will be elected by majority vote of those present.
3. If both the Chair and Vice Chair become vacant, the Civil Rights Program Manager
will convene an emergency meeting of the committee to elect a new Chair and Vice
Chair.
4. Any officer elected under the above provisions assumes the duties and remaining
term of the office.
PSW SUPPLEMENT 1709.11-2005-01
EFFECTIVE DATE: August 1, 2005
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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FSH 1709.11 - CIVIL RIGHTS HANDBOOK
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F. Duties of the Civil Rights Program Manager:
1. Act as liaison between the Director and the Committee.
2. Serve as an advisor to the Committee and provide information and other resources to
the Committee as necessary.
3. Ensure that permanent files of the minutes and other pertinent records of Committee
activities are maintained.
V. Amendments: Amendment of this charter requires an affirmative vote by two-thirds (2/3) of
the voting members of the Committee and approval of the Director.
VI. Effective date: This charter establishes official guidelines for the committee effective on the
latest date of signature by the Director, Civil Rights Program Manager, and Civil Rights
Committee Chair.
/s/ James R. Sedell
JAMES R. SEDELL
Station Director
Date:
/s/ Charles Fierro
CHARLES FIERRO
Civil Rights Program Manager
Date: 6/26/05
/s/ Melissa Castro
MELISSA CASTRO
Civil Rights Committee Chair
Date:
7/15/05
3/24/2005