UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION SERVICE
Responses to USDA-CSREES Civil Rights Compliance Review Report
January 2003

Recommendation # 1:

Renew, strengthen, and integrate affirmative EEO recruitment program into the Extension employment process. The employment effort should have a focus intended to correct under-representation of racial minority professionals in Extension occupations in the workforce. Established recruitment objectives should be reviewed by all line Extension supervisors and specifically discussed with the members of all search/screening committees. This should be done on a routine basis with particular emphasis on those positions to which an EEO objective can likely be met.

Response:

Extension will strengthen its affirmative EEO recruitment program by continuing to use and improve its employment plan. In an effort to improve under-representation of racial/ethnic minority professionals in the workforce, Extension will operate according to the following objectives:

1. Establish training workshops for search/screening committees and, wherever possible, seek a regionally represented search committee and support for EEO compliance.
2. Develop and conduct periodic evaluations of state, district, and county personnel records to ensure compliance.
3. Provide clear complaint intake and tracking services for all Extension staff.
4. Appoint the new Assistant Dean for Human Resources and Professional Development to serve as the organization's EEO Officer.
5. Update and provide civil rights, diversity, and inclusion training for all staff in a comprehensive and systematic manner statewide.

Recommendation # 2:

Establish an EEO Counselor Program for Extension Employees. Insure that EEO Counselors are representative of the state Extension population by race and gender. Additionally insure that proper training is provided to the EEO Counselors to carryout those duties for counseling employees.

Response:

The University of Minnesota has currently in place a comprehensive EEO Counselor Program with system-wide responsibilities. Given the complexity surrounding EEO issues as well as the legal implications inherent in the work, Extension has decided to pursue a model that more intentionally utilizes, expands (where necessary), clarifies, and promotes the program presently in place and available to Extension, as part of the University of Minnesota system. Additionally, the following process will be followed in Extension for handling and tracking complaints:

Recommendation # 3:

Develop and implement a personnel data file that correctly identifies race, sex, and date of hire for all county support staff.

Response:

Extension will improve its process for data collection by race and gender, in all its employment categories, by connecting its data collection system with that of the University's. Extension will merge data into the system's Excel computer program and place some of our data in the University's PeopleSoft computer program. By utilizing this approach, we will be better able to track employment data by race and gender.

Recommendation # 4:

Extension should take further steps to enhance and strengthen its employment program to include procedures to assist in the implementation and monitoring of affirmative outreach employment actions and periodic evaluations of its effectiveness. Employment reporting procedures should be sufficiently organized to provide a ready indication of whether or not Extension is succeeding in its efforts to achieve and maintain a more diverse workforce.

Response:

Extension's HR department will provide periodic updates to all individuals responsible for employment decisions within the Extension organization so that a systematic approach to employment may develop throughout the organization. Additionally, Extension's new Assistant Dean for Human Resources and Professional Development, or his appointed delegate, will serve as Extension's representative in the hiring process in order to ensure that all search/screening committee members receive ample instructions on EEO/AA policies and procedures. Extension will make certain that all offices display non-discriminatory posters as well as closely monitor and ensure that each office, facility, employment opportunity, program, and collaborating organization meet the necessary standards as set forth in EEO/AA rules and guidelines.

Recommendation # 5:

Develop and implement a process by which race and gender data are collected in all employment categories. The race and gender of employees separated from the Extension system should be consistently documented.

Response:

Extension will systematically conduct exit interviews of all employees leaving the organization. Extension will also establish and utilize a data tracking system to keep a record of all employees leaving the workforce by date, race, and gender.

Recommendation # 6:

Extension officials should put in place special outreach recruitment procedures to seek and identify, as vacancies occur, racial/ethnic minority applicants to fill positions for District Directors, County Extension Directors, and Regional Extension Educators.

Response:

Extension will seek to increase the representation of professionals (P&A classification) in the ethnic/racial category to 8% of the workforce. Extension will also continue as well as expand the posting of position announcements in the various print media serving communities of color in order to attract more under-represented candidates. Extension will establish relationships with 1890 and 1994 land grant colleges, primarily Hispanic and Asian-serving universities, and other similar institutions of higher education in order to increase the potential pool of under-represented candidates. Extension will also seek to strengthen its summer internship program by intentionally recruiting ethnic/racial minority candidates within its ranks and thereby developing a future pool of potential candidates for open positions within the professional ranks of the Extension system.

Recommendation # 7:

Extension officials are encouraged to continue to work with the University's Human Resources staff, to the extent that is necessary to overcome underutilization and to recruit in areas and channels previously unexplored, seeking to increase the numbers of minority professionals (specialists and agents) employed in Extension.

Response:

The new Human Resources and Professional Development unit will be in charge of leading Extension's recruitment efforts.

Recommendation # 8:

Develop and carryout a comprehensive civil rights training program for Extension employees.

Response:

The University of Minnesota Extension Service has always provided opportunities for staff to participate in civil rights, diversity, and inclusion educational training efforts, as part of our continuing commitment to staff development. Extension personnel have participated in national, regional, and local conferences and workshops on these topics and these efforts continue at the present time. Additionally, as recent as 1998, Extension had in place a systematic and comprehensive training program for all employees throughout the organization in the areas of civil rights, diversity, and inclusion. This effort was temporarily discontinued due to the major restructuring of the entire Extension organization that has impacted every arena of work. At the present time, however, under the direction of our Human Resources/Professional Development and Diversity/Inclusion Offices, Extension is in the process of reinstituting and revitalizing this statewide training and development effort as well as ensuring the infusion of the critical issues of civil rights, diversity, and inclusion in all of our orientation programs for new employees. In this renewed endeavor, Extension will also be instituting the broader use of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), a statistically reliable and valid measure of intercultural sensitivity and competence (Bennett, 1993 and Hammer, 1999), in order to better assess individual as well as organizational progress in this difficult and complex area.

References:

Bennett, M. J. (1993). Towards ethno relativism: A developmental model of intercultural sensitivity. In R. M. Paige (Ed.), Education for the intercultural experience (pp. 21-71). Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press.

Hammer, M. R. (1999). A measure of intercultural sensitivity: The intercultural development inventory. In S. M. Fowler & M. G. Fowler (Eds.), The intercultural sourcebook: Vol. 2. (pp. 61- 72). Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press.

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