Blane Harding
	Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO
	Platform Statement: Highlight your previous involvement within this unit that will help you in leading this unit.  What roles have you played within this particular unit as a member thus far?

Although I have only been a member of NACADA for three and a half years, I have been extremely active in issues of diversity and inclusiveness. These include advisory boards, presentations, summer institutes, and four publications in the last two years. I started my career as a professor of Ethnic Studies and continue to teach in the Ethnic Studies program. This background provides a solid foundation in terms of understanding the role diversity, especially race and ethnicity, plays in higher education. It allows me to combine real life experiences, theoretical insight, and historical realities in the work I do as an academic advisor and as a contributing member of NACADA. As a member of the Multicultural Concerns Commission, I have had the opportunity to present issues of diversity across the country, publish a number of articles of diverse advising, and serve as a consultant through NACADA.

What do you believe are the most important goals and initiatives for this unit in meeting the strategic plan for both the unit and the Association? 

The most important goals of this commission are to further not only the visibility of diversity within NACADA but more importantly to support diverse multicultural individuals in their quest for top leadership positions within NACADA. This unit must remain a vital aspect of NACADA but at the same time it must define and refine its own voice within this association and move toward establishment of an agenda and strategies to allow it to continue to grow and cultivate new leadership along the way. This commission must encourage more individuals to publish in the area of multiculturalism on our campuses, promote diverse multicultural leaders, increase visibility at summer institutes, national conferences, and NACADA headquarters, and influence other commissions and interest groups ingrain inclusiveness in all they do.

Why are you interested in serving in this leadership position or what influenced you to run for this leadership position? 

The focus of this commission fits well with my professional objectives throughout my career. This commission has many very talented and capable individuals who have the ability to contribute to all aspects of NACADA and they need to be encouraged to increase their involvement at all levels. At the same time, there needs to be an organization that provides professionals with the necessary support, training, and opportunities to be able to assume leadership roles at the national level.

Provide any additional comments or information (either personal or leadership-related) that you want potential voters to know about you that is not covered elsewhere in your platform information. 

The Multicultural Concerns Commission has done a commendable job of promoting and supporting issues of diversity over the past few years. I am proud to be a member and the leadership of those that have served in the past has allowed this commission to be successful. With the drastic increase in the number of multicultural and diverse students entering higher education, this commission needs to increase the involvement of its members and devise new strategies and approaches to better understand and serve this population. It is no simply the responsibility of the elected chair to come up with these strategies. All members must be willing to assume a leadership role and become change agents for this commission to be successful.

Past Involvement in NACADA:

Years in NACADA: 3 years

National Offices Held and Accomplishments Achieved While in Office:

Regional Activities/Offices Held, including accomplishments achieved while in office:

• Presenter at Region 10 Conference - "The Changing Face of America" presentation voted Best of Region, 2005

Committee/Task Force/Advisory Board Activities and Accomplishments:

• Member, Diversity Committee, 2007-2009
• Member, Summer Institute Advisory Board, 2006-2008
• Awards Selection Committee for Advising Program Awards – reviewed program nominations and materials for LGBT and diverse advising practices
• Foundations of Academic Advising CD Series, CD3: Understanding Cultural Diversity and Worldview Development

Commission/Interest Group Activities and Accomplishments:

• Current member — Multicultural Concerns Commission, Liberal Arts Advisors Commission, Pre-Law Advising Interest Group, New Advising Professionals Interest Group

Other:

• NACADA Consultant: consulted on diversity issues at numerous two and four year institutions
• Presented at NACADA annual conferences in 2005, 2006, 2007
• Presented pre-conference workshops at NACADA annual conferences in 2006 and 2007
• Presented Provost lecture on diversity at Kansas State University, 2006
• Faculty, NACADA Summer Institute in Madison, Wisc. and Burlington, Vt., 2006 and 2007

• Publications —
  • “Relationship Skills: Establishing Cultural Credibility.” In The New Advisor Guidebook: Mastering the Art of Advising Through the First Year and Beyond edited by Pat Folsom. Monograph Series, Number 16, NACADA, 2007.
  • “Multicultural Advising in an Increasingly Diverse Academic World”. In Advising Special Student Populations: Community College Students, LGBTQ Students, Multicultural Students, Students on Probation, and Undecided Students edited by Linda Huff and Peggy Jordan. Monograph Series, Number 17, 2007.
  • NACADA Webinar, 2007: "Expanding Your Comfort Zone: Strategies for Identifying and Developing Cultural Competence in Academic Advising"
  • “The Changing Face of College Campuses”. Academic Advising Today, NACADA, volume 28, number 2, June 2005.

• Activities and Honors at Colorado State University —
  • Jack E. Cermak Selection Committee (Advising award), Spring 2007
  • Diversity Conference Advisory Committee, 2006-present
  • Inter-University Advisory Board, 2005-present
  • Orientation Advisory Board, 2004-present
  • Teach for America, campus representative, 2002- present
  • University Task Force on Campus Climate Fall 2006 MLK Planning Committee, Fall 2006
  • Center for Applied Studies in American Ethnicity Advisory Board Chair CASAE Executive Committee, September 2001-2006
  • Project TEACH, lead historian Summer, 2003 and 2005
  • CSU Alumni Association Board of Directors
  • Council for Opportunity in Education, retention faculty (national TRio programs)

• Awards and Honors —
  • 2007 Oliver P. Pennock Distinguished Service Award
  • 2005 NACADA “Best of Region” Presentation (Region 10)
  • 2004 Jack Cermak Administrative/Professional Advising Award
  • 2004, 2002, 2001, 1998  Who’s Who Among American College Teachers
  • 2003 Academic Excellence (CSU Athletic Department)
  • 2001 CSU Faculty Minority Distinguished Service Award
  • 2001 College of Liberal Arts Excellence in Teaching
  • 2001 Poudre/Thompson “Tiger Cub Coach of the Year” (Cub Scouts)
  • 2001 Channel 7 (Denver) News “Everyday Hero”
  • 2001, 2000, 1996  Blanche M. Hughes Distinguished Faculty/Staff