Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz today released the latest results of the Office of the Secretary of the State’s Biennial Report on the Gender and Racial Composition of Connecticut State Boards and Commissions which showed slight increases in the representation of Women and African American members but a decline in the number of Latino representatives on these bodies. Compiled every two years by the Office of the Secretary of the State, the Biennial Report on the Gender and Racial Composition of Connecticut State Boards and Commissions provides a snapshot view of the diversity of state boards, commissions, committees and councils.
“While 2009 numbers definitely show some improvements in the diversity of our state boards and commissions, it still concerns me greatly that the representation of women and African-Americans on these crucial, deciding bodies is woefully inadequate,” said Secretary Bysiewicz. “The decline in the number of Latinos serving on boards and commissions is especially troubling and unacceptable, given that this is the fastest growing ethnic population in the state of Connecticut and Latinos represent a vital part of many of our communities and businesses. We must all do our utmost to make sure that the membership of boards and commissions that regulate many aspects of government and commercial transactions in Connecticut reflect the population of our state. Unfortunately, we are still not there yet.”
Among the key findings of this report is that in 2009, even though women are 51.2% of Connecticut’s population, women only represented 38.5% of the appointed membership on state boards and commissions. This was an increase in representation for women by 1.5% over 2007 numbers, when women represented 37.0% of the appointed membership on state boards and commissions. Conversely, while men are 48.8% of Connecticut’s population, they represented 61.5% of the appointed membership of State Boards and Commissions. Of particular concern is that 2009 actually saw a small increase in the number of state boards and commissions that had no women appointed members. In 2009, women were not represented on 15.3% of all state boards and commissions, a 1.8% increase from the 2007 figure of 13.5%
In 2009, African-Americans represented 8.1% of the appointed membership of state boards and commissions. This is a slight improvement over the 2007 figure of 7.4%, and this number approaches U.S. Census data that estimates Connecticut’s African-American population is 9.3% of the total state figure. Latinos, however, experienced a decline in membership on state boards and commissions from 3.2% in 2007 to just 2.8% in 2009. This decline took place while Connecticut’s overall Latino population grew to its highest level ever. According to U.S. Census data, 12% of all Connecticut residents are Latino. Overall, whites are over-represented on state boards and commissions by 13.5% as compared to state population statistics. By that same comparison, Latinos are under-represented on state boards and commissions by 8.8% and African-Americans are under-represented by 1.2%.
Teresa C. Younger, Executive Director of the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) said, “The fact that there is an actual increase -- however small -- in the number of boards and commissions with no women on them is simply unacceptable, and while we are heartened that there has been an increase in the number of women serving overall, the change is not nearly dramatic enough. Women comprise 51 percent of the state’s population, and 38.5 percent is far from equality. We call upon the Governor and appointing authorities to increase not only the number of women appointed to boards and commissions, but the rate at which this gap closes. Connecticut has a wealth of highly skilled women willing to serve the public in this critical way, and the state cannot move toward true gender equality until the composition of governing and advisory bodies reflects the diversity of the state.”
Glenn Cassis, Executive Director of the African American Affairs Commission, said, “Although the Biennial Report suggests slight improvement of representation of African-Americans on State Boards and Commissions it falls short of expectations. If state government wants to seriously address the disparities that exist between African-Americans and general population in Connecticut, African-Americans need to be invited to participate where policy decisions are taking place. A more robust effort to reach people of color to achieve better representation must be made and indeed there are very talented and capable African-Americans willing and able to serve who should be asked. Greater diversity is a win-win for Connecticut as it strives to become a stronger state economically, socially, educationally and health-wise.”
Werner Oyanadel, Acting Executive Director of the Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission, said, “I am ready to roll up my sleeves and work with all appointing authorities on finding innovative ways to diversify our boards and commissions. There are many qualified professional Latinas and Latinos in Connecticut who are eager to serve in a broad range of areas. The Latino community is currently grossly under-represented in the halls of power and it is imperative to have the voices of the Latino community on the table where decisions are being made, especially now that Connecticut faces an economic crisis unlike any witnessed in generations.”
By law (CSG 4-9B), since 1993 the Office of the Secretary of the State has maintained the filing of Gender and Racial Composition reports by state boards and commissions. Secretary Bysiewicz has taken these filings one step further by preparing a state report on the progress and accompanying statistics with regard to gender and race of these panels. The chairperson or executive officer of each organization with one or more members appointed by the governor or by a member of the General Assembly must file a report with the Secretary of the State’s office. Committees of the General Assembly are exempt. A copy of the report is attached to this release.
