FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PROFESSIONAL SELECTION PANEL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-01826R000600230004-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 29, 2000
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: October 31, 1952
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 2000/09/12 : CIA-RDP80-01826R000,600230004-1
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31 October 1952
MEMORANDUM FOR; Chainumt, CIA Career Service Board
SUBJECTs Functional Responsibilities of the Profebeionel
Selection Panel
10 During its first four meetings, the Professional Selectien Panel
gave considerable attention to developing a clear understanding of its
functional responsibilities and their relationship to those of the Office
of Security, the Medical Office, the Personnel Office, the Office of
Training, and Career Service Boards. The Panel has reviewed its functional
responsibilities as outlined in the Final Report of the Career Service
Conmittee and the definition of "professional positions" as incletied in
the Executive Secretares Report approved by the CIA Career Service Board
at its first meeting.
2. As a result of these deliberations, the Professional Selection
Panel concluded that certain modifications of its basic charter would serve
the interest of the Career Service Program. The Panel recommends
a. That its name be changed to "Intelligence Career Selection
Panel". The Panel is of the opinion that this: designation would
reflect more accurately the purpose of its mission according to the
intent of the Director of Central Intelligence and the CIA Cereer
Service Board.
b. That "professional positions" as used in the Final Report of
the Career Service Committee be redesignated "intelligence cereer
positions". The Panel believes that this redesignationvould emphaelze
the significance of the intellieence aspects of CIA position and
support the professional intelligence concept.
Co That intelligence career positions be redefined as, those
positions which offer direct opportunity for career service by
developing an individual 'sunderetweiheg or skill in the use of
intelligence techniques". The Panel considers all positions grade
0S-7 and above to fall within this definition and proposes that the
Classification and Wage Division of the Personnel Office may, upon
consultation with the Panel and the Office concerned, Add adeitional
positions at lower grades.
.Aaver
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ds That the following principles be endorsed as being valid
as a proper charter for the Panel in carrying out its responsibilities:
(1) Insofar as selection is concerned, the fundamental
implication of career is that all individuals are subjected to
the same screening process.
(2) The Panel is to give primary attention to the selection
of individuals on the basis of their suitability for career
employments
(3) Suitability can and must be determined only on the basis
of all available facts, Information, and appraisals of an iadimidual.
(4) The Panel should concern itself with:
(a) The initial selection for employment of all candidates
for intelligence career positions,
(b) the evaluation of personnel serving trial periods
in intelligence career positions to determine their suit-
ability for retention in such positions, and
(c) the selection of employees for assignment in
intelligence career positions from other types of positions
within the Agency.
3. On the basis of these assumptions the Panels approach to its
responsibilities woad be argued as follows:
a0 The primary area of concern for the Selection Panel is that
of suitability. Insofar as this is given any c-nsideration under the
present system, it is the responsibility of the employing offices
However, material valuable to determination of suitability may be,
and is being, produced by Personnel, Medical, and Security processes,
and by the Office of Training on those people in a trial service period.
At the present time there is no effective mechanism for insuring that
this material is properly evaluated nor for insuring that the pressure
of time or need does not override the implications of such material.
las The determination of suitability must be on the grounds of
successful passage by an applicant of the one-,way valves of Security,
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Personnel, and Medical screeninge, plus, the intangibles variousky
described as emotional maturity, motivationl securitremindedness,
atc* In order to make the detemination regarding suitability, the
Panel must have the peripheral material produced by the Personnel,
Yedicel, and Security processes, in addition to fundamental evaluations
made in the course of those procesess* This means that the Panel, in
order properly to discharge its responsibilities, must be confident
that proper standards exist and are being applied by the offices respon-
sible and must knew what the implications are for any individual having
passed the one-way screening of thee processes. It follows, therefore,
that the Panel must have the right of review? through its advisors,
of the standards which do exist axle', the manner in which they are applied,
and, Tinally, the right to recommead changes in, or reorientation of,
those standards. Lastly, the Pane, muet, with the assistance of all
compo,ents of the Agency, determine what those factors are mtich comprise
seitehility and develop standards For evaluating than.
Ca In contras mith the above s the present procedure has, cone
aciouely or othermise, these fundaeental assumptions:
(1) The Security process ceys, in clearing a man, that he is
e) acceptable risk in the position, for mhich be is being considered;
(2) the Yedical process seys that the individaal is medically
ql2lified for the job under coreideration;
(3) the Personnel procedule say u that the indieidual is
lielified for the proposed duties;
(Ii) the exploying office mekes the determination that the
ielividual is suitable for the particular job they intend to give
Yee.
The tetal effect of this approach io that nee-tore is consideration
given to the enestion of whether the man, on physical, security,
end personnel grounds, is qualified and acceptable not for a specific
job but for a career in Intelligence,. It wnuld seam appropriate,
-- therefore, for the Panel to recomaend that in its work with its
advisers on standards it attempt to reorient thee-proceses in order
that the first eteenotion diecussed above, i.e., that career implies
that all be subjected to the same ecreenings be properly served.
Chairman
Professional Selection Panel
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