Just yesterday we noted that Coast Guards Office of Civil Rights has updated its website. In that post we also noted they had added the OCR Checklist. Today, that instruction is missing from the site. We had a number of reader comments today on the value of the instruction or lack there of.
Our post Coast Guard Office of Civil Rights Changes Focus of Newsletter generated an interesting comment:
Submitted on 2009/07/22 at 10:46amThe Coast Guard Civil Rights newsletter actually began its life as a quarterly publication in 2001 under division director, Mr. Cruz Sedillo. It was called “Right Directions”. The older publication covered Coast Guard civil rights programs (such as EO Review, program reports, social climate, training) updates, regulatory information from EEOC, OPM, DoD, etc., outreach program announcements and article submissions from CG civil rights service providers in the field. The model for Right Directions was the publication produced at the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute. The intent of Right Directions was to serve as an INFORMATION SOURCE for Coast Guard civil rights service providers and not as a “public relations/warm and fuzzy” piece. The average number of content pages was eight (maximum sixteen) and was distributed to all CG civil rights service providers; various headquarters directorates in program partnership with OCR; and was added to the INTERNAL Civil Rights Directorate web page for reference by any Coast Guard member. When Dickerson arrived in 2006, the current format was put in place.
We have often been critical of Coast Guards Office of Civil Rights and their infrequent schedule of publishing their monthly newsletter Civil Rights on Deck. In 2008 the newsletter went months without being posted to the Internet and made accessible to employees of the Coast Guard.
Earlier this month as part of our CGR Civil Rights on Deck we noted that our content actually better met the OCR’s description of their newsletter than does the official version. We carried the description of the OCR newsletter and have reprinted it below. We’ve also printed in red what’s been deleted from the new version on the OCR website today:
Original version:
Civil Rights on Deck has been produced monthly since its inception in June 2006. This vital workforce tool communicates EEO policies and opportunities; issues notices about and reports progress on mandatory training; offers a forum for exchange of ideas, practices and events between agencies; honors individual women and minorities who contributed to USCG, military, and federal sector history and whose examples can inspire others; spotlights EEO/civil rights achievers; and provides information about tools, resources and events that supervisors and employees. The newsletter meets model program set forth by EEOC by summarizing final agency decisions for the benefit of all, identifying and disseminating best practices, and using various media to distribute EEO information.
Possibly it would have been easier if we just said they rewrote the entire thing. We have been critical in the past that the OCR’s version of Civil Rights wasn’t really an exchange of ideas but rather reflected the ideas of the Director alone, nor did it share best practices from other agencies. The newsletter never actually summarized final agency decisions which would have a beneficial tool to managers and employees.
The new version which appeared on the OCR’s revamped website is a complete rewrite and very much watered down version. Gone is the assertion that the newsletter meets a model program set forth by the EEOC and any mention of summarizing final agency decisions. Also gone is the assertion that the newsletter a “vital workforce tool.” The change in the OCR’s description of their newsletter does better reflect the actually product they produce and certainly lowers reader expectations.
The new version:
Beginning in June 2006, the Civil Rights Directorate has issued a monthly newsletter spotlighting recent and upcoming events, application of EEO resources, accomplishments of women and minorities, and other civil rights news. Thanks to contributions from members of the USCG, this newsletter is able to offer a forum for the exchange of ideas between units. To improve accessibility it is distributed primarily electronically, but paper editions are also available. The one page (front and back) format contains numerous stories and offers contact points for additional information. The newsletter has increased visibility of USCG civil rights efforts.
The U.S. Navy’s Diversity Directorate’s Mission is to “Provide Navy leadership with the tools and resources to help create and sustain a cultural awareness that values diversity and an environment where every individual prospers and contributes to the mission.” But at Coast Guard, the mission statement on the Diversity website is a bit different:
A team of three full-time policy advisors and assistants work in the Diversity Management Division. The advisors work on diversity management, identifying and removing barriers to job satisfaction, so that all of Team Coast Guard will work in an environment where the differences and similarities of all personnel are recognized, understood, and valued.
You may not think the two are that far off from one another, but then you need to read a little more. Navy has also outlined four strategic objectives that provide the basis for moving the DON toward a more diverse and capable workforce. At the second hearing on Coast Guard Civil Rights and Diversity held on 19 June 2009, congress made a point of parading the Director of Admissions at the U.S. Naval Academy on the panel to highlight Navy’s achievements in minority recruiting and diversity.
While Navy’s program for minority recruiting may be far from perfect, it is at least achieving some measure of performance. To the contrary, the Coast Guard Academy as actually seen a steady decline over the last five years, yet retained the same Director of Admissions in the job since 2002. As Coast Guard moves forward with modernization, a strategic plan for diversity mirrored on that of Navy may be a best business practice for the future.
- Navy Strategic Objective 1: Continue to support distinct approaches to diversity management within the DON.
The Navy, Marine Corps, and OCHR have developed and implemented activities and programs that are designed to increase diversity at all levels within the DON, with particular focus on racial/ethnic and gender differences. Each program has its own strength and works effectively for each DON community.
- Navy Strategic Objective 2: Build the business case through an economic cost/benefit analysis.
In 2007, RAND National Defense Research Institute researchers outlined elements that the Department of Defense would need for its strategic diversity concept: define diversity, measure progress, and hold itself and others accountable.
In a 2008 report to the Department of Defense, the researchers identified three possible definitions for diversity and concluded that managing with an inclusive approach would have historical and business case credibility. The business case must be built on reliable data, be linked to the mission, and accurately identify both the costs and benefits in dollar terms.
- Navy Strategic Objective 3: Provide subject matter expertise and guidance at the DON level.
The DON coordinates and provides a guiding framework based on the existing body of knowledge from research and practice. The DON must ensure strategic alignment among all components and communicate a consistent message. The DON must stabilize data analysis and share best practices (both internal and external) and continue to explore better ideas to improve processes.
- Navy Strategic Objective 4: Address data resources through an enterprise data management approach.
The DON will take an enterprise data analysis approach to data management. Like many organizations, the DON retains personnel data in multiple databases using a variety of organizational structures. To accurately analyze the workforce, data must be in a common format and a central location. As part of an overarching diversity strategic framework, the DON will evaluate, integrate, normalize, and analyze distinct data sets. This will permit the DON to define and project policies and make policy changes, providing the DON executives with distilled data, and analyses to make informed operational decisions. The four stated objectives of the DON diversity strategic framework are interdependent. With these four strategic objectives in place, the DON will have a cohesive, data driven diversity strategy that both supports and is strategically aligned with the DON Human Capital Strategy, while concurrently allowing the Navy, Marine Corps, and OCHR the flexibility to address diversity in their own unique way.
David Axe
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