John D. White, Chairman, Board of Regents, The Texas A&M University System Accepts the Opportunity Award from Elaine Chao, U.S. Secretary of Labor.
On November 15, 2006, U. S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao presented to the university the federal agency’s most prestigious honor, the Secretary of Labor’s Opportunity Award, representing the highest level of voluntary commitment to equal employment opportunity during the year. Annually, the U.S. Department of Labor honors one federal contractor that not only establishes and institutes strategies that provide for equal employment opportunities but also exceeds the standards enforced by the department. A&M is the first university to receive the award since its inception in 1988.
The Division of Finance’s Office of Employee Services played a significant role in the A&M programs highlighted at the awards ceremony: diversity recruitment, particularly online processes, tutorials for hiring managers on how to increase diversity in the hiring processes and job fair participation with groups like the Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher education; work/life balance services like the Employee Assistance Program; services for veterans and the disabled; and no EEOC findings against the university for more than two years.
With the help of Employee Services, Texas A&M University’s employee demographics are more diverse than they were six years ago. According to the System’s Employee Demographics Monitoring System, there are 138% more executive women, 37% more professional/nonfaculty women, 75% more Hispanic employees in professional positions and 58% more Asian and Pacific Islander employees in professional positions.
An exhibit, created by Dr. Joni Baker, Manager of EEO (TAMUS); Pamela Praesel and Linda Edge, Employee Services; and staff from University Marketing and Communications was displayed at the awards program. Several hundred people attended and were able to learn about the unique spirit of Aggieland.
Congratulations to the Office of Employee Services on this unique accomplishment.
Several representatives from the Division of Finance attended the ceremony in Washington D.C. along with other University staff. Back Row: Charles James, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Federal Contract Compliance Programs; Nicholas Taunton, Student Body President (TAMU); Kaku Barkoh, President, Black Student Advisory Council (TAMU); Sherylon Carroll, Associate Vice President for Communications (TAMU); Becky Pettit, Assistant Vice President for Diversity (TAMU); Richard Sanchez, Executive Director Hispanic President's Council (TAMU); and Rodney McClendon, Chief of Staff, President’s Office (TAMU). Front Row: Dr. Joni Baker, Manager of EEO (TAMUS); Rosa Saenz, President, Graduate International Student Association (TAMU); Janelle Ramirez, Executive Director Human Resources Management Services (TAMU); E. Jill Pollock, Associate Vice President & CHRO (TAMU); K. Sue Redman, Senior Vice President & CFO (TAMU); and Victoria Lipnic, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment Standards Administration.
