**Education**

IBM increased its support for education, and particularly for programs designed to help universities keep pace with evolving technologies. The company also increased its support to educational institutions with large minority and disadvantaged enrollments, and to efforts aimed at increasing computer literacy among schoolchildren.

Donations of cash and equipment were awarded to 13 universities in the U.S. for programs to enhance graduate-level education in the management of information systems. Under the program, each university will receive a cash grant and IBM equipment and software to

**Affirmative action**

IBM continued its commitment to affirmative action in employment and advancement in 1985. Of the more than 10,250 new employees hired in the U.S. last year, over 45 percent were women and over 22 percent were minorities. About 5,200 women and 3,600 minority employees held management positions at year end, and of these almost 500 women and 500 minorities were in the top 20 percent of U.S. management jobs.

The company also continued its support to minority-owned businesses, purchasing more than $125 million in products and services from some 850 minority-owned firms in 1985. IBM also made purchases totaling over $70 million from more than 700 firms owned primarily by women, and over $17 million from more than 70 companies employing handicapped workers.