National Aeronautics and Space Administration Annual Performance Report to the White House Initiative Office on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Fiscal Year 2004.

摘要

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is highly committed to ensuring the broadest participation by Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in the Agency's research and education programs and its overall mission. The Agencys goals for HBCUs, as stated in its FY 2004 Annual Plan to Assist HBCUs, undergird and guide NASAs planned spending and technical assistance to HBCUs. Executive Order 13256, Presidents Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, requires all Federal agencies to plan and report annually on how they increased the capacity of HBCUs to compete effectively for Federal funding. The NASA programs highlighted in this report are examples of the Agencys strategy for strengthening and expanding research and academic infrastructure development in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) at HBCUs. NASAs commitment is evidenced by the significant progress made toward the Agencys FY 2004 Annual Plan to Assist HBCUs. NASA's investment in HBCUs grew from its planned investment of $57.2 million for FY 2004 to an actual investment of $69.2 million, a 17-percent increase over our projected investment. In FY 2004, NASA initiated a college corporate recruitment program for STEM and business management majors at 26 HBCUs. Over 1,600 students participated in individual consultations with NASA Center personnel and informational workshops on career, coop, and summer employment opportunities, as well as current and future NASA research programs, for both faculty and students. As a result of the corporate recruitment initiative in FY 2004, NASA hired a total of 96 students, of which 20 or 21 percent were African Americans from HBCUs. The recruitment program represented NASAs proactive effort to attract underrepresented and underserved students as potential scientific and technical personnel to replenish and increase the diversity of its workforce. Another goal achieved through the recruitment initiative was to increase NASAs outreach to the HBCUs receiving grant and research funding.