In the year 2024, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) of NASA experienced a significant reduction in its workforce, with nearly 900 employees being laid off due to budgetary constraints.
This 13% reduction in personnel, which affected both technical and support staff, came amidst delays in the Mars Sample Return program, a mission aimed at collecting dust and rocks from Mars.
Despite the sweeping layoffs, Neela Rajendra, the lab's chief inclusion officer, remained unaffected. Rajendra, known for her efforts in promoting diversity by recruiting women and minorities into the space industry, has previously expressed her concerns about the "super fast pace" and "extreme deadline[s]" in the industry. According to a 2022 podcast, she stated that such conditions could potentially leave "some people... behind."
These comments were made two years prior to an incident where two NASA astronauts were left stranded on the International Space Station for nine months due to a malfunctioning propulsion system. This incident raised eyebrows and questions about NASA's allocation of millions of dollars towards Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, while failing to successfully execute fundamental tasks such as retrieving space rocks from Mars or ensuring the safe return of their astronauts.
As reported by The Washington Free Beacon, the budget cuts did not impact Rajendra's role initially. However, by early March, it appeared that her position might be in jeopardy. This was due to NASA's decision to shut down its central diversity office and terminate 23 employees in response to President Donald Trump's executive order prohibiting DEI in the federal government. The Jet Propulsion Lab, although administered by the California Institute of Technology and not directly employing civil servants, is owned by NASA and funded by the federal government. Consequently, it began to "alter, remove, or reroute" web pages related to DEI, as informed by lab director Laurie Leshin in an email to the staff.
However, instead of terminating Rajendra's employment, the lab created a new role for her, one that bore many similarities to her previous position. As of March 10, Rajendra was appointed as the "Chief of the Office of Team Excellence and Employee Success." This new office, designed to "maximize our potential," would oversee the lab's "affinity groups," including the Black Excellence Strategic Team (B.E.S.T), as well as "wellness" and "accessibility."
Leshin, in an email obtained by the Free Beacon, expressed her belief that this change was crucial for the lab's future success and that it aligned well with Rajendra's strengths and focus over the past year. She also mentioned that a "small number" of human resources officers would be reassigned to the new office.
This change in title is a clear example of how institutions are attempting to bypass Trump's ban on DEI by renaming diversity offices and reassigning staff. Similar strategies have been observed at the University of Michigan School of Nursing and PBS, where the diversity office was renamed "the office of community culture," and two diversity officials were moved to other departments, respectively.
Rajendra's new role comes at a time when NASA is facing scrutiny for its diversity programs, such as the "Space Workforce 2030" pledge to hire more women and minorities. Rajendra has also been instrumental in ensuring that leaders of affinity groups are compensated for their DEI work, as reported in a 2023 article in Physics World. She spoke of a "world reckoning" following the death of George Floyd, leading to an "awareness and willingness and commitment to change from the perspective of diversity, equity, and inclusion."
Veronica McGregor, a spokeswoman for the laboratory, stated that Rajendra's new role would focus solely on "retaining our highly skilled workforce" in light of the budget cuts. However, for over two weeks following the title change, Rajendra's bio on a NASA website continued to reference "diversity, equity, and inclusion." The language was only removed on March 27, a day after the Free Beacon sought comment from the laboratory.
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, according to McGregor, "launched the Office of Team Excellence and Employee Success to strengthen its potential, better leverage its extraordinary talent and cultivate an industry-leading workplace." She affirmed the lab's commitment to adhering to all rules, laws, and regulations.
The lab's focus on diversity seems to have originated from the top. Leshin, in a 2023 LinkedIn post, stated that the lab had committed to increasing the number of women in senior technical leadership roles and hiring and retaining more Black engineers. These commitments were justified on the grounds that DEI improves employee retention.
In a 2022 presentation on "DEIA in the NASA Family," Rajendra suggested that the "failure to promote DEI" at SpaceXa "fast paced, high innovation company"was one reason for its higher attrition rate compared to Boeing, a "traditional corporate entity." However, in June 2024, two astronauts were stranded when the thrusters malfunctioned on a Boeing spaceship. They were only rescued nine months later, when a SpaceX capsule brought them back. This incident underscores the importance of focusing on core competencies and mission-critical tasks, even as organizations strive for diversity and inclusion.
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