On April 2, 1973, Governor Ray signed into law Executive Order No. 15. The order prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, sex, disability (mental and physical), race, color, creed, religion and national origin in the business of operating the state government. Although the order impacts directly on state government, it has a tipple effect throughout the private sector as well. The ripple affects any person or business who needs a license issued by the state and any business or person who contracts with the state in any way. The Executive Order invests the Civil Rights Commission with the authority and the responsibility to implement its provisions. Within the agency the person administering the order during FY-77 and FY-78 was the Affirmative Action Director, Ms. Maude White.

Ms. White is from Perry, northwest of Des Moines in central Iowa. She has been active in various levels of government service most of her life. While living in California she worked as a Division Supervisor in the state employment service there. And in the early sixties she traveled as part of a U. S. State Department delegation to view conditions in Africa. Upon returning to Des Moines she worked in the Iowa State Employment Service and the Office for Programming and Planning. She obtained a master's degree in sociology from Drake University before becoming Affirmative Action Director at the Civil Rights Commission in 1973. Ms. White left April 7, 1978 and the position is vacant as of this writing (August, 1978).

The work of the Affirmative Action Director stems directly from the provisions of Executive Order No. 15. In brief, the order requires:

Prior to her leaving, Ms. White was instrumental in creating a more effective network of communication among equal employment opportunity officers of various state agencies. Ms. White conducted meetings of these officers at least quarterly. The purpose of these meetings was to troubleshoot on recruitment and other staffing problems EEO officers were having. In addition, the group received presentations from a variety of speakers and other training opportunities.

Ms. White provided technical assistance regarding affirmative action programs to state officials as well as private businesses which contracted with the state. Personnel from local governments could also obtain information and assistance upon request.

Although the position was vacant at the end of the fiscal year, the agency temporarily hired Mr. Gary Martin to complete the Annual Affirmative Action Report for State Government. The following pages contain summary data taken from that report.