[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 34, Number 37 (Monday, September 14, 1998)]
[Pages 1754-1755]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Memorandum on Diversity in the Scientific and Technical Work Force

September 10, 1998

Memorandum for the National Science and Technology Council

Subject: Achieving Greater Diversity Throughout the U.S. Scientific and 
Technical Work Force

    The world admires the American higher education system for its 
excellence in advanced training in science and engineering. Maintaining 
leadership across the frontiers of science and producing the finest 
scientists and engineers for the 21st century are principal goals of my 
Administration's science and technology policies. The work of 
individuals and organizations to inspire and mentor young people and 
offer role models is crucial to achieving these goals. To recognize 
this, I established the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, 
Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring in 1996. This annual award honors 
individuals and organizations for outstanding mentoring efforts that 
have encouraged significant numbers of individuals from groups under-
represented in science, mathematics, and engineering to succeed in these 
fields.
    As we work to develop the finest scientists and engineers for the 
21st century, our human resources policies must address the composition 
of our science and engineering work force. Achieving diversity 
throughout the ranks of the scientific and technical work force presents 
a formidable challenge. The number of women, minorities, and persons 
with disabilities who have careers in science and engineering remains 
low. In every year of this decade, there have been far too few 
minorities awarded degrees in science or engineering, and the trend in 
minority admissions and degree awards is not encouraging.

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We need to draw upon the Nation's full talent pool. We cannot afford to 
overlook anyone.
    Today, the science and engineering work force does not reflect the 
changing face of America. By 2010, approximately half of America's 
school-age population will be from minority groups. Minority 
participation in science and engineering careers should keep pace with 
this growing diversity. Expanding such participation will require 
drawing on and developing talent at all stages of educational 
preparation leading to advanced study. For example, only a small 
fraction, perhaps one-eighth, of all high school graduates have the 
mathematics and science preparation that would permit advanced study in 
a technical field; for under-represented minorities, that fraction is 
only half as much.
    The Federal Government, working in partnership with the private 
sector and State governments, can be an effective agent of change; we 
can promote fuller participation of women, minorities, and people with 
disabilities in scientific and technical careers. With your help, my 
Administration has promoted quality education in the crucial early years 
by improving the quality of our schools and teachers, expanding access 
to the Internet and other technology-based learning tools, and basing 
all our efforts on rigorous standards through Goals 2000. We have 
expanded access to higher education by making it more affordable.
    Existing Federal programs provide the means to achieve, but what are 
also needed in many cases are the mentors or role models that can help 
point the way to success. My High Hopes initiative will provide 
mentoring for middle and high school students to encourage larger 
numbers of low-income young people to enroll in colleges and 
universities. However, we must continue to assist under-represented 
minorities as they make their way through the myriad options available 
to them once they enter into our Nation's system of higher education. 
This is especially true for important technical career paths.
    Therefore, I direct the National Science and Technology Council 
(NSTC) to develop recommendations within 180 days on how to achieve 
greater diversity throughout our scientific and technical work force. 
The NSTC recommendations will detail ways for the Federal Government to 
bolster mentoring in science and technology fields and to work with the 
private sector and academia to strengthen mentoring in higher education.
                                            William J. Clinton