The Commission of seven members, appointed by the Governor to staggered four-year terms, subject to Senate confirmation, is the policy making body. The Commission makes policy and prescribes the duties of the staff it selects.

The Commission is, however, more than an administrative board with meetings once a month which supervises a state agency. The Commission members, separately, and as a group perform a number of quasi-judicial functions.

It is a Commissioner who makes the finding of probable cause or no probable cause. (See discussion of Probable Cause in previous section.) On a particular case, another Commissioner, or group of Commissioners may conduct a Public Hearing, or the Commission may appoint a Hearing Examiner to hear the case. It is the Commission as a whole, (excluding for the individual case the Commissioner who made the probable cause finding) which has the final obligation to review the findings of the Hearing Examiner, panel of Commissioners, or Commissioner, and issue the final Order on the case.

The Commission develops rules and regulations in conformity with the general rulemaking regulations of state governmental bodies in Iowa. The "Rules of Practice", establish in detail how the agency business is to be conducted.

In addition, the Commission cooperates in the planning of educational programs and participates in a variety of public educational activities. Members each year make many speeches and appear on panel programs and at similar functions to which they are invited.

Listed below are the names and a brief biography of each of the Commissioners during the period of December 1, 1972 to June 30, 1974.

Frances H. Lowder was born in Litchfield, Nebraska and attended Drake University in Des Moines. Received B.A. degree from the University of Arizona, Tuscon, Arizona. Policy Writer and Claims Clerk for Dana C. Johnson Insurance Co. in Des Moines for nine years. Director of Services for Easter Seal Center in Des Moines for seven years. Presently Executive Director for Easter Seal Society of Cerro Gordo County. On the Governor's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped and the Commission on Standards and Accreditation of the Council on Rehabilitation Education. Presently Chairperson of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission. Membership in various organizations such as: National Rehabilitation Association, Business and Professional Women's Club, Iowa Association for Retarded Children, and many others.

Gary H. Koerselman, born in Hull, Iowa, received B.A. degree from Northwestern College, Orange City, Iowa; M.A. degree from University of South Dakota, Vermillion, S.D.; Ph.D. from Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Ill. Married and has two daughters. Graduate assistant at attending universities and substitute teacher

in DeKalb County for 2 years. Presently Associate Professor of History at Morningside College, Sioux City, Iowa. Director and/or Coordinator for many local seminars and conferences for the past three years. Professional membership: The Organization of American Historians, the Agricultural Historical Society, The American Historical Association., Phi Alpha Theta honors. Has written various articles and papers for national publication. Presently Vice-Chairperson of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission. Active in many other community and church organizations.


George Garcia, born in Laredo, Texas, attended Northwest Missouri State University and received a B.A. degree in History and Sociology. M.A. from the University of Iowa. Advanced Chicano studies from California State University and Ph.D. candidate at University of Iowa. Married and has two children. Eight years high school teaching experience in Iowa City. Part-time Chicano and Black History instructor at various State Colleges and Adult Education Programs. Presently Chief of Urban Education with the State Department of Public Instruction. Chairperson of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission 1973-74. Second Vice President of the International Association of Official Human Rights Agencies, Washington, D.C. Member of NAACP, La Raza Unida., American Civil Liberties Union, Common Cause, NEA, ISEA, National Council for Social Studies Teachers.

James Gillman, born Mallard, Iowa. Attended Emmetsburg Junior College, received B.S. degree in Pharmacy from State University of Iowa. Post-graduate work taken at Drake University. Served with U.S. Navy during World War II and again for 15 months assigned to U.S. Marines during the Korean Conflict. Married and has 3 sons. Served as assistant administrator in Canton, Illinois for two years. Was staff officer and consultant in community and hospital administration, Division of Mental Health, for the former Iowa Board of Control for four years. Appointed Commandant of Iowa Soldiers Home, Marshalltown., for 4 1/2, years. Commissioner of the Iowa Department of Social Services for four years. Presently Vice-President for Administration for Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Has been active on the following boards and commissions: National Council of State Public Welfare Administrators, Health, Education, and Welfare Reform Advisory Committee, Iowa Commission on Aging, Greater Des Moines United Way, and many others. Belongs to Iowa Pharmacy Association, Masonic Lodge, American Legion, and other community organizations.

Elizabeth Kruidenier born in Des Moines, Iowa, received B.A. degree from Connecticut College and J.D. from Drake University Law School. Married and has one daughter. Has been on the Commission since 1965. Founder of the Iowa Association for the United Nations. On the Know Your Neighbor Panel from 1960 to 1969. A recipient of the Jewish War Veterans Americanism Award and a Trustee of Grinnell College.

