FAS AFSA Results - 2004

Jan/February
--No FAS AFSA VP

March
--Held a brown bag lunch for members

April
--Hosted a speaker who gave a presentation on the OPM core leadership competencies.
--Developed an FAS AFSA work plan.
--Submitted an article to the FS Journal on recruitment.

May
--Worked through the Secretary's office to convince the Secretary to sign a letter opposing the USAA decision to deny eligibility to newly commissioned FSOs from FAS, FCS and USAID. Secretary Veneman was the first Cabinet Secretary to sign such a letter. After she signed, DOC Secretary and USAID Administrator agreed to follow suit.
--Coordinated with FAA to provide guidance to FSOs in the field on how to tie individual performance to Agency goals as required by the Presidential Management Agenda.
--Held a joint meeting with FCS that included AFSA, management and HR representatives to discuss how we can better coordinate on a range of issues including the need to tie individual performance to Agency goals.

June
--Conducted on-going recruitment efforts including a recruitment luncheon held during the Global Lite Conference.
--Drafted a fact sheet on locality pay.
--Created an FAS AFSA website.
--Hosted a seminar on lateral entry.

July/August
--In training under the Executive Potential Program.

September
--Monitored the lateral entry process and worked with board members to develop a set of recommendations for improvement to the QREP process.
--Sent a memo to the FAS Administrator encouraging a rigorous domestic review process to help ensure Agency management has the necessary structure in place to meet cost cutting targets.
--Initiated a recruitment campaign to increase FAS AFSA membership.

October
--Worked with FAS management to clarify the internal procedure for security clearances.
--Met with new lateral entrants to educate them on AFSA and the FS evaluation system.
--Met with FSO representatives from APHIS to discuss extending the AFSA collective bargaining unit to include APHIS.

November
--Developed an AFSA Management and Leadership Working Group and, through this group, developed a set of core leadership competencies benchmarked by grade.
--Participated in the affirmative employment strategic planning session. Coordinated with the EEO Office to initiate an annual analysis of the FAS FS workforce by race and gender.
--Coordinated with the recruitment committee to define the specific competencies we are looking for in job applicants and develop a set of questions/assessment tool to assess those competencies.

December
--Canvassed AFSA members to obtain input regarding the FAS strategic organization review initiative. Melded the diverse views of AFSA members into a set of recommendations that was submitted to FAS management.
--Represented AFSA on the Representative Working Group as part of the strategic organizational review process and made specific recommendations on how to enhance our organizational capabilities.
--Developed a suggested FS performance management and measurement framework for to comply with the requirements of the Presidential Management Agenda and presented it to HRD and FAS management.
--Coordinated with HRD and FAS management on a new SFS pay package.
--Met with State Department representative of OBO to discuss the Capital Cost Sharing Program and the impact on FAS, FCS and USAID.

On-going
--Kept AFSA members informed of the status of AFSA priority issues (locality pay, USAA etc.) and significant developments at FAS through regular newsletters and the website.
--Met regularly with AFSA members, FAS management and HRD.