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Sarah Jane Harder (nee Snell; born September 9, 1937) is an American feminist and associate professor emerita of English at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. She started the women's studies program at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire and served as president of the American Association of University Women.

Early life

Harder was born as Sarah Jane Snell on September 9, 1937, to parents Margaret and Frank. Her mother was of Irish descent, and her father of Swedish. They raised her and her sister Susan as Catholic.

She enrolled in the University of Iowa but dropped out to live with her future husband. She was unhappy as a housewife and her parents encouraged her to go back to school. Even as she was pregnant, Harder continued her education and eventually divorced her husband.

Career

As a single mother with her parents help, she obtained a degree in both English and history from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse. During her college years, she was a sorority member of Alpha Delta Pi. After graduation, she became an English professor at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire alongside her husband Harry. However, when she became pregnant she was denied maternity leave. She fought this and overturned the policy across the entire UW system. In 1971, Harder became a founding member of the National Organization for Women in Wisconsin. She later became an advisor for older students at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. In 1975, she was appointed assistant to the chancellor for affirmative action and educational opportunities at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. She was the first Title IX officer at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire. At the conclusion of the 1970s, Harder was a key figure in creating the Wisconsin Women's Network. During her lengthy career at the university, Harder founded the women's studies program, which she later Chaired.

In 1983, Harder was appointed convener of the Wisconsin Women's Council, and two years later was elected president of the American Association of University Women (AAUW). The Wisconsin Women's Council was composed of 15 women selected by Anthony Earl to address, amongst other topics, women in poverty. In 1985, Harder and Irene Natividad were elected co-presidents of the Council of Presidents (CP) of the National Council of Women's Organizations. That year, she was also invited to the United Nation's sponsored women's forum in Nairobi, Kenya. Her term as president lasted until 1989, when she was replaced by Sharon Schuster. While she served her term as president, Harder also chaired their Educational Foundation and was vice-president of the International Federation of University Women.

After leaving the AAUW, Harder became active in the National Peace Foundation (NPF). She was also elected president of the NGO Women for a Meaningful Summit in 1988. With the NPF, she helped manage the Open World Programme, which was launched in 1999, which aimed to bring together 5 thousand Russian leaders to learn about the USA's free enterprise system. She was elected president of NPF in 2006. In 1991, she and Mike Blanchard co-chaired the Education for Employment Council in Wisconsin.

In February 2013, Harder and her husband were named Professor Emerita of the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire.

References

1. ^ "Sarah Harder Oral History Transcripts" (PDF). wisconsin.edu. February 27, 2009. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
2. Mann, Judy (June 22, 1975). "Grant programs don't reflect needs". Oakland Tribune. California. p. 4.
3. "Alumnae". uiowa.alphadeltapi.org. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
4. ^ Lerner, Gerda (2009). Living with History/making Social Change. University of North Carolina Press. pp. 96, 204. ISBN 9780807832936. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
5. ^ Love, Barbara J. (September 22, 2006). Feminists Who Changed America, 1963-1975. University of Illinois Press. p. 200. ISBN 9780252097478. Retrieved October 21, 2019. Sarah Harder.
6. "Eau Claire people find going back to school a 'new phase of life'". Eau Claire Leader Telegram. Wisconsin. November 19, 1974. p. 26.
7. Howard, Mary (August 20, 1980). "UW-EAU Claire's Sarah Harder: working for equal rights". Eau Claire Leader Telegram. Wisconsin. p. 44.
8. Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1985. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1986. p. 958. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
9. "Sarah Harder to get UW-La Crosse award". Eau Claire Leader Telegram. Wisconsin. May 6, 1987. p. 10.
10. "Earl defends makeup of women's council". Kenosha News. Kenosha, Wisconsin. August 24, 1983. p. 27.
11. Slavin, Sarah (1995). U.S. Women's Interest Groups: Institutional Profiles. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 147. ISBN 9780313250736. Retrieved October 21, 2019. Sarah Harder.
12. Howard, Mary (July 27, 1985). "UW-EC official finds cooperation at U.N. women's forum". Eau Claire Leader Telegram. Wisconsin. p. 3.
13. Hendrix, Kathleen (June 23, 1989). "L.A. Woman Heads AAUW". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
14. "Sarah Harder To Speak at Convention" (PDF). aauw-wi.aauw.net. 2012. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
15. ^ "SAHAR HARDER: PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL PEACE FOUNDATION". eawfpress.ru. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
16. "APPOINTMENTS". Washington Post. April 11, 1988.
17. Brown, Bob (October 29, 1991). "Business, schools seek ways to work together". Eau Claire Leader Telegram. Wisconsin. p. 44.
18. "FACULTY AND ACADEMIC STAFF EMERITI" (PDF). uwec.edu. Retrieved October 21, 2019.

• 1937 births
• Living people
• Educators from Chicago
• Academics from Illinois
• American feminists
• National Organization for Women people
• American people of Irish descent
• American people of Swedish descent
• University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire alumni
• University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire faculty
• Bowling Green State University alumni
• American women academics
• American Association of University Women
• Presidents of the American Association of University Women
• 21st-century American women
• History of women in Wisconsin