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November 17, 2003
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To:
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IC Directors
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| From: |
Acting Director, Executive Secretariat |
| Subject: |
IC Directors' Meeting Highlights —
October 9, 2003 |
Decision Item
l. FARB Funding FY04 Recommendation for Central Services
Stressing the FARB's responsibility to integrate priorities, Dr. Katz
explained the FARB schedule
over the 2003 calendar year and the process that has gone into reaching
its recommendations for
FY04 and its recommendation to defer the FY05 recommendations until after
the FARB is subsumed
into the Management and Budget Working Group of the NIH Steering Committee.
He then discussed the original FY04 FARB recommendations versus the 04
requests versus the final
recommendations, pointing to the special funding issues that arose over
the period such as the CIT
Consolidation, restructuring and A-76 costs, and the ORS security budget.
He also noted that the
increases in facility use and rent need to be carefully looked at.
Thanking all the various members of the committees and boards that are
involved in the budgetary
decision-making process, Dr. Katz said that it is only the tremendous
cooperation and openness of
these entities that made it possible for the FARB to balance the competing
priorities. He concluded
by presenting the FY04 recommendations:
a total Management Fund/Service Supply Fund assessment of 2.6 percent,
and
deferral of the FY05 original recommendations until they can be considered
by the Budget
Working Group.
After discussion of various special funding issues such as security and
consolidation efforts, the
group agreed to both recommendations.
ll. Human Resources Issues
Dr. Zerhouni updated the group on his interactions with the Office of
the Secretary on human
resources and other consolidation issues.
lll. Funding of Basic Behavioral and Social Science Research at the
NIH
Dr. Kington reported on recent congressional interest in NIH behavioral
and social science
research. He then discussed the creation of a new Working Group on Basic
Behavioral and Social
Sciences Research that will be a subgroup of the Advisory Committee to
the Director and will
comprise scientists from the academic community as well as from many ICs.
In order to enable the
Group to conduct its charges to
identify the current NIH portfolio in the area,
identify areas of scientific opportunity consistent with the NIH mission,
and
review patterns in the submission and peer review of such grant applications,
Dr. Kington said Drs. Insel and Greenberg have already begun an inventory
of this research.
Dr. Greenberg noted that she would welcome input from other ICs. Dr. Kington
said the Working
Group's first meeting will be later this fall.
IV. Equal Opportunity Program Update
Mr. Self began by citing figures that show downward trends in formal
complaints filed, caseload per
service population (tied for the lowest in the total Federal Government),
and the average number of
days for complaints processing. He updated the group on new requirements
related to:
Management Directive 715 that was effective October 1, which introduces
new guidelines
that the EEOC will brief NIH EEOs on
Section 508 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, as amended in 1998, requirements
for
accommodation for people with disabilities in electronic technology
Limited English Proficiency Executive Order 13166
Minority Corporate Outreach and Recruitment
No Fear Act which requires that agencies losing in discrimination
and whistle blower cases
pay the judgment out of their budgets
After detailing a number of NIH corporate accomplishments related to
EEO, he discussed goals in
hiring people with disabilities, the importance of avoiding charges of
reprisal, and the NIH EEO
Restructuring Plan.
Mr. Self concluded by announcing Dr. Zerhouni's recent receipt of the
Diversity Best Practices
Award. Among the ten leaders so honored, Dr. Zerhouni was the only Federal
awardee.
V. Steering Committee Update
Dr. Kington said that there will be five Working Groups under the Steering
Committee:
Intramural
Extramural
Management and Budget
IT
Facilities
These working groups will be finalizing membership and generating charters
in the next several
months. There are also plans for an intranet Web site where Steering Committee
and Working
Group information will be available.
Vl. Other Information Items
The group then discussed the recent Roadmap rollout activities; and Dr.
Zerhouni thanked all
involved especially John Burklow and Larry Thompson. He noted that he
will continue to publicly
champion the initiative in future media events such as radio interviews
and television appearances.
He then said that he wanted to make special mention of the single person
most responsible for
ensuring the success of the Roadmap planning process, Lana Skirboll. The
entire group agreed and
gave her a resounding round of applause.
Dale Johnson
cc: OD Senior Staff
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