NASFAA's Diversity Officer is a Board appointed volunteer charged with overseeing the organization's diversity and inclusion efforts. The Diversity Officer is responsible for guiding efforts to conceptualize, define, assess, nurture, and cultivate diversity as an institutional and educational resource. This individual is responsible for monitoring the board-sponsored strategic plan for diversity-building opportunities, for providing key input to the board on issues related to diversity and inclusivity, and for reporting on these efforts to the membership.

Appointment and Tenure

Every other year, the NASFAA National Chair appoints the Diversity Officer at the time the position becomes vacant, and the Diversity Officer is then confirmed by the Board of Directors; this individual serves a two-year term of office.

Meet NASFAA's Diversity Officer, Derek Kindle

Responsibilities & Oversight

The Diversity Officer reports to the Board on the execution of NASFAA's diversity goals and attends Board meetings at the call of the Board. He or she also:

• Reports annually to the membership on NASFAA's past 12-month diversity efforts. 
• Is a permanent member of the Association Governance Committee, and as such also participates in all meetings of that committee. 
• Observes meetings of the NASFAA Board of Directors.
• Participates on other committees/task forces as deemed necessary by the National Chair.

Areas of oversight include the following:

• Monitor and report to the board whether the association is adhering to the Diversity Statement
• Periodically explores the idea of expanding the information collected through NASFAA member profiles. Possible additions include disability status, sexual orientation, and other questions that can be indicators of diversity. Collecting additional information such as disability status could allow NASFAA to anticipate and prepare for any special accommodations as the association plans activities. 
• Annual Conference: The Diversity Officer explores the feasibility of a future speaker at the National Conference on diversity and inclusion. He or she also works with the National Conference Program Task Force and NASFAA staff to develop a diversity track. 
• Research and Benchmarking: The Diversity Officer ensures that NASFAA uses research to determine how the association can better engage minority-serving institutions, and better identify the most prominent issues affecting institutions in relation to providing financial aid-related services to minority student populations. Once these types of issues are identified, the association can then work to develop materials that will assist our membership in both navigating areas of difficulty and creating best practices in serving minority populations.

Send your thoughts, questions, and comments regarding this position, or any of NASFAA’s Diversity & Inclusion efforts. We'd love to hear what you think.