GWO, Wright Discuss Hiring Plan

The Commission of Inquiry met yesterday morning with Edward Wright, assistant to the President for Minority Affairs, and three representatives of the Graduate Women's Organization (GWO) to discuss the GWO's request for publication of the University's affirmative action plan for the hiring of women and minority workers.

Discussion of the plan centered around three issues: release of "target numbers" which have been set as goals for University hiring, specification of communications "pipelines" for recruitment, and clarification of the differences between the complete affirmative action plan and the summary which has been made public.

Members of both GWO and the Commission of Inquiry also expressed concern about placing responsibility for women's problems within the University. The summary of the affirmative action plan designates Wright as responsible for coordinating University affirmative action efforts, but the individual faculties still retain hiring power.

"With the fragmentation of power within the University, it's almost impossible to find out who made a decision. This makes it difficult for the constituency to make its views known and effective," Ann N. Michelini, co-chair man of GWO, said.

Wright described his office as a "resource to locate the type of people you want to hire," but declined to comment on his other responsibilities.

Although yesterday's meeting revealed no new information about the affirmative action plan, Phyllis. M. Jones, cochairman of GWO, said she was "encouraged by the direction the commission seems to be going."

Marshall B. Strauss '72, a student member of the Commission of Inquiry, also expressed optimism. "I think both sides are sincere in their desire to see more women hired."

Doris H. Kearns, assistant professor of Government and a member of the Commission, was less optimistic. "I think it's probably true that people who say numbers shouldn't be released are not necessarily against hiring more women, but it is also true that process is as important as substance. Even if the University is not able to meet its goals, we need to know how the goals are set up and how the reality compares," she said.

The Commission members will meet tonight to discuss the issues among themselves. However, Roger Rosenblatt, chairman of the Commission, said a decision would probably not be made immediately.