Asian Pacific American Senior Executives in the Federal Government

Abstract

This article calls attention to the lack of workforce diversity in promoting Asian Pacific Americans to the highest career levels in the federal government. It describes the historic difficulties in realizing significant numbers of APAs in the senior ranks of almost all government agencies. Two major reports from the General Accounting Office (GAO) corroborate this view and depict the pessimistic prospects for any significant improvement in the immediate future. It is urged that there be prompt implementation of the recommendations from the GAO, that specific agency plans and actions be established and monitored, that Congress continue to exercise close oversight regarding federal workforce diversity, and that Office of Personnel Management (OPM) collect and disseminate timely, accurate workforce demographics so that all agencies can be held accountable to the American public.