Rep. Michael Obuchowski
House Appropriations Committee Chair
72 Atkinson Street
Bellows Falls, Vermont 05101
Dear Michael,
After two student takeovers and many years of studies and reports, the University of Vermont has made no significant progress in the recruitment and hiring of minorities. According to members of Burlington´s minority community, the number of minorities employed by the university has decreased. It must be questioned as to why in some departments where minorities are under represented, hiring managers reportedly fail even to interview minority candidates with the appropriate qualifications identified and recruited by colleagues.
It would seem necessary to interrupt the resistance against recruitment hiring, promoting and retention of minorities at the University of Vermont, by recommending that the House Appropriations Committee convene a meeting with the minority community and also respond to the way minorities are being left out of the equation at the University by tieing future funnlng to corrective measures being taken by the University, and minority candidates being given equal opportunity and access to employment.
sincerely,
Rep Terry Bouricius
Rep Tom Smith
Rep Sandra Baird
Rep Dean Corren
Response from Representative Obuchowski
October 20, 1994
Representative Terry Bouricius
Representative Dean Corren
Representative Tom Smith
Representative Sandra Baird
Dear Representatives Bouricius, Corren, Smith, and Baird:
I wish to acknowledge receipt of your October 8 letter expressing concern about progress in recruitment and hiring of minorities at the University of Vermont.
You have raised serious questions about the University´s minority recruitment efforts and practices. I have asked the staff of the Legislative Fiscal Office first to contact you to discuss your concerns and then to review with the University its policies and practices in recent years; its progress (or lack thereof); and its current and future plans with respect to minority recruitlment and employment. Once that fact-finding process is completed I intend to review the information with the staff, with a target date of the end of November. My plan then would be to discuss the situation with you, without a prejudicial goal as to how the General Assembly might influence University action.
I hope this course of action is acceptable to you.
Regards,
Rep. Michael J. Obuchowski
Chair, House Appropriations Committee
Response from President Salmon
October 25, 1994
Representative Michael Obuchowski
House Appropriations Committee Chair
72 Atkinson Street
Bellows Falls, Vermont 05101
Dear Michael:
I am writing in response to the letter signed by Representatives Baird, Bouricious, Corren, and Smith regarding hiring practices at The University of Vermont. The letter makes a number of assertions, which are contradicted by the facts.
For the record:
The employment sector most dependent on the local labor market is our staff. UVM has 1759 staff members, 8.7% of which are members of recognized minority groups. This percentage far exceeds the availability of minorities in the local labor market or the State of Vermont.
Our success in hiring and retaining members of minority groups clearly surpasses other employers who receive public funds, including the City of Burlington, the Burlington School District, and the State of Vermont.
UVM´s employment practices, including its recruitment and hiring practices, are among the most highly regulated activities that occur at this institution. Not only are we legally required to assure equal employment opportunity but, as a federal contractor, we are subject to affirmative action obligations pursuant to federal Executive Order. The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs of the U.S. Department of Labor monitors compliance with this Order, and recently approved the Affirmative Action Program and Plan prepared by The University of Vermont, which among other functions guide-us in our recruitment activities.
We have in place a number of employment outreach initiatives, including mailing job opening announcements to locations and organizations that service and/or work with protected class individuals including women, persons of color, veterans, and persons with disabilities. Additionally, we have established such programs as Physical Plant apprenticeships, information sessions for new immigrants, and ongoing contact with the Vermont Department of Employment and Training for candidate referrals, with special emphasis on positions where minorities are often underrepresented.
Our Office of Affirmative Action, with an annual budget of nearly $200,000, works directly with departments and hiring officials to assist in their recruitment efforts and monitors compliance with legal guidelines and requirements relative to non-discrimination and affirmative action.
As a result of recent meetings with members of the Burlington community, we are working to institute additional measures to recruit and retain persons of color. These efforts include skill and presentation enhancement workshops, additional training of hiring managers, close scrutiny of hiring criteria, and more involvement of persons of color already employed at UVM to help in our efforts. As well, we are seeking to establish an ongoing partnership and dialogue with persons of color in our community to further encourage communication, training, and recruitment activities.
We have established a Commission on Racial Justice and Multicultural Education to help us address issues of campus climate, curricular changes, and strategies for attracting more students, faculty, and staff of color to our University.
In sum, our commitment to recruiting and hiring persons of color is strong. Although our numbers are outstanding relative to other Vermont employers , we are striving to do even better as we explore and implement efforts toward the goal of greater diversity at The University of Vermont.
I understand from your recent letter that a review of our employment practices may be forthcoming. Ue will of course fully cooperate with any such effort. I have designated Dr. Thomas J. Gustafson, Special Assistant to the President, to coordinate the gathering of any information that may be sought during such an inquiry in cooperation with appropriate University officials. He may be reached at the mailing address and telephone number which appears on this letterhead.
Sincerely,
Thomas P. Salmon
President
Representatives Baird, Bouricious, Corren, and Smith