Iowa State University Extension

ISU Extension Futuring Committee:

Task Force 10 Implementation Report

Committee Implementation Plan on Diversity

The committee has attempted to develop the sort term recommendations as requested. We continue to believe that increasing the diversity of our staff is a high priority. Increasing the pool of candidates and assessing counties with non-English speaking residents are first steps, but are insufficient to accomplish the goal of a diverse workforce.

Committee: Peggy Martin, Frank Owen, Becky Bray, Don Broshar, Frank Owen

Goal: Iowa State University Extension becomes effective at working with a diverse environment in Iowa and its minority communities and employs a diverse workforce by December 2006.

Strategies:

A. ISUE will improve and define hiring protocols to enhance the pool of diverse candidates by 10% by December 2004.
B. ISUE will develop a specific plan to retain 90% of all individuals of under represented classes of employees in all program areas by December 2004
C. A list of high priority language counties will be developed by FY 2005.

  Recommendation Timeline Metrics Rationale Estimated Costs Other
A Administration
Search committees for administrative team positions should take into consideration the effect of required qualifications on the pool of minority applicants. 		2004 Increase of 10% in number of minorities in the pool of qualified applicants. To hire a minority they must first be in the pool.   This action will require administration to hold positions open until the pool is representative.
A
B

1. Seek guidance from other employers in the public and private sectors on successful recruitment and retention efforts including effect of hiring requirements on applicants. (This Employment Advisory Committee should be diverse itself.)
2. Research what Extension in other states have done who have been successful in this area
3. Based on committee recommendations:

  • Develop strategy for recruitment including print material, web page, contacts to make, job fairs etc. to attend,
  • Implement recruitment strategy within ISU, Iowa and outside Iowa,
  • Share experience of the committee members on effect of hiring requirements to Admin team

4. Based on committee recommendations and experiences of current staff:

  • Develop retention strategy.

Recruit and hold meeting by 3/2005

 

 

 

Develop strategies by 2/2005

 

 

Implement starting 3/2005

 Increase minorities in the pool to ____. Currently there are ____
In the pool (B. Stoll is working on getting this information from Human Resources )

Other employers in Iowa would face the same environmental and social challenges as ISUE. Other Extension services face the same EEO challenges as we do

1. $2500 (Staff time on committee /research 60 hrs = $2000, Meeting Exp.
$500)

2. $750 10 hrs. * $75 hr

Costs will depend on strategies

4. The mentoring committee should be able to assist
A
C		 If minimum requirements are identified as a barrier through the process above
use information from other states and committee comments to revise requirements for entry CEED and FS positions. 		1/2005   The current B.S. and 3 years experience is perceived to make it difficult to hire staff from under-represented groups.   Currently there are 2% minority P&S field staff.
A

Encourage the Program Directors and AEEDs to develop proposals for recruiting, hiring, and supporting minorities as interns. Proposal must include “field” experiences.

Program Directors or designees interact with students in college about opportunities in Extension (if there are any)

 Need commitment by 1/2005 for any internships to start fall/2005   We may have a chance at some minorities if we attract them earlier in their careers At ISU interns are usually paid the base of 2 pay grades below For FS and CEED that would be $28,400/year or a combination of that less the value of an assistantship for graduate students Life in Iowa may provide some good internship opportunities
C -Program Directors will take the lead to identify which FS positions will have a preference or requirement for applicants to speak languages in addition to English.
-AEEDs working with County Councils will identify which CEED positions need a preference or requirement for applicants to speak languages in addition to English
-CEEDS working with County Councils will identify which county paid positions need a preference or requirement for applicants to speak languages in addition to English.
 2004-08 First have to determine how many staff currently are fluent. Expect a 10% increase in the next 5 years. Increased client diversity

There will be no out of pocket cost if we are hiring people who already have the language skills.

This requirement would limit our hiring pool
B Provide training on how to recruit diverse staff to CEEDS at CEED meeting and through information on Civil Rights Web page. Fall CEED Meeting, 2004 5 county paid minorities by 2006; 10 by 2008 There are no county paid minorities included in the 250 county FTEs. Time to prepare and time on agenda at established meeting  


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Page last updated June 10, 2004

Questions or comments? Contact Steve Padgitt, scpadgit@iastate.edu