Gretchen M. Walsh is a Clinical Psychologist at Dubuque County Mental Health Center, Mercy Medical Center, Dubuque. She received a B.A. degree from Clarke College and an M.A. from the University of South Dakota. She is the wife of John M. Walsh, Vice-President of Walsh Stores.

DeEdwin White, our commissioner from Southeast Iowa is a Hawkeye native. Reared and educated in Burlington, Iowa, he is a retired letter carrier. He had 32 years of government service, including four years in the military, from which he was honorably discharged as a first lieutenant. During this period, he was actively engaged in civic, fraternal and church activities. He has been at various times Grand Master and Grand Patron of the male and female Orders of the Prince Hall Masonic Family of Iowa, First Vice-President of the Iowa Conference of Branches, NAACP, and Chairman of the Southeast Iowa Community Action Program. Presently he is serving as a City Councilman, as Vice-Chairman of the Des Moines County Red Cross and as a trustee of the Illinois Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

The following two persons are no longer on the Commission, their terms having expired during the period covered by this report.

Madonna Skogstrom, born in Algona, Iowa. Daughter of John T. and Zelda McGuire. Graduated Algona High School. Attended Cornell College and Drake University. Graduated State University of Iowa, B.A. degree in speech pathology and audiology in 1956. Graduate work at University of South Dakota. Married H. Clifford Skogstrom, and they have two daughters, Jane and Joan. Methodist. Member of Iowa Speech and Hearing Association, American Association of University Women, Order of Eastern Star, Kossuth County Republican Women (finance chairman), Delta Gamma, and W.S.C.S. church group. Director of United Fund,, 1968-1970, and chairman of local church's commission on education. Previously active in St. Ann's Auxiliary, and as a Girl Scout leader and Playground and Park Commissioner. Speech therapist for Kossuth County. Member of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission 1969-1973.

Sam W. Brown, born in Omaha, Nebraska. Received B.A. degree from Tarkio College, Tarkio, Missouri. Served in U.S. Army. Married, has three sons. General manager of a chain of shoe stores in Council Bluffs. Member of Rotary Club and Elks Club. Member of Board of Directors and President of Alumni Association, Tarkio College. Served on Iowa Civil Rights Commission 1971-73.

The Staff

The paid staff of the agency performs the day-to-day work. The most serious problems for the Iowa Civil Rights Commission in the period covered by this report were those which involved staffing. The agency staff is headed by an Executive Director who is selected by and serves at the pleasure of the Commission. Alvin Hayes, Jr., who became Executive Director in April, 1969, resigned in the fall of 1973. Commissioner James Gillman served as Acting Director for a month while a new Director was being sought. Joseph L. Tate, who had been Supervisor of Compliance for the Kansas Commission,, was appointed as Executive Director and began work on November 1, 1973.

The Director is responsible for selecting other staff personnel. The State Merit Department, however, screens applicants for all positions except that of Executive Director. Thus the applicants for the jobs on the Civil Rights Commission staff must meet the personal and educational qualifications as approved by the State Merit Department before individuals may be considered for appointment.

The size of the staff is controlled basically by the size of the Commission budget authorized by the Legislature and by additional funds which become available, such as EEOC grants for projects.

At the time Hayes left, there were three people remaining on the staff. The Commission staff was organized internally at the close of the reporting period as shown on the chart on page 46. At the end of this reporting period, not all positions were filled.

The first task confronting Tate involved filling staff vacancies. In the eight months after he became Director the following positions were filled: three (3) Field Representatives (investigators), three (3) Civil Rights Aides, Education Director (transfer from within staff), Compliance Director, Patterns and Practices Project Director, and two part-time clerical positions.

The Executive Director is, of course, the administrative head of the agency. The Director must supervise the activities of the agency staff, and is responsible for staff relations with other governmental officials, including the General Assembly, relations with representatives of the media and the public at large. The Executive Director is often invited to make speeches and appear on programs before a wide variety of groups and organizations in the State. He is held responsible and accountable by the Commission for the progress, quantity and quality of the work performed by all of the Commission staff. The work which was performed by the agency during the 19 month period between December 1. 1972 and June 30, 1974 was the subject of the previous Division of this report. A brief description of the work allocation to staff other than the Executive Director follows.

