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NEWSLETTER
May 2012
Volume XXXV, Number 1
Assessing the Assessor: An Interview with Perry Winner
by Jacquelyn D. Elliott - Vice President for Professional Development
Reta Pikowsky
As the 2012 Perry Award winner, Reta Pikowsky serves as an example of a person
who loves her job and what she does on a daily basis. Currently, Reta serves as the Registrar at The Georgia Institute of Technology, where she has been working for the past seven
years. She commented that she loves working at Georgia Tech because the school itself is
“innovative, the faculty and staff are amazing, they are great thinkers, and the campus atmosphere is stimulating.” Reta said she simply wakes up every day and “loves her job.”
As a person who loves her job, it isn’t a stretch to imagine her writing the awardwinning article for the SACRAO Journal. The Journal continues to be an outlet for passionate
professionals with a topic of interest. Last year, two-time award winner Matthew McCrickard commented in his interview that in order for a person to win the Perry Award, one had
to have passion and inspiring mentors. In her early spring interview, Reta agreed with this
notion and said, “A person has to write about something in which they are very interested and about which they
have passion.” Reta stated that “when a person writes for the Journal, one has to look differently at the topic than
when doing a presentation for SACRAO…it forces one to go much deeper into the subject.” She further commented that writing is “part of one’s professional development” and encouraged anyone who is interested to just
tackle the subject and write with intentionality.
When Reta was asked how she came to write the article in the first place, she said that she had presented
on the topic of assessment at the 2007 Boston AACRAO meeting and then did a similar session for CACRAO in
Myrtle Beach, which culminated with her presenting in Atlanta for SACRAO last year. When the presentations
had gone well, with much larger audiences than expected, she knew the topic would be well received in the format
of an article. When Ron White contacted her about doing the article for the Journal, she was immediately interested and excited about it. However, Reta commented that she “was shocked to win the Perry Award because while
the topic of assessment is quite relevant and important, it isn’t a particularly glamorous subject.” She further commented that she was surprised to win because there “are so many strong articles and outstanding people in the
SACRAO community that she didn’t even imagine herself as a contender for the award.”
In her article entitled “Assessment in the Registrar’s Office,” Pikowsky applied elements of her work in
both the Office of the Registrar and on committees at Tech that are wrestling with assessment issues in other areas such as student learning outcomes in the Core Curriculum. She indicated, for example, that assessment to her
is more “than just examining the service components of the Office of the Registrar, but also, how the Office impacts student learning in some way.” She said there must be “touch points…those teaching moments that impact
a student’s learning in an intentional way.”
Reta went on to discuss her views in regard to future research on her topic of assessment in the Office of
the Registrar. She presented a session at the AACRAO 2012 Annual Meeting on the role of the registrar in student learning outcomes. In this session, she examined the changing role of the registrar in the future of higher education. One aspect of this, she said, is that “The registrar needs to be thought of and think of himself/herself as
more than just a service, technology and data provider. The focus in the future will be more and more on the registrar as an ‘educator’.”
(Continued on Page 5)
SACRAO News
Page 2
President’s Message
Mary Kincannon, SACRAO President
Happy Spring, SACRAO!
It is my pleasure to write my first article as 2012-2013 SACRAO President. I am
truly honored to be able to serve the association in this capacity. As I write, it is approximately two months since we gathered on the banks of the Ohio River, in Covington, Kentucky. We had many great sessions, good times, and the opportunity to network with friends
and colleagues, and our corporate partners.
An annual meeting like ours does not happen without a lot of hard work and tireless volunteers.
Thank you to the Local Arrangements Committee, lead by Chair Kim Taylor, for an incredible job hosting the annual meeting. The hotels and convention center provided a great venue for us, and the big event at Union Station in
Cincinnati allowed us eat together, tour a great museum, and enjoy a great band and dancing.
Thank you to the 2011-2012 Program Chairs and their committees for providing 110 program sessions,
workshops, user groups and forums. Because we had so many strong program sessions, it was difficult to make a
decision on the Presidents’ Award for Outstanding Professional Presentation. Based on recommendations from the
Program Vice-Presidents, and the evaluations of the session attendees, the Presidents (2012-2012 President-Elect,
President, and Immediate Past President) decided to give the award to two program sessions. Congratulations for
jobs well done! The sessions are:
“How to Conduct a Meaningful Performance Evaluation,” presented by Susan Stevenson, Executive Vice President and Academic Dean at Marion Military Institute,
“New Management, “Old” Staff and “Because We’ve Always Done It That Way”, presented by Teri LittleBerry, Director of Admissions and Records, College of Central Florida, and Devonna Sewell, Registrar,
College of Central Florida
Thank you to all of our presenters and coordinators. The program would not be possible without your
participation and willingness to share your expertise!
Thank you to our Corporate Partners! Without your support for the annual meeting, all that we do would
not be possible. Without your support, our work at our institutions would be much more difficult.
I just returned from the AACRAO Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, PA, where a reception was held for all
of the SACRAO members who were able to travel to Philadelphia. This year’s reception was held at The Irish Pub
and was well attended. Approximately 75 people were able to meet and visit with colleagues.
I’m still very mindful that many of our SACRAO colleagues are unable to travel to our annual meeting.
While we now have 25 presentations posted to the SACRAO website, I’d like to have many more! It is not too
late to send your presentation to either me at [email protected] or our VP for Information Technology, Joe
Papari, at [email protected]. If you have any other ideas for ways to reach out to all of our members, beyond the
annual meeting, please contact me. Technology can open many doors.
All of the groups of people I’ve mentioned are volunteers. SACRAO wouldn’t exist without many people
giving of their time and talents. Like most organizations, we are always looking to get more people involved. We
have program committees who create the sessions for the annual meeting. We have many standing committees
who participate in the business of the association. Even if you aren’t sure you can travel to the annual meeting every year, almost all committees have work to do during the year – before and after the annual meeting. If you are
unsure of the time you can commit, but know you’ll be attending the meeting, volunteer for the Evaluations committee. Their work happens completely at the annual meeting. You’ll find that any committee work is rewarding,
and allows you to meet more people, while contributing to SACRAO. If you are interested, check out the “I’m
Available” form on the SACRAO website. I’d love to hear from you!
If you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas, please don’t hesitate to contact me, or any member of the
SACRAO Executive Committee. You’ll find all of our contact information elsewhere in this newsletter, and on the
website.
Thank you again, for allowing me to serve you. In the meantime, stay safe!
Page 3
Spring 2012
Great Job!
2012 SACRAO Program Committee Chairs
Academic Calendars, Scheduling and Publications
Bobbye Fry, University of Incarnate Word
Admissions, School Relations, Financial Aid, and International
Bruce Applewhite, Macon State University
Information Technology
Brandy Cartmell, University of Tennessee-Martin
Professional Development
Barbara Rowe, Washington & Lee University
Registration Techniques and Records Management
Tina Davis, Western Kentucky University
W.I.S.D.O.M
Leana Wilson, University of Alabama
THANK YOU!
2012 SACRAO Local Arrangements Committee
Chair
Kim Taylor, Northern Kentucky University
Finance Chair
Kelly Goyette, Thomas More College
Registration Committee Chair
Rheanna Plemons, Western Kentucky University
Corporate Partner Liaison Chair
Melissa Gorbandt
Hospitality Chair
Tim Culhan, Centre College
Hotel Liason Chair
Jason Moore, Northern Kentucky University
Physical Arrangements Chair
Amanda Owen, Northern Kentucky University
Transportation & Tours Chair
Robin Wright, Gateway Community & Technical College
Page 4
SACRAO News
VP Records & Registration
Michael George
Spring Greetings from Your VP
for Records and Registration.
