NIU employees who think they’ve been passed up for better jobs by minorities are unaware of a training program incorporated into the university which temporarily places minorities into departmental positions.

The program came to attention when a report came from the physical plant that trainees were being employed in shipping positions at salary with all the benefits of full-time workers. The memo said that the trainees were hired past the civil service procedures.

However, Richard Flournory, placement supervisor of personnel, confirmed the training program but said the program does not violate civil service procedure.

“The employees are in a training spot. They don’t bypass the register because they’re not on the register. They’re being trained to pass the register test,” Flournory said.

Flournory explained that the program is split into two basic parts. The first division emphasizes the placement of minorities into positions while the second division focuses on placing trainees into departments.

The program has been used by several departments throughout the university. Flournory said that minorities had been placed as route drivers, inventory clerks, secretaries in the international program, the library program and telephone services.

Flournory said the program was minority-specific but not race-specific. The program places racial minorities but also places women and disabled.

“The program is mostly utilized by women and minorities,” Flournory said. “The program increases the number of minorities and women that are capable of getting on employment registers.”

The Learner Training Program placed 20 people in January. Flournory said two were white males while 18 were white females.

Flournory continued to say that the Personnel Training Program placed 18 people in January. Four were male while 14 were female. Flournory said that all 18 were minorities.

“The program is larger now than it has ever been,” Flournory said.

Flournory said the department strictly follows the guidelines set down in the Statutes and Rules of Civil Service laid out in September of 1990.

“The main office in Champaign tells other branches to call here and talk to Rich Flournory. We do it right,” Flournory said.

Flournory said the campus benefits through the affirmative action policies of the training programs.

“The program helps fill positions, train individuals to be placed on registers and creates a better pool of employees to pick from,” Flournory said.

Flournory said the program has met with huge success since its induction at NIU in 1969.

“Quite a few departments are using the program,” Flournory said. “The departments are asking for more of the program.”

Flournory said that the program is expanding, but he is worried about educational budget cuts.

“It always seems like an easy program to cut when budgeting comes around,” Flournory said.

Flournory said he hopes the goals of the growing program will be to expand the number of people being placed and the number of jobs available to minorities.

He also hopes to add a program in the future to move more women into supervisory positions.

Flournory explained that departments use the training program to fill positions which they can’t afford to keep in their own budget.

“The Learner Training Program employees are paid through our department while the Personnel Training is paid for by the departments,” Flournory said.

Flournory said the training programs are not permanent positions and that trainees have to hope to find jobs after their intern periods. Trainee periods can last between three months and five years.

“That’s the major difference between the trainees and full time employees,” Flournory said. “There is no guarantee of a job.”

However, “The departments become reliable on our trainees, but when their terms end they don’t have the money to fill the position. They rely on me to place someone else or they’re forced to double regular employees’ work loads,” Flournory said.