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While "politically correct" is to me a shibboleth that marks the user as a vitrolic and dishonest conservative pundit, the letter itself is perfectly reasonable
by brazzy 13y ago
While "politically correct" is to me a shibboleth that marks the user as a vitrolic and dishonest conservative pundit, the letter itself is perfectly reasonable and polite. However, there is one very interesting part:
A search based on these criteria usually yields a male who is 50-plus years old, has a Masters degree in an engineering science, and has moved up the managerial ladder to the top spot in one or more corporations. Unfortunately, there are currently few minorities and almost no women who chose to be engineering graduate students 30 years ago. (That picture will be dramatically different in 10 years, due to the greater diversification of graduate students in the '80s.)
Well, it is now 17 years later, and the end result doesn't look "dramatically different" to me. So maybe the criteria (at this level and/or others) aren't all that objective and rational after all.
- thaumasiotes 13y agoHow can the current population of eligible candidates reflect poorly on the criteria for eligibility now, if it didn't then?
- brazzy 13y agoI've edited my statement a bit to clarify: I don't exactly know how the population of eligible candidates has changed, but the CEO made the clear prediction that it would change dramatically and clearly implied that this would be reflected in the end result (the board members). But if we look at the end result, in this company an others, it is equally clear that the prediction was wrong; boards haven't become dramatically more diverse. So either the criteria for eligibility have changed, or they're different from what the CEO claimed, or there are barriers in the process of moving from grad student to potential board member that he did not take into account (or glossed over).
- andymoe 13y agoOne black dude on the board. Unfortunately, not as much progress as one would have liked. http://investors.cypress.com/directors.cfm http://investors.cypress.com/directors.cfm
- brazzy 13y agoHm, so Rodgers is still CEO. It would be very interesting to hear what he has to say about the failure of his prediction.
- benjohnson 13y agoI disagree. There is 'black dude' on the board based on his rather amazing qualifications and nothing more. This give me much more hope than if he were there for other reasons.
- andymoe 13y agoI should have said "not as much progress as I would have liked." Also, you have no more idea the reasons for the make up of the current board than I, or anyone else, does. I'm happy you are hopeful.