Personnel News: August 2005 Archives

Editor's note: Another round of reassignments - several dozen or so - are soon to be implemented at NASA HQ. Among them, Associate Administrator for Aeronautics Vic Lebacqz will be moving up to the 8th floor at NASA HQ. Just so y'all know: it is on the 8th floor where former AA's (Diaz, Readdy) and others sit in small, partially furnished offices waiting to leave the agency. With Lebacqz's move, Lisa Porter is the defacto AA.

Meanwhile Tom Donaldson has been replaced by Bill Parsons as the Center Director at Stennis. Donaldson got his reassignment letter from NASA HQ on Friday - less than 48 hours before hurricane Katrina was going to strike. Note to HQ personnel office: Nice touch.

NASA GRC Internal Memo: Center Director Update

"There are many steps to be taken and many decisions still to be made concerning how the two fiscal year resources will affect the Center. At this time not all the answers are clear and available. While the Agency is taking all steps necessary to avoid a Reduction in Force (RIF), we cannot rule out that possibility. Although there will not be a RIF in FY06, we are in the process of preparing for a RIF should this become necessary in FY07."

Editor's 24 Aug update: Today Scott Pace's organization (specifically, David Schurr) was charged with coming up with an alternative to RIFs as a way to solve the unfunded capacity problem among the civil service workforce. The solution: 'insourcing'. Under this scenario, NASA would take work away from contractors and have it done in house by civil servants instead. Of course, this still means that a bunch of folks from the NASA family will lose their jobs - only now, the type of badge the unlucky folks will be turning in as they depart has changed.

Editor's 24 Aug note: NASA budget people are now being told that the 'unfunded capacity' problem NASA currently faces will be solved after FY 2007. This will be accomplished by a series of RIFs at ARC, GRC, LaRC - and MSFC.

Editor's 18 Aug note: Word has it that Scott Pace recently held meetings with some Center Directors and that NASA will have to deal with the prospect of a cutting 1,000 civil servants with cuts to be focused at ARC, LaRC, and GRC. Stay tuned.

NASA ARC Memo: Message from the Director All-Hands Meeting - August 26, 2005

"The rapid pace of NASA's transformation efforts in support of the Exploration Vision has made it very hard to assess the implications for Ames. But I think we have enough solid information at this point that I can share with you where we stand."

A Time of Great Change: State of the Center All Hands Meeting (PDF)

- Ames is not closing and we are not being starved out.

- Mike Griffin has stated that primary beneficiaries of the Vision (SSC, JSC, MSFC and KSC) cannot hire without consideration of ARC, LaRC, GRC

- After all the puts and takes (reductions and new work assignments), there is still an FY 06 uncovered workforce at Ames of 700 people 300 Civil Servants and 400 Contractors

- CS Workforce that cannot be placed will face a RIF in FY 07 Notices will be sent out June 2006

Farewell Message From Mike Kostelnik

"The heartbreaking loss of Columbia and the resulting challenges of Return to Flight have stressed, grown, and matured a young organization of talented individuals and turned them into a strong mission oriented team. I will leave NASA this week secure in the knowledge that there remains behind an extraordinary team of leaders and followers well prepared to tackle the tough exploration tasks which lie ahead."

Editor's note: The following individuals will be departing NASA Headquarters in the coming weeks:

- Adena Loston, Associate Administrator for Education
- Jim Jennings, Associate Administrator for Institutions and Management

Editor's update: Gwen Sykes' name was posted in error. My apologies.

Editor's note: Mike Griffin wants to bring Gary Payton back to NASA HQ to guide exploration activities.

Reader comment: The below announcement seems somewhat cruel to LaRC model shop technicians and others effected by the A-76.

NASA Announces New Leaders for Science Mission Directorate

"NASA Administrator Michael Griffin announced today Mary Cleave, Ph.D., P.E. will be the associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate. Colleen Hartman, Ph.D., will be the deputy associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate."

Editor's note: Why do they take so long to announce these changes? NASA Watch posted this news on 17 June.

NASA Names Assistant Administrator for Legislative Affairs

"NASA Administrator Michael Griffin announced today that Brian Chase will serve as the agency's new assistant administrator for Legislative Affairs."

Editor's note: Shouldn't the first sentence be changed to "has been serving"? See this link.

NASA Administrator Names Senior Advisors

"NASA Administrator Michael Griffin today announced two new senior advisors for his management team. Lisa J. Porter, Ph.D., joins NASA as senior advisor for aeronautics in the Office of Administrator and Michael P. Ralsky joins the agency as senior advisor to the NASA deputy administrator."

Editor's note: Kay Bailey Hutchison certainly likes Ralsky: "Michael Ralsky has done a wonderful job for me and will soon be going over to the Pentagon where we know he will contribute his expertise, gained from working in the Senate for so many years."

William H. Gerstenmaier Selected to Lead NASA Space Operations

Editor's note: No where does Mike Griffin even bother say 'thank you' to Mike Kostelnik or Bill Readdy for their service to the agency during difficult times (then again Griffin is "Spock" by his own admission). Other bits of text which dealt with human feelings were also removed. The following paragraphs were in a final version of this press release last night but were removed this morning: