The efficacy of academic policies intended to promote student and institutional success is a function of the effort invested to evaluate their merit and feasibility. Policy owners are not ignorant of such implications when proposing changes, but being so closely connected with a policy tends to diminish objectivity. Thankfully, the typically…

Thanks to engaged members and research partners, the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) was able to engage in research and produce reports on several topics again in 2021. AACRAO Research completed four 60-Second Surveys and six comprehensive reports. Other research-supported work included: facilitating…

Lotus D. Coffman became the fifth president of the University of Minnesota in 1920 and served in that role until 1938. Two new colleges were established under his tenure: General College offering two-year degrees and University College, intended for students whose academic needs were not being met by other existing colleges. This article provides…

In 2015, Elgin Community College's Student Success Infrastructure used the book "Influencer: The New Science of Leading Change" (2013) by Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, David Maxfield, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler to help frame conversations about improving student success. One of the book's main concepts is using data to identify and…

In this article, author Wendy Kilgore reports that 2016 was a productive year for AACRAO Research thanks to the active and ongoing participation of the members. Eleven research projects were completed in 2016 including 60-Second surveys and three comprehensive projects. The intent of the 60-Second surveys remains the same since its inception. They…

The origins of the registrar's office are complex. According to common tradition, the registrar was, or evolved from, the office of the beadle (sometimes referred to as "bedel") in the medieval university. This tradition is incorrect; the story is more complex. The beadle sometimes performed functions similar to those performed by the…

This article presents an interview with Joe F. Head, Dean of University Admissions and Enrollment Services at Kennesaw State University (KSU) in Georgia, who has more than 35 years of experience in admissions and enrollment services. After completing an M.Ed. in higher education at Georgia Southern University, Head immediately landed a position as…

In an effort to improve student services and increase student satisfaction, Carnegie Mellon University embarked on a mission to re-engineer its enrollment process. Discusses the steps involved and the lessons learned over the course of this transformation. (EV)

Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia (BC), celebrated its fortieth anniversary in 2005. A relatively new university, it has nevertheless seen tremendous changes over the past four decades. As admissions officers, registrars and other student services professionals know, the rate of change is continuing to increase dramatically.…

Discusses the problems and successes encountered in implementing a Web-based registration and administration system for credit-by-examination in a required graduate course, detailing the ways in which this system improves upon its paper-based predecessor. (EV)

Describes a program at the University of Georgia that records all advanced placements and exemptions for enrolling new students by use of computer programming. (PG)

The University of Akron scheduling office has developed a computer-generated report that assists in class scheduling and room assignment functions, provides a historical record of room use, and can be used as a reporting and research tool for planning. This article outlines the processing flow and computer file. (JT)

At the University of Iowa, a project utilizing pre-admissions information about students has a potential for future recruitment of students. (PG)

To complement an online registration program, Boston College has students who are appointed to the position of freshman registration advisor. The advisors work from mid-May through orientation weekend. Freshmen welcome the opportunity to talk to other students about courses, instructors, work load and major requirements. (MLW)