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-114- students in areas of scholarly endeavours, were approved and issued in June. The pilot project group of six students under this recently initiated program will arrive to begin assignments in September 1980. Among the participants are Ph.D. candidates in folklore, political science and public administration students majoring in accounting and audio engineering. Smithsonian bureaus and offices participating in this program include the National Museum of Natural History, the Museum of African Art, the Division of Performing Arts, the Offices of Accounting and Public Affairs and the SI Press. By carefully selecting trainees under this important new program, the Institution can focus on occupations where minorities and women, underrepresented in the work force, can be considered for employment. Other programs in collaboration with colleges and universities, particularly those with significant Black and other minority enrollment, are under active study. It is expected also that community outreach efforts, such as through career-days, will be strengthened to encourage senior and junior high school students to pursue studies leading to college and university work of interest to the Institution. [[underline]] Handicap Program. [[/underline]] The Handicap Affirmative Action Plan, submitted to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in June 1980, has been reviewed and approved. The Plan focuses on eight severe disabilities determined by EEOC to have traditionally caused persons to be excluded from the work force and which can be easily identified for recruitment purposes. These include: deafness, blindness, missing extremities, partial and complete paralysis, convulsive disorders, mental retardation, mental illness and distortion of limbs and/or spine. For FY 1980 a goal of five new hires has been established in order to increase the overall Smithsonian disabled work force from 21 (0.6%) to 26 (0.8%) persons.