It seems like just yesterday we were all assembled in Kentucky and suddenly we
are working on a medley of different professional development and learning experiences for 2013. The two Records & Registration program committees are: Academic Calendars, Scheduling, and
Publications [ACSP] and Registration Techniques and Records Management [RTRM]. The ACSP is chaired by
Lloyd Wilson, Air University, Montgomery, AL and the RTRM is chaired by Daniel Strickland, the University
of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL.
The ACSP committee is responsible for developing programs and workshops related to:
Federal and Accreditation Compliance Issues.
Admissions publications.
Academic policies.
Academic catalogs, curriculum and catalog management systems.
Academic calendaring.
Course/class schedules and bulletins, final exam schedules.
Student directories.
Office policy and procedures/documentation.
Communication strategies and tools.
For these purposes, “publication” refers to printed, web-based, and other formats.
The RTRM committee is responsible for developing programs and workshops related to:
Articulation agreements, transfer credit evaluation, non-traditional credit evaluation, military/veterans
credit evaluation.
Commencement exercises, diploma practices.
Issues related to adult learners, the military and veterans (including certifications), students with disabilities, online and other distance education programs, certificate programs (both undergraduate and
graduate), and learning communities.
Registration [term, program, block, yearly], orientation, academic advising support, degree audit, facilities
management, event and academic scheduling [policy, tools, processes].
Grading systems and processing, records management and retention, determination of academic standing,
credentials fraud, office and records security, transcript practices, enrollment certification, athletic
eligibility, veterans’ certification.
of us.
If you want to present, coordinated a session, or you just have an idea for a session, please e-mail one
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Remember, “YOU ARE SACRAO” so please get involved and get your team involved. The benefits
are manifold.
Spring 2012
Page 5
Secretary
Laurie Tinsley
Executive Committee Meetings Summary
The Executive Committee met twice in February. The 2011-12 committee
met on Saturday before the formal meeting events began and were joined by those
nominated for 2012-13 positions. The EC heard the details of the meeting program
and details of the event.
We also heard an initial report from Shelby Stanfield of the planning for the
2013 annual conference in San Antonio, TX next February.
The new EC then met on Wednesday after the meeting was adjourned. We heard a closing report from Kim Taylor on the work of the 2012 LAC .
The EC also discussed many other topics to help the association’s work in the next year:
Scholarships to the SACRAO annual meeting
Committee appointments and program planning
SACRAO at AACRAO Reception
SACRAO Representatives at the state meetings
Corporate Partners
Members who have suggestions about the annual meeting or any other aspect of SACRAO should
communicate directly with a member of the Executive Committee, whose names and contact information
are listed on the SACRAO website at http://www.sacrao.org/committees/executivemembers..html
We continue to add to the SACRAO archives held by the Archives of Wiregrass History and Culture, Troy University, Dothan Campus, Dothan, Alabama. If you have any SACRAO documents that
should be archived, please send them by mail or e-mail to Laurie Tinsley ([email protected]), SACRAO Secretary, University of Oklahoma, 1000 Asp, Norman OK 73019.
(Continued from Front Page)
She commented that registrars have the ability to “impact student learning” and that as an industry, we need to
think of this as an important topic for future discussion and research. She said, “How registrars contribute to
the learning of students must be part of the context, and we must have some way to assess our effectiveness in
this area. We can hone the skills of our students by helping them learn what they need to do, why, and the implication of their actions.”
Pikowsky went on to say, “people now, more than ever, must be involved in change. There are issues
flying at us from every direction, and it is becoming harder and harder to stay on top of everything within our
field. We rely on each other to write articles and present sessions so that we have a better chance of remaining
current in key areas. As professionals, we have an obligation to share what we know, what we are thinking
about, and help each other navigate these sometimes choppy waters. If we share what we know, and what we
do well, we can support one another in ways that exponentially advance the profession and each other as experts.” “We stand a lot stronger together than separately.”
She concluded her interview by stating the SACRAO community “provides each of us with an excellent
opportunity to learn from each other.” She said, “We can’t all be an expert on everything, so the Journal provides us a chance to learn in the face of limited time and information.” The SACRAO Journal is a valuable resource and it is extremely important that it continue to exist as a platform for the distribution of information for
professionals in our field.”
Page 6
SACRAO News
Treasurer
Bob LeHeup
SACRAO’s budget for 2012 was approved at the annual meeting in Covington. Combined with the final report of 2011 expenses, it shows that SACRAO remains financially
sound. As of the end of 2011, our assets totaled $268,857.31 (not counting monies held by
the 2012 and 2013 Local Arrangement committees). Of that total, two $100,000 certificates
of deposit on alternating two-year terms comprise SACRAO’s long-term reserves.
Our strong finances are despite a marked decline in dues revenue for the year, the impact of which was offset by lower-than-budgeted expenses and an unexpectedly large return from the 2011 annual meeting. Dues revenue
has been remarkably consistent for the past dozen years, so the Board has retained a revenue target of $65,000 for
the coming year. The Board has approved increasing the Association’s support of the annual meeting, in an effort to
support programming and maintain a low registration fee, and will transfer money out of short-term savings towards
that effort.
In the second quarter of 2012 SACRAO expects to close the books on the recent annual meeting, and begin
its annual outside audit. Please let me know if I can answer any questions about SACRAO’s finances or provide any
additional information.
2011
Budget
2011
Actual
2012
Proposed
INCOME
Dues
Interest - CDs
Interest - Savings
Job Board Advertisements
65,000.00
57,040.00
65,000.00
2,400.00
2,685.61
2,350.00
150.00
105.79
100.00
0.00
0.00
LAC Return
4,000.00
4,000.00
4,000.00
LAC Return - Additional
4,450.00
16,276.02
4,450.00
0.00
365.00
0.00
7,700.00
0.00
9,390.00
$83,700.00
$80,472.42
$85,290.00
Other Income
Transfer from Reserves
TOTAL INCOME
EXPENSES
Administration
Archiving
50.00
50.00
50.00
100.00
62.00
75.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Credit Card Fees (PayPal)
300.00
238.70
300.00
Insurance
800.00
781.00
800.00
Miscellaneous Administration
200.00
300.00
300.00
Postage and Shipping
300.00
275.00
300.00
Printing and Supplies
500.00
447.22
500.00
Tax Prep, Audit, Legal Fees
4,700.00
4,715.00
4,915.00
Web Development
2,000.00
1,785.00
2,500.00
Web Support/Maintenance
2,500.00
1,305.00
1,500.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
11,450.00
9,958.92
11,240.00
Bank Service
Computer Upgrades
Other Administration
TOTAL Administration
Spring 2012
Page 7
Annual Meeting
Additional AM Support
2,500.00
2,500.00
5,000.00
Advance to 2013 LAC
4,000.00
4,000.00
0.00
Advance to 2014 LAC
0.00
850.00
4,150.00
ASCAP
100.00
90.00
100.00
Plaques, Certificates and Gifts
700.00
713.92
700.00
Presenters Gifts
900.00
882.43
1,050.00
15,000.00
16,525.87
18,000.00
6,500.00
5,717.61
6,400.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
29,700.00
31,279.83
35,400.00
Program Planning Meeting
Speakers
Other Annual Meeting
TOTAL Annual Meeting
Committees
Audit
150.00
77.88
150.00
Evaluations
400.00
204.67
400.00
2,300.00
1,115.94
1,500.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Nominations & Elections
3,500.00
2,909.39
3,500.00
Professional Access and Equity
3,200.00
2,721.52
3,200.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
9,550.00
7,029.40
8,750.00
800.00
621.00
800.00
Executive Committee Travel
5,000.00
4,435.07
5,000.00
Honorary and Comp Registrations
2,200.00
2,300.00
1,200.00
Executive
Membership
Other Committees
TOTAL Committees
Public Relations
AACRAO Representatives
Other (Memorials, etc.)
