Emergency Cover Memo

USDA
JAN 2 3 2008
United States
Department of
Agriculture
Office of the
Assistant Secretary
for Civil Rights

1400 Independence
Avenue SW
Washington, DC
20250

Margaret Malanoski
USDA Desk Officer
Office of Regulatory Affairs
Office of Management and Budget
725 17th Street, N.W., Room 10202
New Executive Office Building
Washington, DC 20503
Dear Ms. Malanoski:
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) Chief Information Officer recently
informed us that the application for the USDA/18 90 National Scholars
Program is in violation of the Paper Reduction Act 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter
35) and that it has not been approved by the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB). Once we were notified of this situation, we discontinued use and
distribution of the application.
This news came at a very inopportune time as we were preparing to have
literature and applications printed for our current recruiting cycle. This has
created a severe problem for the USDA/1890 National Scholars Program as
our USDA Agricultural Liaison Officers and University representatives are in
the midst of recruiting at various high schools.
I am requesting your assistance in seeking emergency approval to utilize our
application for the 2008 scholarship cycle. Please see the enclosed Supporting
Statement and Burden Grid, and the USDA/1890 National Scholars Program
Application.
The purpose of the USDA/1890 National Scholars Program is:
•
•
•

to strengthen the partnership between USDA and the 1890 Universities;
to increase the number of students studying agriculture, food, and
natural resource sciences; and
to offer career opportunities to the USDA/1890 National Scholars at
USDA.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Margaret Malanoski
Page 2
This scholarship program serves as a major human capital initiative of USDA
and the eighteen 1890 Historically Black Land-Grant Universities to award
scholarships to students to attend one of the eighteen. Since the inception of
the program in 1992, more than 432 students have received the scholarship.
Inability to implement the National Scholars Program has a far-reaching
impact on our partnership with the 1890 Universities. These Universities have
a long history of outreach to underserved individuals and communities and
have made educational opportunities available to many non-traditional and first
generation college bound students.
Thank you in advance for your consideration of my request. If you have any
questions, please contact Thelma Floyd, Director, USDA/1890 Programs, at
(202) 720-9238 or by e-mail to [email protected].
Sincerely,

Margo M. McKay
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
Enclosures