University of Michigan. Affirmative Action Office

See the historical sketch in the finding aid for the Affirmative Action Office (University of Michigan) Records.

From the guide to the Affirmative Action Office. (University of Michigan), publications, 1973-1994, (Bentley Historical Library University of Michigan)

This record group also includes records of the Commission for Minority Affairs and the Commission for Women, organizations originally independent, but since 1976 integrated within the Affirmative Action Office.

From the description of Affirmative Action Office (University of Michigan) records, 1969-1993. (University of Michigan). WorldCat record id: 79324862

From the description of Affirmative Action Office (University of Michigan) records, 1969-[ongoing]. (University of Michigan). WorldCat record id: 34418979

The University of Michigan Affirmative Action Program was developed in 1972 in response to federal laws passed in the 1960s to guarantee equal opportunity in employment for women and minorities. To comply with the federal regulations, the university developed recruiting practices and set goals and timetables for achieving equality for women and minorities in employment. Since 1970, the university has issued an Annual Compliance Report to the United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW). Much of the program's work during the early 1970s revolved around preparation of these reports and interpreting HEW criteria.

Nellie M. Varner was appointed first director of the Affirmative Action Program. Varner's main responsibility was to interpret the specific guidelines that were issued in October, 1972 by the Office of Civil Rights in the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (OCR-HEW guidelines). Her task was to create a university framework to meet these guidelines. As explained in the University Record of October 16, 1972, "These new guidelines spell out methods which colleges and universities must use in complying with Federal nondiscrimination orders. They include the setting of either percentage or numerical goals for hiring women and minorities...'The major job of my office,' says Dr. Varner, `is in working out these procedures for monitoring to see if achievement of policy is made. After identifying deficiencies constructive recommendations can be made to the executive officers.'"

The director also served as a liaison between the university, federal government officials, and the university's Commissions for Minority Affairs and Women. The commissions were established by President Robben Fleming in 1971. His charge to the commissions was to examine university policies, procedures, and practices which might contribute to discrimination against minority groups and women, and to review the Affirmative Action Program of the university and make recommendations. The commissions and the program worked together to develop procedures for affirmative action and also submitted recommendations to the president for improving programs within the university.

In 1976 the Affirmative Action Program was reorganized. The name was changed to Affirmative Action Office and the Commissions for Minority Affairs and Women were integrated with the office. The move was designed to eliminate duplication of efforts and more efficiently focus activity on the eradication of discriminatory practices. The timing for the move was also right. Gwendolyn Baker had just been appointed the new director of the Affirmative Action Office and the two commission's chairmanships were about to expire. Charles Allemand replaced Gwendolyn Baker as director of the Affirmative Action Office in 1978.

During the 1970s and 1980s, the role of the office expanded beyond the protection of women and minorities. The groups protected by nondiscrimination laws and policies grew to include individuals with handicaps, people between the ages of 40 and 70, and veterans of the Vietnam War. In addition, the list of characteristics against which institutions could not discriminate included religion, national origin, height, weight, marital status, and sexual orientation.

In 1980 Virginia Nordby became director of the Affirmative Action office. The office was divided into compliance and programs teams, with Nordby overseeing both. This division reflects the two major functions of the office, that of meeting federal affirmative action guidelines, and serving the needs of groups or individuals on campus protected by nondiscrimination laws.

According to a September, 1987 Affirmative Action Office newsletter, the compliance team is responsible for all the data retrieval, analysis, and reporting necessary for writing the reports on minority student recruitment and retention, faculty and staff employment, and affirmative action compliance required by the university and the federal government. Much of this function involves monitoring the race and gender composition of the faculty, staff, and student body; setting affirmative action goals and monitoring progress made toward achieving them; and monitoring faculty and staff recruitment (In the Affirmative, vol. 5, 1987-1988)

The program team addresses the needs of members of protected groups through grievance counseling, program development, and policy recommendations. It also provides workshops to the university community. The workshops offered include Combating Sexual Harassment; Valuing Diversity: Anti-Racism Education and Training; Stares and Stair: Achieving Attitudinal and Architectural Accessibility; Managing AIDS in the Workplace; Understanding Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination; Recruiting and Retaining a Diversified Staff; and Managing an Aging Workforce. In 1991, the office held the first campus-wide diversity and resource forum. At the forum, people learned about the many creative programs and strategies used by different university units to make a better environment in which people of all races, creeds, and cultures, live, work, and study.

The Affirmative Action Office also works with constituency groups, which are composed of volunteers united by a common cause who are willing to work together on projects to improve the university. The office provides direct staff and financial support to such groups as the Academic Women's Caucus, the African-American Organizations Coalition, the Age Concerns Council, the Association of Black Professionals and Administrators, the Commission for Women, the Women of Color Task Force, the Men of Color Task Force, the Task Force on Sexual Orientation, and the Women's Initiative Group.

In 1988 Virginia Nordby left the Affirmative Action Office. Mary Ann Swain became the interim director. In 1989, Zaida I. Giraldo became the director. In 1992, Jimmy A. Myers took over the position as Interim Director. On February 15, 1994 the Affirmative Action Office combined with the Personnel Office to become the Office of Human Resources and Affirmative Action. Jackie McClain was appointed as the executive director.

From the guide to the Affirmative Action Office (University of Michigan) records, 1969-1993, (Bentley Historical Library University of Michigan)