STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA

UPDATE OF THE
PRELIMINARY PERFORMANCE REVIEW
OF THE


HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

Full Compliance with Recommendations


OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR
Performance Evaluation & Research Division
Building 1, Room W-314
State Capitol

CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA 25305-0610
(304) 347-4890

ISSUE AREA 2: Inadequate Information System, And Failure of JALAN.

Recommendation 3

The Human Rights Commission should follow both the "Short Term Recommendations" and "No. 1" under "Long Term Solutions" in the Executive Summary of IS&C's Gap Analysis (as summarized below).

Short Term:

1) The EEOC Information Resources Management Services indicated that they will provide training for two employees of their FilePro database (CDS) at no cost to HRC. Because the CDS must continue to be maintained, regardless of what other efforts are undertaken, this would seem to be a part of any solution. The only associated costs would be for transportation, housing, and food. The EEOC estimated that the training would take 2-5 days, and it can be scheduled any time.
2) The EEOC is also willing to produce ad hoc reports if detailed requests are made.
3) HRC needs a permanent, full-time, experienced employee whose primary responsibility is to maintain the Commission's office automation environment, including hardware, software, communications, and databases. Without this person, no new system will work.

Long Term:

1) The best long-term plan for HRC would appear to be phasing out the AS/400 and migrating to a PC LAN (Local Area Network) environment. An upgraded EEOC UNIX PC could be connected to the LAN for transfer of data. This would be more in sync with the long-term plans of the EEOC to migrate to a client/server Oracle platform, and it would also provide the HRC with the PC's needed to access HRIS (Human Resources Information System), the upcoming mandatory implementation of a statewide network. This plan would require an appropriation to pay off debt on the AS/400 and pay for hardware, software, and development of the new system. While the initial cost for installing a LAN would be higher than upgrading the AS/400, the long-term costs in terms of personnel and maintenance should be less. HRC does not have the alternative of phasing-in LAN, with only a few employees initially being connected to the new database; others could then be added as funding becomes available.

Level of Compliance: In Compliance

Regarding the "Short Term Recommendations", the Commission withheld making arrangements for personnel to receive recommended training primarily as a cost effective measure. Instead, IS&C concurred and opted to work with EEOC and develop a data transfer system between the UNIX PC and the LAN systems that would make recommended training unnecessary. The Commission, however, maintained the flexibility to send personnel to EEOC to receive training should the data transfer system being installed fails to produce the desired results. The recruiting and selection process have been completed for a full-time Information System Coordinator. Final approval for hiring is forthcoming.

Regarding the "Long Term Solutions", the Commission received a Supplemental Appropriation of $139,500 for the purchase of hardware and software that would provide for the migration to a PC LAN environment. The implementation plan has been completed, approved and accepted. Cable installation is scheduled to begin on September 10, 1997 by Networking Services of IS&C and equipment purchase will follow. Arrangements have been made for all employees requiring access to the new system to receive the appropriate training as required.

ISSUE AREA 6: Annual Reports.

Recommendation 7

An annual report should be submitted to the governor beginning with FY 1996-97 and continuing each year thereafter.

Level of Compliance: Planned Compliance

The Commission will submit an annual report in December 1997. However, due to the lack of an automated system for retrieval and manipulation of data needed to report will not be as meaningful as the Commission intends to produce in the future. This year, during the research and manipulation phase for the new computer system, IS&C is developing data fields and baselines needed for capturing information that will facilitate a meaningful annual report to the Governor on the status of human rights activities within the state.