200.00
50.00
200.00
PAE Breakfast
200.00
144.18
200.00
Past Presidents Luncheon
600.00
518.90
400.00
President's Receptions
1,600.00
1,772.76
1,600.00
SACRAO at AACRAO Reception
4,500.00
3,948.51
4,500.00
State Presidents Lunch
1,300.00
1,232.76
1,000.00
Other Public Relations
0.00
0.00
0.00
16,400.00
15,023.18
14,900.00
11,600.00
8,847.40
10,000.00
5,000.00
4,944.82
5,000.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
16,600.00
13,792.22
15,000.00
$83,700.00
$77,083.55
$85,290.00
$0.00
$3,388.87
$0.00
TOTAL Public Relations
Publications
Journal
Newsletter
Other Publications
TOTAL Publications
TOTAL EXPENSES
Overall Total
Page 8
SACRAO News
President-Elect
Dorinda Harmon
Call for Program Proposals
Are you an expert on a topic germane to SACRAO members? Do you know
know someone that is? Did you mention a topic for discussion on your last conference
evaluation? Are you an interesting speaker who has best practices or special knowledge
to share? Please contact one of the following Program Committee Chairpersons and let
them know that you are available to assist with the 2013 program in San Antonio.
My first presentation at SACRAO, I was pretty nervous and wondered if I would be “good enough” to
present alongside my peers. Well, now you can hardly keep me away from the front of the room. I enjoy researching topics and presenting topics of interest that will hopefully provide some professional developments,
tips for meeting a challenge, and collegial networking to be shared.
SACRAO is looking for programs presented by individual speakers, panels, SACRAO members, and
other renown professionals in all aspects of enrollment management. If you are going to suggest another individual for a presentation, please ask their permission first. This is a wonderful way for those new to SACRAO
to become involved in their professional area.
Not the speaker type? Maybe you can volunteer to be a session coordinator.
Get in touch with these folks now so that your suggestions and topics can be considered during the
summer planning meeting:
Admissions, School Relations, Financial Aid, International & Graduate Studies
Mack Palmour - [email protected]
Information Technology
Nancy Umphres - [email protected]
WISDOM
Leana Wilson - [email protected]
Professional Development
Barbara Rowe - [email protected]
Registration Techniques and Records Management
Daniel Strickland - [email protected]
Academic Calendars, Scheduling, and Publications
Lloyd Wilson - [email protected]
Spring 2012
Page 9
SACRAO 2013 – San Antonio
Deep in the Heart of Texas
The stars at night - are big and bright - Deep in the heart of Texas.
The prairie sky - is wide and high - Deep in the heart of Texas.
The sage in bloom - is like perfume - Deep in the heart of Texas.
Reminds me of - the one I love - Deep in the heart of Texas.
The stars at night are big and bright…deep in the heart of Texas! We proudly invite you to the 66th
Annual Meeting of the Southern Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, February
2nd-6th, 2013, in San Antonio, Texas
In San Antonio, you’ll find an exhilarating mix of true living history and fun festivities that are sure to educate and excite. The historic Alamo provides audio-guided tours or a personal reflection on the societal
impact of the legendary battle. The San Antonio Visitor’s Center also offers a multitude of cultural tours
in the city. If you’re ready to see more of what the 7 th largest city in the U.S. has to offer, why not start
right at the Tower of the Americas? You can take the Skies over Texas Theater Ride, absorb the scenery
from the Observation Deck, or enjoy fine dining at the revolving Chart House Restaurant.
The sage in bloom is like perfume…deep in the heart of Texas! San Antonio’s Botanical Garden is
open year round and has a dazzling array of exotic plants and formal gardens. Go and discover the unique
plants of Texas as you trek along the Texas Native Trail. You can also purchase your own sweet scents
and gifts at the Rivercenter, right along the Riverwalk which features more than 100 stores, an IMAX theatre and delectable restaurants. Giddy right on up to The Shops at La Cantera to indulge in a shopping
spree and then pick your favorite spot to dine. If you want to stay close and wind down, the Westin La
Cantera Resort and Spa offers relaxing spa services and an 18-hole PGA championship golf course.
Reminds me of the things I love…deep in the heart of Texas! Love a little thrill? Enjoy the complimentary resort shuttle to and from The Shops at La Cantera, a San Antonio favorite just a mile down the
road. Music? Get ready to clap along to many of the mariachi bands ready to serenade you along the
Riverwalk. The Riverwalk also offers something for everyone with sidewalk cafes, specialty boutiques, and
nightlife. The San Antonio Zoo offers sights and fun for all ages. Our Tuesday evening event will be full of
Texas hospitality and provide you a unique and full-filled time.
Please visit the SACRAO website often for updates as we
prepare to mosey on down to Texas for a dynamic conference
covering issues such as enrollment management, succession planning, innovative ways to accomplish more in lean times, and much
more. We will be happy to answer any questions you may have at
our booth in Kentucky.
In San Antonio, it all starts here. Deep in the heart of
Texas.
2013 Local Arrangements Chair
V. Shelby Stanfield
Vice Provost and Registrar
The University of Texas at Austin
[email protected]
Page 10
SACRAO News
SACRAO Program Committees for the 2013
Annual Meeting
Professional
Development
Barbara Rowe, Chair
Angela Anderson
Scott Argo
Patti Beste
Ronnie Chalmers
Patrick Frazier
Bobbye Fry
Schernavia Hall
Kacey Higgins
John Mason
Mallory Miciek
Brenda Schumann
Helen Stewart
Kathi Wilson
Academic Calendars,
Schedules,
Publications
Lloyd Wilson, Chair
Laura Bass
Wanda Burch
Melinda Carroll
Jed Edge
Tom Gattin
Linda Holland
Kristina Jackson
Jacob Jones
Melody Kesler
Susan Kennon
Lisa Kulczak
Michael Masterson
Karen Whittier
Admissions, School
Relations, Financial Aid,
International
Mack Palmour, Chair
Bradley Barnes
Barkley Barton
Kelly Bryan
Paul Casebolt
Carolyn Cook
Valerie Crawford
Linda Dammer
Charlotte Dudley
Constance Hemphill
Mary Jones
Nichole Kennedy
Audrey Shinner
Tennyson Smith
WISDOM: Women, Institutional Equity, Sexuality, Disability Services, Opportunities
for Access, Multicultural
Awareness
Leana Wilson, Chair
Regina Carter
Ryan Garrity
Yvette Getch
Venesa Heidick
Brandon Tigue
Eric Stokes
Information Technology
Nancy Umphres, Chair
Sheila Freeman
Bart Herridge
Nikki Hon
Natalie Oliver
Denny Savage
Amanda Steele-Middleton
Rachel Taylor
Registration
Techniques
and Records
Management
Daniel Strickland, Chair
Kathie Adams
Sheryl Burnette
Sean Cooper
Kristi Harrison
Linda Holland
Janice Hurd
Richard Jimmerson
Andi Liner
Steve McLeod
Marcia McQuerry
Kelli Peterson
Tracy Roberts
Cynthia Terry
Elizabeth White
Jennifer White
Spring 2012
Page 11
SACRAO Standing Committees for 2013-2014
Audit
Amy Bissette, Chair
Brad Barron
DeAnna Adams
Hope Walton
Constitution and Bylaws
Rock McCaskill, Chair
Scott Dittman
Sallie Marchello
Jacqui Elliott
Evaluations
Kim Taylor, Chair
Libby Peters
Patrick Frazier
Mary Ellen Hanna
Finance
Mary Kincannon, Chair
Rock McCaskill
Robert LeHeup
Dorinda Harmon
Journal Board
Matthew McCrickard, Chair
Jennifer Hardy
Venesa Heidick
Bobbie Brown
John Fletcher
Senora DeCosta
Judith McKeon
Member Relations
Holly Swart, Chair
Richard Jimmerson
Kathi Wilson
Tracy Roberts
Wayne Banks
Todd Koch
Professional Access and Equity
Roger Jones, Chair
La Kiesha Armstrong
Brandon Tigue
Jairo McMican
Eric Stokes
Recognition and Awards
Rodney Parks, Chair
Angela Anderson
John Hall
Brad Moody
Janet Davis
Rita Garner
Michelle Forbes
Resolutions
Tim Culhan, Chair
Michelle Johnson
Page 12
SACRAO News
2012 SACRAO Honorary Members
Rita Garner
Rita Garner recently retired after 30 years of service to the Medical College of Georgia. She began her career as a Collection Specialist in the Department of Credit and Collections before serving as
Systems Administrator, Assistant Registrar, Registrar, and finally, as Director of Special Projects for the
Division of Enrollment Management.
