Science and Technology Leadership in American Government Ensuring the Best Presidential Appointments (1992) / Chapter Skim
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3. IMPROVING RECRUITMENT AND EXPANDING THE POOL OF CANDIDATES
3. IMPROVING RECRUITMENT AND EXPANDING THE POOL OF CANDIDATES
Pages 49-60
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From page 49... ...
We conclude, therefore, that it is necessary to find ways to improve the White House's outreach to the science and engineering community and for the White House, industry, academia, and scientific societies to work together in expanding the pool of potential talent. RECRUITING TOP SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS While a presidential appointment is very attractive to many people, there are a number of deterrents confronting those invited to work for the President.
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From page 50... ...
Although these factors affect all potential recruits for presidential appointments, the consequences are especially serious in the case of technical personnel because of the critical importance of S&T judgment and advice in national policymaking and program management. Some of the factors discouraging potential recruits for presidentially appointed positions may affect scientists and engineers to a greater degree than candidates from the legal or other professions, or from the business sector.
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From page 51... ...
The whole personnel operation is going on concurrently with the other important activities of the transition period, including budgeting, policymaking, international affairs, congressional relations, White House staffing, and inaugural celebrations. These volume ant!
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From page 52... ...
, have increasingly come under White House control and thus the responsibility of OPP. In addition, the OPP must handle more than 500 PAS and more than 1,500 PA appointments to part-time boards and comrnissions.2 These pressures on the OPP are intensified by additional pressures exerted by the political party and congressional supporters of the President on behalf of their own candidates for political appointments.
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From page 53... ...
Without giving up their exclusive right to make executive appointments, Presidents should place greater reliance on cabinet secretaries and agency heads for active identi~cation and recruitment of candidates for subcabinet positions involving S&T expertise. The White House cannot hope to fill the thousands of PAS and other political positions that must be filled at the beginning of an administration in a timely fashion or adequately supervise them thereafter.
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From page 54... ...
In recent decades, however, presidential science advisers have been chosen too late to participate in the all-important initial recruitment effort of new administrations, and they have too seldom played a strong role in recruitment once Hey were on board. The President can signify the importance of science and technology to He administration by designating the Assistant to the President for S&T early in the transition along with cabinet secretaries and over top White House staffers.3 The President should direct that the Assistant for 3 Initially, presidential science advisors had the rank of special assistant to the President.
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From page 55... ...
Recommendation B-2. The President should designate the Assistant to the President for S&T early in the transition and instruct him or her to work closely with department and agency heads and with the Office of Presidential Personnel in an active effort to identify and recruit outstanding scientists and engineers for presidential appointments.
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From page 56... ...
The new unit for scientific and engineering recruitment should work closely with the Assistant to the President for S&T and with the department and agency heads in identifying and approaching potential nominees for the administration, and special outreach efforts should be undertaken in conjunction with professional associations of scientists and engineers. We believe that specialized and experienced staff, working in conjunction with the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and concerned department and agency heads, will better perform the recruitment function.
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From page 57... ...
For instance, rigid limits on the number of years faculty members can take leave without resigning their positions should be relaxed for those accepting presidential appointments. Current law permits the federal government to make payments to university pension funds on behalf of faculty members on leave to serve in the government, but a university's personnel benefits program may or may not be structured in such a way as to make this possible.
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From page 58... ...
policies would make it easier for midcareer employees to spend several years in a government position- for example, leaves of absence that are not just permitted but encouraged; pension plans that are constructed to permit government contributions; general policies for earned severance pay that are set up so appointees may take them without running afoul of conflict-of-interest provisions. Increasing the Interest of Scientists and Engineers in Government Service Few physical and biological scientists or engineers actively involved in research or technology development have any experience with the public policy process or exposure to government work.
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From page 59... ...
Recommendation B-5. The Washington fellowship programs of the professional and disciplinary societies and scientific associations should be expanded to expose more up-and-coming scientists and engineers to S&T issues and program administration at the national level, and the White House Fellows program should make a special effort to acquaint promising young scientists and engineers with S&T decisionmaking at the national level.
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