- AUTHORITY
The Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Hispanic Advisory Committee for Employees (HACE) is established by authority of the Center Director. It operates under this Charter and is consistent with the efforts promoted through Executive Order 11478, U.S. Office of Personnel Management Federal Personnel Manual Chapter 713, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Equal Opportunity Management Directive 714, and other statutes and regulations that govern Goddard’s equal opportunity program. Its establishment is recognized officially as appropriate for this Center, which has been at the forefront of research and exploration and in helping to lead the world to discover new knowledge about the universe. Its purpose is to assist all levels of management to create an environment that is conducive to utilization of each employee’s abilities, skills, and knowledge in order to achieve maximum productivity. The sponsoring organization is the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs, Code 120.
- OBJECTIVES
The committee is chartered to:
- Provide advice, guidance, and recommendations to the Director in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating the Center’s affirmative action program on the employment and advancement of Hispanics and other minorities;
- Serve as a focal point for the concerns of Hispanic employees on matters affecting their employment at Goddard Space Flight Center through personal contact with the Director, the Assistant Director, and other officials of the Center; and,
- Help resolve Centerwide problems affecting Hispanic employees.
- MEMBERSHIP
The membership of the committee will primarily consist of Hispanic employees. Individuals who are not themselves Hispanic but who have a strong interest in the employment of Hispanics are also eligible for membership. However, a majority of the membership will consist of Hispanics.
Six members will be appointed by the Center Director upon nomination by the prospective member’s Director of. In addition, three members will be recommended by the Chief, Office of Equal Opportunity Programs, with the concurrence of the GSFC-HACE, for appointment by the Center Director.
Each member will serve for a period of 3 years except that for appointments made during the first year, one-third of the committee (three members) will be appointed for 1 year, one-third for 2 years and one-third for 3 years so that no more than one-third of the appointments expire in any one year. Each of these groups of three members will consist of two appointed by the Center Director upon nomination by the prospective member’s Director of, and one recommended by the Chief, Office of Equal Opportunity, with the concurrence of the GSFC-HACE, for the appointment by the Center Director.
Normally, members will serve no more than two consecutive terms. The committee structure and selection process will be reviewed each year prior to the anniversary date of this charter, which will coincide with the beginning of the committee’s work year, to evaluate the effectiveness of the number and appointment procedures of the committee members.
In constituting the committee, consideration will be given to representation of a board range of national origins, job titles, and directorates, and include individuals holding management and non-management positions. The committee will make further recommendations governing the desired qualifications of the members.
In addition to the members described above, the Office of Human Resources and the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs will each have a representative serving on the committee with the same rights and responsibilities of the other committee members.
One person from each of the unions having exclusive representation of employees will be invited to participate in committee meetings. These union representatives will have privileges extending to participation in discussions and serving on sub-committees, but not voting on issues brought before the committee.
- COMMITTEES’ FUNCTIONS
The committee will have a wide range of functions, which include:
- Contributing to the Center’s annual updates of the affirmative action plan for the hiring, placement, and advancement of Hispanics;
- Monitoring and evaluating implementation of the plans, recommending actions to improve performance in implementing the plans to the Center Director, deputy Director, and other officials of the Center;
- Assessing facility barriers to the employment and advancement of Hispanics, including access to programs and activities; architectural, attitudinal, communication, transportation and other barriers to employment; and developing recommendations for their elimination;
- Receiving, considering and transmitting, as appropriate, proposals, statements of problems in directorates, and other recommendations of persons on matters relating to the employment of Hispanics. These problems will normally be facility wide in scope or encompass more than one directorate;
- Maintaining liaison with each other, and similar committees at other NASA installations, NASA Headquarters, and other Governmental agencies, as well as coordinating activities and programs with any other constituency clubs or groups that may be in existence on Center;
- Meeting separately at least once annually with the Center Director and formally meeting quarterly with the Chief, EOPO and the Director, OHR. Also meeting with the committee at Wallops Flight Facility, will be the Director, Suborbital Projects and Operations;
- Evaluating the effectiveness of the committee’s structure and activities annually and reporting to the Director, recommending continuation or termination, and any changes considered desirable in the role and structure of the committee; and,
- Taking the leading role in planning and implementing activities surrounding Center commemorative events for the Hispanics.
- COMMITTEE CHAIR
The committee will select a chairperson and a vice chairperson form among its members who will serve for a period of 1 year. The same individual may not serve as a chairperson for more than 2 consecutive years.
- COMMITTEE MEETINGS (FREQUENCY AND ABSENCES)
Initially meetings will be held once a month. After the committee is fully established, its members will determine the frequency of the meetings. Meetings of sub-committees will be on an as-needed basis. If a member misses three consecutive meetings or four meetings over the course of 12 months, the committee may dismiss the individual by a vote of the majority of the committee.
- FILLING VACANCIES
Vacancies occurring on the committee for any reason will be filled in the same manner as the position was filled originally. That is, individuals chosen by the Center Director upon nomination by the prospective member’s Director of will be replaced following the same procedure. Likewise, members recommended by the Chief, Office of Equal Opportunity Programs, with the concurrence of the GSFC-HACE, for appointment by the Center director will be replaced accordingly. The vacancy will be filled until the expiration of the appointment of the vacating member, at which time the new member may be reappointed to serve a full term. If the initial appointment was for a period of 18 months or less, the new member can then be reappointed for a second full term.
- COMMITTEE DURATION
The committee will be a standing committee of indefinite duration with continuance dependent on the annual evaluation and Director’s approval.
- SUB-COMMITTEES
The committee will form sub- committees as it considers necessary, on a continuing or as hoc basis, to address specific items such as employment, training, and attitudinal barriers; career development; recruitment; merit promotion; special events; committee membership; etc., or specific problems or issues as they arise.
- COMMITTEE SUPPORT.
The Chief, Office of Equal Opportunity Programs, will be responsible for management control and logistics support functions for the committee. On a day-to-day basis, the Chief, Office of Equal Opportunity Programs, will exercise this responsibility through an appropriate person on his or her professional staff. This individual will also serve as Executive Secretary to the committee.
- COMMITTEE CHARTER AMENDMENETS