Rita has served in a variety of leadership positions in GACRAO, AACRAO and SACRAO. In her
many years of supporting SACRAO she has been a presenter and has served on the International, Professional and Graduate Admissions Program Committee, the Registration Techniques and Records Management Program Committee, the Member Relations Committee, the Evaluations Committee, the Audit
Committee and the Information Technology Program Committee. Rita has also served as Chair for both
the Membership Relations Committee and the Publicity Local Arrangements Committee and served on the
Executive Committee as Member-at-Large, Evaluations.
Rita holds a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration from Troy State University, a BA in Business Administration from Brenau University and an Associate of Applied Technology in Accounting from Augusta Technical College.
Lisa Harris, PhD.
Dr. Lisa B. Harris recently left Mississippi State University (and SACRAO), to become the Vice
President for Student Affairs at Boise State. Previously, she held positions as Assistant Vice President of
Academic Affairs and Assistant Vice President of Admissions and Financial Aid at the University of Alabama,
Dean and Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Louisiana State University, Coordinator of High School
Relations at the University of Tennessee, and Assistant Director of Admissions at Clemson University.
Lisa is very active in professional leadership roles, most recently serving the NASPA Region III as
the Mississippi Director. She has also been the president and served many years on the executive board of
the Southern Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (SACRAO) and also served in
that role for the Carolinas Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (CACRAO).
Lisa served as the editor of the SACRAO Journal for three years and was a reviewer for the Southern Association of
College Student Affairs (SASCA) for five years. In recognition for her dedication and commitment, she has received several notable recognitions, including the Sam S. May Commitment to Service Award from the University of Alabama in 2004, the Friends of
RHA award from Mississippi State in 2004, The Distinguished Service award from SACRAO in 2005, the Margaret Ruthven Perry
Distinguished Journalism Award from SACRAO in 2009, and the Ritter Award for Pan Hellenic Alumna of the Year from Mississippi State University in 2010. She has also served on the Board of the American Red Cross, as an officer for Pi Beta Phi Alumnae Board, and as an officer for her children’s school board.
Lisa has a Ph.D. in Vocational Education, Adult Education emphasis from Louisiana State University, a Master’s degree in
Personnel Services, Counseling emphasis from Clemson University, a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Clemson University.
Charles “Chuck” Morgan
Charles “Chuck” Morgan retired from Berea College in Berea, Kentucky in June
2010 after serving in the Admissions Office for 38 years. Chuck distinguished himself at
the state level by serving on and chairing several committees of the Kentucky Association
of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, including twice being elected to Chair the
Nominations and Elections Committee. He also served KACRAO as Vice-President for
Admissions, President-Elect, President, and Past President.
Chuck attended over 25 SACRAO Annual Meetings and quickly assumed a leadership role in the organization. He has served on or chaired numerous committees, including election to the Nominations and Elections Committee. Over a nine year period, he
Spring 2012
Page 13
held several positions on the SACRAO Executive Committee including Secretary, Vice President for Professional Development, Vice President for Admissions, and President in 1999-2000. Chuck also served on
five SACRAO and MOSIS Local Arrangements Committees, including chair of the 2006 LAC in Lexington,
Kentucky.
SACRAO bestowed its highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award, on Chuck in 2007 at the
Annual Meeting in Little Rock, Arkansas. Chuck’s SACRAO Distinguished Service Award citation notes:
“In his own quiet and unassuming manner, Chuck has provided outstanding service and leadership beyond
measure to the growth and development of SACRAO.”
Chuck was awarded SACRAO honorary membership in 2011 but we waited to present him with
this honor until he could personally accept it at the 2012 annual meeting in Northern Kentucky.
Lylene Pilkenton
Lylene Pilkenton recently retired as Assistant Dean and Registrar after serving the South Texas
College of Law for 37 years. Lylene has been a tireless supporter of SACRAO, starting in 1991 with membership on the Equal Education Opportunity Committee and then later on the Membership Relations
Committee, the Evaluations Committee, the Resolutions Committee, the Constitution and Bylaws Committee, the Recognition and Awards Committee and the Auditing Committee.
In addition to committee membership, she served as Chair of the International, Professional and
Graduate Admissions Committee, the Membership Relations Committee, and the Auditing Committee as
well as serving as Co-chair for the Publicity Local Arrangements Committee for the 1998 SACRAO Annual
Meeting. Lylene served on the Executive Committee twice as Secretary and served a three-year term as
Newsletter Editor.
The respect of her peers is evident through her election to the Nominations and Elections Committee, receiving the highest
number of votes and subsequently serving as Chair. In addition to her SACRAO activities, Lylene served as Executive Director
for the National Network of Law School Officers and served in numerous leadership roles for both the Texas Association of
Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (TACRAO) and AACRAO.
She has been an inspiring mentor to many younger SACRAO members, and a model of volunteer
service for SACRAO.
Richard “Rich” Tinneny
Richard “Rich” Tinneny entered the United States Air Force immediately following high school for
a 4 year enlistment that turned into a nearly 29 year career. In 1982 he was assigned to the Community
College of the Air Force (CCAF) as Chair of the Management and Logistics department. He subsequently
went on to serve as Director of Student Affairs; Director of Admissions and Registrar before retiring as
Associate Vice President.
Immediately following his retirement from CCAF in December 1989 he accepted the position of
Director of Admissions at Midlands Technical College, Columbia, South Carolina where he spent the next
15 years. During that time, in addition to his admissions responsibilities, he served on various committees
for the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education and the SC Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education. He also served as a member of the congressionally mandated CIPRIS Task Force that developed the present SEVIS program for tracking and managing international students.
Rich was an active member of AACRAO, SACRAO, ALACRAO, CACRAO, NAFSA and other professional groups
from 1982 through 2004. He served as a member and chair of various committees and working groups within these associations and on the executive committee of several of them. He also worked on local arrangements committees for state, regional and national meetings.
Since 2004 he has supported AACRAO, SACRAO and many other organizations and their constituent institutions
across the country in his current capacity as Senior Consultant with World Educations Services, Inc.
He holds an ED.S. degree from Troy State University, Alabama, a Masters degree from The George Washington University, Washington, D.C., a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northwestern State University, Louisiana, and an Associate degree
from CCAF.
Page 14
SACRAO News
SACRAO President’s AWARD
for Outstanding Professional Presentation 2012
By Dorinda Harmon, President-Elect
Two sessions were chosen to receive this honor from the 2012 annual Meeting. M2.06 – How to Conduct a Meaningful Performance Evaluation, and T3.04 – New Management, “Old” Staff and “Because We’ve
Always Done It That Way.