The Compliance Director: (Michael L. Bailey - joined staff in March., 1974). Subject to direction of the Executive Director and is responsible for most of the functions related to Complaint processing. The activities of three (3) Field Representatives and three (3) Civil Rights Aides are supervised by the Compliance Director. The Field Investigators are primarily responsible for the conduct of investigations of Complaints which are filed. The process involves written communications, use of the telephone and personal calls on Complainants, Respondents, and appropriate witnesses. The Aides work in direct cooperation with the Investigators, performing duties as assigned.

As of June 30, 1974 the Compliance staff included: Field Representatives Angel Cardona, Arthur Galbreath, Jr., and Vernell Warren; Civil Rights Aides Judy Waterstradt, Harmon Whitfield, and Carla McCune.

The Education Director: (Felicia Mullin) is responsible for planning and conducting educational meetings and conferences throughout the state. In addition, the Education Director is the designated Training Officer of the agency and is responsible for departmental and staff development and conducts staff training programs. Although the law is not specific as to the scope of the education function., the reality of the case load has caused the staffing of the Education section to be limited to one person with appropriate clerical support.

The position of Affirmative Action Administrator (Maude White) was established when Governor Ray designated the Iowa Civil Rights Commission as the agency responsible for implementing some aspects of Executive Order No. 15. The Affirmative Action Administrator is responsible for working with state agencies in developing, implementing and evaluating Affirmative Action programs and other related activities. Related work may include assisting Respondents in preparation of Affirmative Action programs pursuant to Conciliation Agreements, Commission Orders following Public Hearings, or Court Orders, following cessation of Judicial review processes.

The position of Discriminatory Discharge Project Director is held by William Murray, who is an attorney. In addition to the work of supervising investigation of Complaints under the EEOC contract, Conciliations and other work, he is assigned to work on the development of Departmental Rules and Regulations.

The Patterns and Practices Project Director is Terrence Dolphin, who joined the staff in December, 1973. His work is conducted under terms of an EEOC contract. Much of the work on the project was carried over from previous years as a continuation of earlier contracts.

The Secretarial and Bookkeeping responsibilities are supervised by a Secretary III, Sue Zylstra, who has been the Commission Executive Secretary since 1968. The clerical functions are operated from a secretarial pool system of four people in addition to the chief secretary.

The Secretaries are Ilda Elliott, Lorene Hawkins, and Velora Vertz. The Clerk Typist is JoAnn Bragg.

Because the work of the Civil Rights Commission involves the elimination of discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, and disability, it is desirable for people who believe they are victims of discrimination to have reason to believe that those people who are charged with the responsibilities for carrying out the work assignment care about and understand the problems of the aggrieved.

The Commission and the staff together as of June 30, 1974, totaled 23 people, of whom 12 were women and 11 were men. The Commission is composed of four male and three female commissioners.

The following shows the composition of the professional and the clerical staff for the Iowa Civil Rights Commission as of June 30, 1974: 6 Blacks, 2 Spanish-Surnamed, 1 Handicapped and 7 Whites. Of the 9 female staff personnel, 5 are in the clerical department.

Thus, the Commission members selected by the Governor and the Commission's staff include substantive representation of the spectrum of groups that seek assistance from the agency.

Resource People

In addition to the regular staff, a group of lawyers have served as Hearing Examiners. They are James Huber, William Kutmus, Jane Fox and Leon Shearer.

As a part of the on-going educational function of the agency, outside consultants have been hired to perform a variety of specific services. These include Jesse Milan, HUD Office in Kansas City, Troy Scroggins, EEOC Office in Kansas City, Ed Czarnecki and Tom Gilroy, Professors at University of Iowa, James Blair, Executive Director of the Michigan Civil Rights Commission ' Margaret McKenna, Executive Director of International Organization of Human Rights Agencies.

The laws of the state of Iowa provide that the Attorney General is authorized to represent all state Boards and Commissions, unless specific statutes provide otherwise. The Attorney General has assigned Assistant Attorney General Roxanne Conlin as Counsel to the Iowa Civil Rights Commission. Ms. Conlin advises the agency on legal matters in general and represents it and Complainants in Commission Public Hearings, and in proceedings before Courts in the Judicial Review Process. Other Assistant Attorney's General have assisted her from time to time.

I. Seven (7) Commissioners

A. Executive Director

1. Secretary III

a. Secretary I

b. Secretary I

c. Secretary I

d. Clerk-Typist III

e. Clerk-Typist III

2. Affirmative Action Director

3. Education Director

4. Compliance Director

a. Field Representative

i. Civil Rights Aide

b. Field Representative

i. Civil Rights Aide

c. Field Representative

i. Civil Rights Aide

5. Discharge Project Director

6. Patterns & Practices Project Dir.

7. Labor Union Project Director

 

Codes:

Italics - indicates federal funding