Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume XXVIII, Organization and Management of Foreign Policy

219. Memorandum From the Director General of the Foreign Service and Director of Personnel (Barnes) to the Under Secretary of State for Management (Read)¹

Washington, February 16, 1979

SUBJECT

• Affirmative Action Recruiting Efforts

I thought you would be interested in the following check-list on what we are doing to meet our Affirmative Action goals this year:

1.December 1978 Written Exam Takers:	Due Date
ETS is now sending out letters to those minorities who passed the December 1978 exam seeking permission to release their names to us. When we receive them we will immediately send letters stressing the Department’s affirmative action goals and enclosing security forms for them to fill out even before they have appeared for assessment. This should speed up security processing.	Letters to minorities who reply to ETS letter out by 3/23
In addition, ETS will send letters to those who scored between 50 and 70 on the written exam, also seeking permission to release their names to us. When we receive them we will immediately send letters regarding the Affirmative Action Program and their eligibility for it.	Letters to minorities who reply to ETS letter out by 3/23
2.December 1977 Written Exam:
We are pushing those eight persons who scored in the 75–79 range last year to continue their candidacies.
3.Previous Year Written Exam Passers:
We have identified at least three minorities who had passed both written and oral exams in previous years but whose candidacies expired. We are going to offer them Affirmative Action appointments based on the exams they have already passed.	See possible follow up completed by 2/16
4.Candidates in Pipeline:	Ongoing
We are calling candidates in our pipeline every two weeks to indicate our interest and to encourage them to send security and medical forms for clearances and to do whatever else may be necessary to complete clearances. We have recently called all in the pipeline with complete applications in order to reaffirm our interest in their candidacies.
5.Contact with SY on Clearances:	Ongoing
We are in daily touch with SY regarding the progress of security clearances.
6.Letters to Candidates in Pipeline:	2/16
We will this week send a letter to all the candidates in our pipeline reaffirming the four groups eligible for the Affirmative Action Program and informing them of such changes in the program as removal of the Lateral Entry oral.
7.Targetted Recruiting:	Ongoing
REE recruiters recently visited a well-organized job fair at Rutgers University. Candidates had been previously screened regarding their employment interests. We gathered 41 resumes from potential candidates in both the Junior and Mid-Level Programs and gave out 76 Form-171’s2 for other potential candidates. Attached is a schedule of additional recruitment trips now in course or planned.3
8.Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity:
One, possibly two, recruiters will attend the Alpha convention, which is the largest and oldest Black Fraternity in the Nation, on April 20–22.
9.Letters to our Network of Campusesand Organization Contacts:	2/21
Next week we will send a letter to our network of officials on campuses and in minority and women’s organizations to provide information on changes in our programs and to stress our keen interest in receiving applications of qualified candidates as early as possible. Additional letters will be sent and phone calls made to individuals in selected areas to inform them of local recruiting activities.
10. M/EEO and REE Contacts:	2/16
Combine M/EEO and REE community and national contacts to assure maximum coverage and avoid duplication.
11.Staff for Special Programs Branch:	Done
We have temporarily transferred two people from our General Recruitment Branch to our Special Programs Branch in order to provide necessary manpower for our Affirmative Action recruiting although it is necessary to cancel a few general recruiting trips as a result. We feel that it is necessary at this time.
12.Press Release:	Done
Mailed to 162 minority publications.
13.Advertising:	2/16
Explore advertising in a syndicated column that will reach all the major minority newspapers
14.Team Associates:
On February 12 REE met with Mr. Merion E. Solomon, President of Team Associates, Inc. in order to explain our recruiting needs and goals and to obtain a proposal from this firm to assist us in our recruiting. Team Associates (a minority-owned firm, certified as an 8(a) contractor) is well and favorably known to Frank Matthews who used them at ACTION. The firm continues to be responsible for recruiting for ACTION—both Vista and Peace Corps. It has worked with other government agencies such as the National Institute of Education, Health, Education and Welfare and the Department of Labor as well as a number of private firms. They have had long experience in minority recruiting. Mr. Solomon promised to have a proposal to REE by February 15 or 16. We plan to pursue this vigorously.	Proposal studied,and if satisfactory approved and accepted by 3/1
15.Portable Display and Exhibit:	2/13
Display depicting minorities and women has been requisitioned through Visual Services.
16.Urban League:	Done
Department’s recruitment effort placed on agenda for Urban League Regional Conference, February 14.
17.Adding Points for Those on Register:	Awaiting L opinion
On February 5 we sent a memorandum to Lee Marks4 urgently requesting a legal opinion on the concept of adding points to the register scores of qualified minority and women on BEX registers for FSO candidates. We are pushing L for a prompt answer which, if affirmative, will give us early access to at least seven minorities and a number of women.
18.Transportation for Outstanding Candidates:
We have decided to pay transportation to Washington and per diem, if necessary, for minority candidates who are classified as clearly outstanding. After a person is identified, we will remain in frequent telephone contact until such documentation as college transcripts, an autobiography and the Form-171 are received. Upon decision that the candidate meets the outstanding criteria, we will offer to pay his/her way to Washington for an immediate assessment. Should the candidate pass, we will expedite security and medical clearances.	Introduced and Ongoing
19.Appointment of Minority Candidates:	Introduced and Ongoing
We have altered procedures for offering jobs to minority candidates. Instead of waiting for regular junior officer orientation courses, we are offering firm appointments to minorities for both the junior and mid-level program as soon as they indicate they are ready to come on board. Work will be found for them until the next regular orientation class begins.
20.Diplomats-In-Residence:5	February 16
We have continued to brief and keep Diplomats-in-Residence informed of our Affirmative Action Programs but we are writing to them now to bring to their attention such changes as payment of transportation costs to Washington for outstanding candidates and our revised procedures for bringing minorities on board. We will pay particular attention to Ed Mulcahy in Atlanta who could well be a prime source.
21.Special Letter to Deans of Certain Schools:
We have long had a “special relationship” with Fletcher, Georgetown and SAIS. We are writing to the Deans of these schools reiterating interest in their minority students, soliciting their help in our Affirmative Action effort and offering to send recruiters to them at any time.

In addition, we are continuing to work closely with John Burroughs on recruitment and some of the suggestions in the above check-list are his. John has also made other suggestions on which we are now working.

1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Records of the Under Secretary for Management (M), 1978–1979, Box 6, Chron February 7–16, 1979. No classification marking. Drafted on February 14 by Dudley Miller (PER/REE); cleared by Lynwood Eaton (PER/REE), and Gershenson, neither of whom initialed the clearance lines. Copies were sent to Ronald Palmer, Douglas Watson, Michael Durkee, Lynwood Eaton, Glenn Mabray, Thomas McCloskey, Wever Gim, and John Burroughs, Jr. Gershenson initialed the memorandum for Barnes.
2. SF–171 is the application form for Federal employment.
3. Not attached.
4. Not found.
5. Diplomats in Residence are career Foreign Service officers assigned to colleges and universities throughout the United States.