The Program Vice-Presidents recommended several sessions from the SACRAO 2012 Annual Meeting
for consideration. These sessions were then reviewed based on delivery, preparation, relevancy, and session
attendee evaluations. Based on the recommendations and the evaluations, the SACRAO Presidents (2012-13
President-Elect, President, and Immediate Past President) selected from these sessions for this award. Congratulations to our honorees.
Both sessions were well attended, and each received excellent reviews. Because of the strength of the
program this year, we felt it was appropriate to select two sessions, rather than choosing only one for this
year’s award.
Teri Little Berry and Devona Sewell have shared their process with SACRAO. Hopefully this will
inspire others in our membership to step up and offer a professional presentation in San Antonio for 2013.
Program Committee Chairs are collecting sessions now for consideration:
At the 2011 SACRAO Conference held in Atlanta, Georgia Devona served on the Professional Development Programming Committee, her participation sparked our interest in presenting at this year’s conference. After the conference we spent a few weeks trying to decide
on a session topic. Both Devona and I had been employed with the College of Central Florida
for less than one year when we attended the 2011 conference. As we began to review and
implement changes in our area we were often faced with the comment “but we’ve always done
it that way.” At the end of a very long day we decided that “but we’ve always done it that
way” was a phrase that could no longer be used as an excuse. Taking this excuse away from
the staff allowed us as managers to move forward with the implementation of new processes
and restructuring our department, which is how we came up with our topic. While evaluating
our department we would refer to ourselves as working the various shifts as we moved
through the process of making changes (i.e., graveyard, moonlighting, daylight) referring to old,
outdated and manual processes and getting rid of them. As a result we took those themes and
built our presentation around them.
We both thoroughly enjoyed presenting at this year’s conference. We found it rewarding to share our success with others in hope that they would be able to gain from what
we have done. The feedback that we received immediately following the session and by evaluation was humbling. We would like to encourage other SACRAO attendees to look for opportunities to present sessions at future conferences.
Spring 2012
Page 15
Annual Report – The SACRAO Journal 2012
Presented by Ronald G. White, editor
In The SACRAO Journal for 2011, I reflected on the rich journalistic heritage that began with Margaret Ruthven Perry, founding editor of the Journal, which continues to present day through the support of
our membership. The SACRAO Journal for 2012 is yet another milestone for our organization because it is
the 25th volume of the Journal that we have published. As members of SACRAO, we feel deep appreciation
to those who have served over the years as editors and board members. Their collective guidance has
produced Journal volumes on topics of great interest and importance to the membership. In addition, they
have spent countless hours reviewing and editing potential articles for publication. Also, we owe a debt of
gratitude to the authors who have labored to present timely articles across twenty-five volumes of the
Journal.
The SACRAO Journal for 2012 is another great example of SACRAO journalism. In this issue, Rita
Pikowsky reveals the results of research on the topic of assessment in the registrar’s office that offers
clear direction and guidance to those who desire to create effective assessment programs. Sandra Martinez’s article describes a process for website usability testing that makes sites more user-friendly and improves their performance. Sherry Benoit presents a model for advising in the 21 st Century that is both
theoretical and practical. Rodney Parks and Jonathan Rich offer an intriguing essay on the topic of Baby
Boomers in the classroom, and what colleges and universities can do to accommodate them. Finally, we
present an interesting interview with one of the pioneers of enrollment management, Joe Head.
We continue to use The SACRAO Journal to help us improve our understanding and communication
of relevant ideas, practices, and technologies. We urge the membership to help us discover those who are
either planning or implementing research of interest to our readers as well as those who may be able to
produce stimulating essays and case studies that focus on best practices, ethics, operational philosophies
and more.
There are so many topics that have unanswered questions, so many things that we wonder about,
so much more we wish we knew about our work. One of our goals is to continue drawing from the marvelous diversity of SACRAO members and their institutions of higher learning to produce a Journal that
explores complexity, improves understanding, and serves as a resource for our membership.
The SACRAO Journal for 2013
The Journal Editorial Board is planning The SACRAO Journal for 2013 and is calling upon the
SACRAO membership to help. If you know of research or best practices that may be of interest to our
membership, please encourage those involved to consider writing an article for the Journal. We urge the
submission of manuscripts as soon as possible but no later than August 1, 2012. For submission guidelines, please see page 2, “Information for Authors,” in the 2012 Journal on the SACRAO website. If you
are interested in submitting an article for the Journal, have questions, or want to discuss a manuscript
idea, please contact Journal Editor Matthew McCrickard at:
615-460-6069 or [email protected].
Page 16
SACRAO 2012
SACRAO News
Spring 2012
Page 17
PAE 2012 Scholarship Recipients
This issue we will feature observations by one of the two recipients and one next issue.
Kelly Bryan
Assistant Director of Admission
The University of Tennessee
To start out I would like to thank the Professional Access and Equity committee for selecting me as a scholarship recipient for the 2012 SACRAO meeting. The conference was both educational and enjoyable as I was able to learn
from multiple sessions and meet new colleagues. I had visited the SACRAO meeting before as an exhibitor and seeing this new perspective on the other side was a
wonderful experience. I found that the spirit of learning and discussion went far
beyond the presentations as some of my most interesting dialogs were with other
attendees comparing what we had experienced and learned not only from sessions
but from our own backgrounds and experiences in our professions.
The opening session speaker, Joe Robinson, kicked off the conference with an active presentation on work life balance. He brought to light some interesting findings on the use of devices that are
constantly interrupting us on a daily basis such as email, cell phones, etc… I actually can say I now turn off
my cell phone when I go to dinner with friends, or in meetings. And surprisingly I have learned new ways
of limiting interruptions during my work day. As I attended more sessions, my learning curve expanded
with new insights and information on how to better do the work that we do. Two of my favorite sessions were Jack Miner’s “Transgender Issues in Enrollment Services” and Patrick Frazier’s “Project Management in Admissions.” The Big Event at Union Terminal proved entertaining as on Valentine’s Day I
witness a marriage proposal and the PowerHouse Boogie Band, a more than captivating band equipped
with all of my personal favorite brass instruments. A box of chocolates to take home was a sweet treat
to top it all off.
Overall I was able to not only learn more about SACRAO but become more involved. I was
especially pleased to join forces on the WISDOM program committee, working to develop sessions and
other opportunities focusing on issues of diversity and access for future SACRAO meetings. I would highly suggest applying for this scholarship if you have not been able to attend this annual meeting. SACRAO
provides so many avenues to network and get involved. Again thank you to PAE and SACRAO for this
wonderful conference!
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SACRAO News
State Reports
ARKANSAS by Tracy Finch
Over 20 individual ArkACRAO members representing at least 10 Arkansas schools attended
SACRAO in February. At least 18 of those members came together for a delicious meal, good company,
stimulating discussion and preliminary planning for our fall conference.
The annual Support Staff Workshop was held March 12 at the Arkansas 4-H Center just outside of
Little Rock. Many of the ArkACRAO executive committee members were present to welcome 40 attendees.
Participants started the workshop with the interactive “What’s In Your Toolbox?”session. By the end of the
session, participants were challenged to add new skills/tools to their ‘box’ in order to meet the challenges and
opportunities that they face each day at their institution. A guest appearance by Richard Dawson (Amy Mahan) provided the participants with a lively game of ‘FERPA Feud’. Prizes consisting of chocolate tools were
awarded to many of the participants!
As the school year wraps up, members are working to confirm spring degrees, solidify their fall application conversions, and update their school catalog due to the many changes required by the state legislature
over this past year. Mid-summer will bring additional T (therapy) & T (training) with Registrar’s Therapy and
Admissions Bootcamp. After summer vacations (or dreams of a vacation), members will look forward to the
annual fall conference beginning October 3 in Jonesboro.
