Report finds lack of employee diversity
Few minorities at higher levels of ASUCLA staffing
By Patrick Kerkstra
Daily Bruin Staff
Do the career employees of the students’ association reflect
UCLA’s and Southern California’s diversity? That’s the question
some members of ASUCLA’s Board of Directors were asking on Friday
after hearing the organization’s affirmative action report for
1994.
In accordance with university policy, the association evaluates
its affirmative action program annually. At last Friday’s meeting,
some members found satisfaction in the results while others still
saw a need for reform.
Executive director of the association, Jason Reed, reported that
overall minority representation in the organization is now at 52.3
percent. However, minorities hold only 31.5 percent of management
positions, according to the report.
The disparity between minority representation in management and
lower levels caused concern among some board members.
"Overall the association has about 50 percent minority
representation, but that representation tends to be bottom heavy,"
said graduate student board member Peary Brug at Friday’s
meeting.
Discussion centered on the lack of minorities in positions of
genuine power and authority in ASUCLA.
"Dorothy (Webster, an administration representative) Tamara
(Carr, an undergraduate representative) and Peary (Brug) were all
pointing out that when you look around at the higher levels of
management, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of diversity," said
Karol Dean, a graduate representative on the board.
Officials in the association partially attributed that to the
organization’s financial difficulties. The lack of funds has
prevented the association from creating new positions and hiring
new people.
"Our recruiting level right now is low, so there has not been a
big push to hire minorities, because we haven’t been able to hire
anybody," Valerie McCormick, association director of human
resources said Friday.
"However, affirmative action remains a priority and a top
interest for us," McCormick continued.
According to Carr, there are areas in the association’s
affirmative action program that can be improved. Carr urged the
association to pursue equality between the management population
and general association staff.
"While the breakdown is about 50 percent minority, when you
break (minority representation) down into divisions, you had quite
a bit less than the average of 50 percent in upper management. In
clerical work and food service, you had quite a bit more," said
Brug.
"It would be nice to see that 50 percent represented
throughout," he added.
Brug suggested that the association appeal to minority centered
publications such as Black Enterprise, an African-American business
publication, when searching for employees in the future. Promotions
would also be a way to put minorities in more positions of
authority, Brug said.
"It’s important to create a pool of qualified minority middle
managers. From there you could possibly draw on employees for
larger positions," Brug said.