I got a reply today from the Department of Energy Office of Civil Rights and Diversity in response to my phone call on Friday and my email to them over the weekend regarding my complaint under Title IX about endemic gender discrimination at Fermilab. All I've got to say is that the letter below would have given me a headache if I hadn't already had one because I currently have the flu. The DoE OCDR phone, snail mail, and email contact information is given at the bottom of the letter. Give them a ring or drop them a line if you feel like (especially if you've taken the time to read this). Why should I be the only person knocking on their door to ask why national laboratories like Fermilab aren't even in minimal compliance with Title IX...
Good Afternoon Dr.Absinthe:
Thank you for the information provided below [I had e-mailed them the snippet of Title IX that pointed out that Title IX applies to all federally funded research activities at our national laboratories (I had gotten this info off of the DoE OCR website, no less). I had also emailed them the link to the Government Accountability Office report GAO-04-639 that pointed to the Department of Energy national laboratories (specifically naming Fermilab among the laboratories) as a federally funded research endeavour that had to do more to ensure compliance with Title IX]. Please be advised that the Office of Civil Rights and Diversity (OCRD) received your Title IX complaint from the Department of Justice. The complaint was assigned to an OCRD onsite contractor on March 12, 2008 [for cripe's sake, the complaint was forwarded to them over 6 months ago, and they just assigned an investigator a month ago? And the investigator they assigned is an "onsite contractor" (meaning an investigator at Fermilab)...the whole point of my complaint to the DoE OCRD is that Fermilab disdained to investigate in the first place]. A preliminary report from the contractor [ie; Fermilab] was due on today's date (April 14, 2008). However, at the request of the contractor I have granted an extension until April 30, 2008 [Of course. Please, take your time...I've only been waiting for someone to investigate this since summer 2006]. The investigation is limited at this time to determining the jurisdictional basis for the acceptance or non acceptance of the complaint. As you are aware, Fermilab is a National Laboratory, and while it could be considered an educational institution, the non discrimination provisions of Title XI are not applicable to the Federal government [WTF?]. That is not to say, however that other laws or statutes do not apply [again...WTF?]. This is one issue among others that the contractor is tasked [sic] to resolve. In addition, we have asked the contractor to determine who the parties are, or may be, what other entities may be involved in the case, the nature of their relationships, i.e., contract facility, federal employee, contractor, private party, collaborator; to identify the recipients of Federal financial assistance, and the nature of the assistance they receive; and to obtain direct contact and locator information for all necessary parties, to include, names, addresses, including email and telephone numbers. Finally, a report will be submitted to me on or about April 30, 2008. At that time, OCRD will make an assessment on how to proceed with the investigation.
We will make every effort to keep you apprised of the status of the investigation in the future. You may contact me with any questions or concerns that you may have at (202) 586-2256, or if you wish you may reach me via email, sharon.wyatt@hq.doe.gov .
Regards,
Sharon Wyatt
Attorney Advisor
Office of Civil Rights and Diversity
Department of Energy
1000 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20585