When you are caught up on end of term process, summer orientations and you reach the bottom of
your ‘to do’ list, please visit our website http://arkacrao.org/.
THE CAROLINAS by Jonathan Reece, President, CACRAO
The Carolinas Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (CACRAO) has been
working towards several goals this year, not the least of which is examining our constitution and bylaws to
ensure they are representative of our current policies and practices. We are also researching the consolidation of various electronic mediums in our organization. We have been thankful for the many institutions and
vendors who help us manage our day-to-day activities. We are currently reviewing the idea of consolidating
our efforts into one venue. These two functions will likely occupy us for the remainder of the year.
Our committees are already well underway planning the upcoming educational opportunity fairs and
school counselor workshops throughout our two states. Additionally, we have already set our dates for the
upcoming registrar workshops, designed to not only provide networking opportunities, but also professional
development. Three dates/locations have been planned. Our SACRAO colleagues are welcome to attend, if
in the area.
East Carolina University, June 15 10:30-2:30
Midlands Technical College, July 10 10:45-2:30
York Technical College, October 12 10:30-2:30
Our newcomers workshop, annually held in the summer, is planning another great opportunity for
new admissions professionals to come together and learn the “road rules” of recruiting. Meanwhile, planning
for our annual meeting in December is also underway. This year, we will be meeting in Hilton Head, SC at
The Westin Resort & Spa, December 1-4. We would welcome our SACRAO colleagues to join us for this
exciting time to connect and grow professionally.
Stay tuned to our website and newsletters to stay in touch with other happenings in the Carolinas.
Our website is www.cacrao.org, for further information. If you’re not on our listserve, our newsletters are
also posted online.
Spring 2012
Page 19
FLORIDA by Holly Kickliter
Greetings from sunny Florida!
This summer promises to be a hot one with FACRAO hosting university and state college system colleagues for the Fourth Annual Higher Education Summit in St. Augustine from June 3-7, 2012. This year’s keynote speaker is friend and colleague to the Enrollment Management Profession, Don Hossler.
Now an annual tradition, the Summit joins FACRAO with the Florida Colleges Registrar’s and Admissions Officers (FCRAO) and the State University System’s Board of Governors to offer a valuable and innovative professional development conference for our membership. Careful strategic collaborations have allowed us
to again economize on travel for many attendees and share resources.
The program is designed from feedback from previous years. On Sunday, June 3, the Florida Higher Education Summit kicks off with our Fourth FACRAO Institute of Strategic Enrollment Management (FISEM)
workshop. FACRAO is scheduled for June 4 and 5, with statewide meetings with the Florida Board of Governors staff on Wednesday and ending in the grand finale of the State University System Data Workshop for data
administrators around Florida.
In addition to planning for the annual conference, the Executive Committee has been busy revamping
the FACRAO website and contrating with a new vendor for conference registration and management.
FACRAO has also entered into an agreement to help manage the annual Florida Tour for high school and district college fairs.
GEORGIA by Megan Taylor
The Georgia Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers’ annual Mid-Year Staff
Development Workshop was held at the Anderson Center at Goodwill Industries on March 20, 2012, in Macon.
The workshop drew a record 290 attendees from across the state of Georgia. Participants enjoyed a rousing
keynote address from Mr. John Mason, former registrar of Morehouse College. Session topics including Managing Expectations, The Golden Rule of Customer Service, The Meltdown: The Challenge of Dealing with Difficult Students,
and Working Smart – Using Technology to Spend Less Time Working, among other, appealed to the diverse group of
attendees. In addition, updates from the Georgia Student Finance Commission and a workshop on the Georgia
Transfer Articulation Cooperative Services initiative (GTRACS) were available, along with three sessions relating
to GACRAO’s W.E.A.L.T.H. mentoring and leadership program for women.
Thanks to Kathlyn Burden, a recent addition to the Executive Committee and registrar at Southern
Crescent Technical College, for her help in organizing and facilitating the workshop and selecting a slate of sessions that were both informative and fun.
KENTUCKY by Arrick “Jason” Moore
Greetings from the Kentucky Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers! We hope
everyone enjoyed this year’s SACRAO conference in Northern Kentucky; we certainly enjoyed having everyone in our neck of the woods.
Our 2011/2012 year is shaping up to be another great year in the Bluegrass State. We are currently
undergoing a major technology upgrade with our Kentucky ACRAO website that will not only look different,
but function in a way we have not explored in the past. Our yearly transfer fairs are currently under way with
all 16 KCTCS colleges participating. In addition, our yearly Registrar’s Workshop was a big success and we expect the same results with the upcoming Support Personnel Workshop and the New Admissions Professional
Workshop later this year.
For this year’s annual conference in October, our Local Arrangements Committee has agreed to promote a theme based on engagement. As we all continue to adapt to our current economic status and increasing
workloads we want to make sure our members are as active and engaged as possible. We have surveyed our
membership to determine if our activities and communication through KACRAO are best serving our membership. Based on these results, we are tailoring our efforts to provide the most timely information and professional development opportunities possible.
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SACRAO News
TENNESSEE by Kim Stephens, President
Greetings from TACRAO!
We hope that this article finds you each doing well, and we hope that your weather has been as wonderful as ours has been the past few weeks. What a wonderful spring! It has been a busy few months in Tennessee. In November of 2011, we held our annual meeting in the great city of Chattanooga, TN. We enjoyed
great fellowship and networking, while making new friends and reminiscing with old ones. We are on our way
to planning more great events in Tennessee, and would like to invite our bordering states to join us! Megan
Mitchell, TACRAO President-Elect, is well under way with planning our annual meeting which will be held in
the beautiful city of Kingsport, TN on November 14, 15, &16 th.
In addition to our annual meeting, we will host several workshops to be held in the summer months
including: Regional Support Staff Workshops in West, Middle, and East TN, Summer Admissions Workshop,
and a Registrar’s Roundtable.
The TACRAO Calendar Committee is steadfastly planning the fall travel season for our many admissions counselors (Roadrunners!) throughout the state. The TACRAO Calendar is a great resource for any
schools who would like to recruit the best and brightest students in Tennessee. The TACRAO Calendar is
available for purchase by Non-member institutions (electronic delivery) by checking out the resources link on
our website (http://www.tnacrao.org/). For more information about the different events being held in Tennessee please visit our website www.tnacrao.org. We hope to see you in Tennessee!
TEXAS by
Sherry Benoit
What a great year 2011 was for TACRAO – 1,098 members across 186 institutions and districts/
systems! Our current membership breakdown is:
33% from 2-year institutions
57% from 4-year institutions
8% from graduation/professional institutions
2% from districts/systems
80% from the public sector
20% from the private sector
It seems like only yesterday we were gathered together in San Antonio for the 90 th Annual TACRAO
Conference. Regional meetings are taking place throughout the state this spring. New legislation passed in
Texas that went into effect on January 1, 2012 requiring a meningitis vaccination for all students under the age
of thirty attending classes on a college campus. This legislation and its implementation kept everyone quite
busy as the spring semester began. Now our focus turns to the 2012 Summer Meetings in Austin this July and
the TACRAO 91st Conference “Sustaining Our Scholars”, to be held November 4-7 in downtown Dallas.
SACRAO 2012 Annual Meeting
Presentations on the Web!
Go to:
http://sacrao.org/events/presentations2012.html
Haven’t submitted yours yet? Send PDF or PPT version of your
handouts to Joe Papari,VP for IT [email protected].
Page 21
SACRAO News
OKLAHOMA by Lori Klimkowski
Greetings from OACRAO! The annual 2011 fall conference was held October 6 th and 7th on the University of Central Oklahoma campus in Edmond, Oklahoma. The theme of the conference was Connect,
Collaborate, and Communicate. Once again, many informative sessions were offered, including the newcomer/mentee and mentor program. Thirty-four new members were welcomed to the organization. This year,
conference attendees donated 190 lbs. of canned goods and other items, in addition to monetary contributions, for the Regional Food Bank.
The Executive Committee has begun the planning stages for the Fall 2012 conference, to be hosted
again by the University of Central Oklahoma on October 4-5, 2012. The location and donated facilities
should make it possible for more people to attend the conference.
The Spring Policy Workshop at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Oklahoma City had another great turnout this year with 126 registrants. The Executive Committee announced that with Todd Milam’s departure
to the Georgia State Regents Office, the new OACRAO President Elect for the remainder of 2011-2012 will
be Dr. Rick Edgington from Northern Oklahoma College. The workshop included policy and procedure updates and a motivational challenge from Dr. Houston Davis, from the Oklahoma State Regents Office. Dr.
Davis encouraged Oklahoma institutions to strengthen their commitment to the Complete College Americas
program, the initiative to increase the number of Oklahoma students earning degrees and certificates by
2023. An informative session offered by Caryn Pacheco, University of Oklahoma Financial Aid Director, provided updates on changes to the Financial Aid Title IV funding.
The annual 2012 OACRAO Front-Line Workshop will take place on the Oklahoma City Community
College campus in Oklahoma City on June 21st. For information about what OACRAO is working on next,
please visit the website at www.oacrao.org.
VIRGINIA by Hope Parks
Spring has sprung here and we are welcoming the warmer weather all throughout the state. Our
Roadrunners kicked off the Spring Tour this week and will conclude their recruiting in the Richmond area at
the end of April. Believe it or not, planning is underway for the fall Virginia Tour, beginning early September
and running through the early November. This year VACRAO has implemented on-line registration for our
tours, and we are pleased with our new found efficiency!
This past December, VACRAO members from all over the state gathered in the Star City, Roanoke
for our annual meeting. This year’s theme was “ALOHA VACRAO - Celebrating Star-Lit Keys to Success”
and we spent two days in a faux Margaritaville! Attendants were greeted with a warm island welcome, and
then we all kicked off the conference by “Changing our Latitudes, while re-adjusting our Attitudes”. During
the day attendees participated in insightful workshops while networking with other professionals, and sharing
news and techniques from our offices. And in the evening we listened to Jimmy Buffett while enjoying a limbo contest!
In the summer months, we will have traditionally held several workshops throughout the state to
provide development opportunities for admissions and registrar professionals. The Support Staff Workshop
will be held on July 20th at Lynchburg College. The Domicile Workshop will be held July 12 th at Virginia State
University and serves to update attendees on changes in Virginia domicile procedures. The New Counselor
Workshop will be held at Sweet Briar College on August 6 th and 7th and is a great opportunity for new admissions counselors to interact with and garner advice from experienced Virginia admissions professionals.
Jason Ferguson, VACRAO President-Elect, has begun the planning of our 2011 annual meeting to be
held in Virginia Beach, Virginia December 9th – 11th. The theme for this year, VACRAO Bowl LXXXII, celebrates the spirit of college and professional football season”. Attendees should expect a “friendly” competition to kick-off between Team Admissions and Team Registrars. Who will survive the 4th quarter and
emerge victorious? You will have to be there to find out.
Continue to check our website, www.vacrao.org, for more information on this event and other
VACRAO events throughout the year.
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SACRAO News
Enrollment and Course Planning:
How Many of Which Classes Do You Need?
By Jay Flynn, Associate Registrar, Radford University: [email protected]
Registrar offices that also schedule academic classes have access to information that can, for
example, help departments better plan how many sections to offer new freshmen. A little data mining
– looking at past trends -- can go a long way towards helping Departments use their teaching resources effectively.
Here Come the Freshmen!
A basic look into past freshmen enrollments can help Departments decide what needs to be
offered in subsequent terms. Assuming that new freshmen will take primarily 100-level classes, let’s
look at some ways to analyze the upcoming needs for Fall 2012, 100-level seating:
Table 1: Available Seats Compared to Seats Taken for 100 Level Courses
All 100-Level Courses
Term
Seats Available
Enrollment
Percent Filled
201010
17907
16772
93.66%
201110
19457
18590
95.54%
201210
18862
0
The table above shows the total number of classroom seats available in ALL 100 level classes,
compared to the total number of seats taken (the Enrollment column above), for both Fall 2010 and
Fall 2011.
Since sections filled at over 93% in both Fall 2010 and Fall 2011, this indicates that student demand filled practically all available seats. Such high section enrollment usually means students did not
get courses they wanted, and/or at the times they wanted, or the classes were all closed. It’s also easy
to infer (and confirm anecdotally) that this can lead to unhappy students at best, and delayed graduation at worst.
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SACRAO News
To make the data more useful to College Deans and Department Chairs who are developing
each term’s class offerings, it’s useful to “drill down” further. Microsoft Excel is an easily available
way to examine seating enrollment patterns by subject:
Table 2: Section Enrollment by Subject, for 2011 & 2012
SUBJECT
ANSC
ART
ASTR
ATTR
BIOL
CHEM
CHNS
COMS
CORE
CRJU
Sections
201210
Max
Enroll
201210
Sections
20110
MAX
ENROLL
20110
ACTUAL ENROLL
201110
Seats
Available
201110
Percent
Filled
201110
80.00%
4
149
6
210
168
42
20
844
20
862
822
40
95.36%
2
48
2
48
53
-5
110.42%
93.33%
1
24
1
30
28
2
48
1,098
49
1,166
1,163
3
99.74%
17
442
17
384
396
-12
103.13%
1
22
1
25
26
-1
104.00%
12
416
15
493
469
24
95.13%
85
1,823
95
1,911
1,934
-23
101.20%
6
240
7
255
253
2
99.22%
The left column in Table 2 lists the academic subject, the next two columns in green show
the number of sections and the total maximum enrollment for Fall 2012, and the next five columns
in pink show seating data for Fall 2011.
Note the “Percent Filled 201110” column. The Anthropological Sciences (ANSC) Department filled 80% of their 100-level courses in Fall 2011. They adjusted their Fall 2012 seats downward to reflect that demand might not be as high as anticipated.
Criminal Justice (CRJU) filled almost all its seats in 2011, and may have trouble in 2012 since
they also adjusted their seats downward (in RU’s case this reflected a faculty reassignment); this
could help indicate the need to find an adjunct instructor for that term. Generally speaking, if enrollments were close to 100% in Fall 2011, there ought to be at least as many seats for Fall 2012.
Radford University offers a Core curriculum (CORE), a set of four courses all students must
take in order to graduate. They are designed to be small group classes (maximum 24), aimed at research and critical thinking. Two COREs are 100-level courses. In Table 2, the two CORE 100-level
courses were over-enrolled by 23 – just about a full section – with the students spread out among
the 95 offered sections. This shows that CORE really needed one additional section to prevent
over-enrollment in classes, and meet university objectives of small class size, indicating (in RU’s case)
the need to budget for an extra adjunct to teach it. But why are there sections for Fall 2012 for 100
less students? That’s because some sections are kept at zero enrollment – for now – until the Department knows how many new students will actually enroll for Fall 2012 (it’s March 2012 as of this
writing).
This quick example, using Cognos (to extract section enrollments) and Microsoft Excel,
shows one way Registrar’s data can be mined to aid not only Departments in their planning, but to
provide necessary classes for students to keep them on track for graduation. This makes for happy
professors, happy students, and happy parents!
For more information, check my blog at http://thoughtfulregistrar.wordpress.com.
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SACRAO News
Vote for the 2013-14
Nominations & Election Committee
Calling all SACRAO members – it is time to exercise your duties and rights of SACRAO membership
by voting for the 2013 – 2014 Nominations and Elections Committee. SACRAO continues to be a strong organization because of its members.
Please follow these directions for Voting:
-Go to www.sacrao.org
-Click on the “Vote” button
-Log onto the secure SACRAO Members Only site, using your email address and SACRAO passphrase (don’t
worry – if you have forgotten your passphrase, simply follow the “Forgot your password?” directions on the
page. Your passphrase will be emailed to you.)
-Click on the link “Nomination & Election Voting” at the top of the page
-Click the check box next to up to four members to represent the membership on the 2011 – 2012 Nominations and Elections Committee
-Click the Vote button at the bottom of the page
-All votes for the Nominations and Elections Committee must be submitted electronically, by:
May 31, 2012
Nominations - 2013-2014 Leadership
While on the SACRAO site, be sure to go to the “Forms” link and complete the Leadership Nomination form for 2013 – 2014. This year, SACRAO is looking for dedicated professionals for the following positions:
President-Elect
Vice President, Professional Access and Equity
Vice President, Professional Development
Vice President, Records and Registration
Treasurer
Member-at-Large (two nominations)
Nominate early and often. SACRAO takes pride in the diversification of the Executive Committee
by type of school, gender, ethnicity, and by state. BUT we can only do that if you provide the nominations.
And remember, it is perfectly okay to nominate yourself.
Go to http://www.sacrao.org/members/forms.html to print the .doc file. You can mail, fax, or send
them as attachments. The deadline for Leadership Nominations is:
September 1, 2012
Questions? Please contact Lou Jimenez, Chair of 2012 – 2013 Nominations and Elections Committee,
[email protected].
Spring 2012
Page 25
Recognition and Awards Nominations
The 2012-13 SACRAO Recognition and Awards Committee invites nominations for:
Certificate of Appreciation
Honorary Membership
Distinguished Service Award
Member commitment has been a key component to SACRAO’s continuing success. The professional
engagement and enrichment we get from our members helps propel our profession into the next generation.
We all know SACRAO members who are worthy of being recognized. This year, please consider nominating
members of our profession for one of the following awards. The hard copy of the nomination form is on the
facing page and available at sacrao.org.
Recognitions and Awards Criteria:
Distinguished Service Award – Nominations due by May 31, 2012
This highly selective award may be conferred either to current members of the association whose
contributions have been so extraordinary as to warrant special recognition while still active, or to individuals
retiring from, or leaving the profession whose contributions warrant special recognition. Recognition is based
on a variety of factors including the nominee’s participation in and leadership of SACRAO activities as evidenced by holding office, fulfilling committee responsibilities, and attending and regularly participating in annual
meeting programs. Service in the admissions and records profession for a substantial portion of one’s career,
other professional activities, and publications are also considered.
In order to keep this award highly selective, its criteria have been quantified. A point system guides
the Recognitions and Awards Committee during its screening of nominees. A year of service as SACRAO
president awards 20 points; years of service as president elect and immediate past president award 15 points
each. Each term of service as vice president, secretary, treasurer, newsletter editor, LAC chair, and/or MOSIS
coordinator adds 10 points. Other annual meeting activities earn a range of points. Up to 50 points may be
awarded for exceptional contributions to SACRAO and/or the admissions and records profession. The nominee should earn a minimum of 100 points of documented service.
Certificate of Appreciation – Nominations due by August 1, 2012
This recognition is for a major direct or indirect contribution to SACRAO. Both members and nonmembers are eligible for this award. A direct contribution might be, for example, serving as local arrangements chair for the annual meeting. An indirect contribution might be one of financial support for the organization.
Honorary Membership – Nominations due by August 1, 2012
This honor is reserved for individuals retiring from, or leaving the profession, who have made significant contributions to the admissions and records profession and who took a leadership role in SACRAO (i.e.
regularly attended and participated in annual meetings and on committees). Honorary memberships may be
accorded retiring individuals in their last year of service prior to retirement if they have formally or officially
announced retirement. Otherwise, honorary memberships will be conferred in the year following retirement.
Go to http://www.sacrao.org/members/forms.html to print the .doc file. You can mail,
fax, or send them as attachments.
SACRAO 2010-2011 Executive Committee
President
Mary W. Kincannon
Associate Registrar
Texas Christian University
TCU Box 297004, Fort Worth TX 76129
Phone: 817-257-7829
[email protected]
Vice President, States/Regionals and Membership
Sheryl Gray
Dean of Enrollment Services and Registrar
Carson Newman College
Jefferson City, TN 37760
Phone: 865-471-3205
[email protected]
President-Elect
Dorinda Harmon
Director, Transfer and Adult Student Admissions
College of Charleston
Charleston, SC 29424-0001
Phone: 843-953-5620
[email protected]
Secretary
Laurie Tinsley
Assistant Director, Academic Records
University of Oklahoma-Norman
1000 Asp, Room 330, Norman OK 73019
Phone: 405-325-6014
[email protected]
Immediate Past President
Rock McCaskill
Registrar
Southern Wesleyan University
PO Box 1020, Box 495, Central SC 29630-1020
Phone: 864-644-5530; Direct line: 864-230-1592
[email protected]
Treasurer
Robert D. LeHeup
Director, Student Records & Enrollment Applications; ITS
University of Virginia
PO Box 400875, Charlottesville VA 22904-4875
Phone: 434-243-2039
[email protected]
Vice President, Admissions & Enrollment Management
Louis Hunt
Vice Provost and Registrar
North Carolina State University
Box 7313, Raleigh, NC 27695-7313
Phone: 919-515-1428
[email protected]
Member-at-Large (Evaluations)
Kim Taylor
Associate Director, Information Technology
Northern Kentucky University
Lucas Administrative Center 110, Nunn Dr., Highland
Heights KY 41099
Phone: 859-572-7766
[email protected]
Vice President, Information Technology
Joe Papari
Director of Enrollment Services
Southern Methodist University
PO Box 750181, Dallas, TX 75275-0181
Phone: 214-768-2056
[email protected]
Member-at-Large (Recognition & Awards)
Rodney Parks
Associate Registrar
Office of Registrar, University of Georgia
102A Holmes/Hunter Academic Building, Athens, GA
30602
Phone: 706-542-8762
[email protected]
Vice President, Professional Access and Equity
Roger Jones
Director of Admissions
Belmont Abbey College
100 Belmont-Mt. Holly Rd, Belmont NC 28012
Phone: 704-461-6214; fax: 704-825-6220
[email protected]
SACRAO 2013 Local Arrangements Chair
V. Shelby Stanfield
Vice Provost and University Registrar
University of Texas at Austin
Office of the Registrar, Main Building Room 1
Austin, TX 78713
Phone: 512-475-7510
[email protected]
Vice President, Professional Development
Jacquelyn D. Elliott (Jacqui)
Enrollment Specialist
Marion Military Institute
1101 Washington Street, Marion, AL 36756
Phone: 423-823-2022
[email protected]
Newsletter Editor
Mike Turner
Coordinator of Student Affairs
Virginia Community College System
James Monroe Bldg., 101 N 14 St/15th Floor,
Richmond VA 23219 Phone: 804-819-4979
[email protected]
Vice President, Records and Registration
W. Michael George
University Registrar
University of Alabama
Box 870134, Tuscaloosa AL 35401-0134
Phone: 205-348-2857; Direct: 205-348-7219
[email protected]