By Whitney Merinar, Registrar, West Liberty University
According to Doug McKenna, Registrar at George Mason University, in his 2022 article “,” 40% of registrars will retire within 5-10 years. Registrars of today and their offices are way more advanced than they were 20 or 30 years ago.
The registrar’s office is a collaborative leader on campus, serving as a driver of change. It is time to put resources into one of the most essential and influential offices on campus, especially during the time of predicted enrollment woes, as they can make an impact on retention and the overall financial health of the institution.
With major retirements on the horizon and institutional risks increasing, it’s time to update outdated ideas about the registrar’s office's role and reinforce new concepts. Here are some proposed “Ins and Outs” and some history and thoughts behind them.
IN: Strategic Campus Leadership, OUT: Over-Glorified Data Pushers
An undervalued registrar's office is often an office stuck in the 20th century, which can create an outdated perception that registrars are over-glorified data pushers, rather than collaborative leaders on campus. Many mid-sized to smaller schools lack the budget to keep up with the latest technology. The inability to keep up with technological advancements prevents their registrars from advancing beyond being data pushers and record keepers.
But the role of the registrar dates back to medieval times, when the registrar was considered an academic officer responsible for executing mandates from the institution. In the first U.S. institutions, the role of the Registrar was a part-time role, held by a faculty member, whose . The position evolved into a full-time staff position, whose primary role was still that of a record keeper, but also included academic scheduling. The position also evolved into multiple roles, requiring more than one person to perform the job; thus, the Assistant/Associate Registrar and other specialty roles were born.
As technology developed, the registrar’s office had to develop along with it. Along with the advancements in technology came the development of the position into a more IT/data analyst role, with a leadership component. Institutions with larger budgets were able to create a position to handle the technology and data aspects of this role.
IN: Professional Development and Engagement, OUT: Deskbound and Disconnected
Sometimes, registrars at smaller institutions can miss growth and development opportunities because they can't get out from behind the desk. They have small budgets, which also prevents them from attending conferences where they might learn about new regulations, leadership strategies, and ways to make the office more efficient. The institution, as a whole, may lack resources for an investment in the registrar's office. Altogether, this adds up to risk factors that could affect the office's performance.
IN: Institutional Investment in the Office, OUT: Underfunded and Undervalued Infrastructure
Numerous registrar offices depend on Student Information Systems to manage the records, transcripts, and degree audits of students. However, if a school does not make the proper investments in the SIS, the platform can become outdated and lead to significant inefficiencies in student completion and data security. A functioning and accurate degree audit system is vital, as it provides a clear path towards graduation, which encourages students to stay enrolled and complete their degrees on time. According to an , institutions with outdated SIS platforms struggle with security risks and inefficiencies in managing student data.
An understaffed, underfunded, or outdated registrar's office may result in slow transcript processing, registration errors, and poorly communicated information, ultimately harming the students’ experience. Studies show that student satisfaction with administrative services significantly impacts their overall perception of an institution, . Accreditation standards and federal regulations mandate that colleges manage student records and data with a high degree of quality and integrity. If a registrar's office is underfunded and understaffed, it may not keep accurate records of students, which places the institution's accreditation at risk.
IN: Student-Centered Operations, OUT: Institutional Bottlenecks
Student enrollment and retention are vital. The registrar manages the enrollment process, including key aspects such as course registration, degree audits, and transcript evaluations. Delays and errors caused by underinvestment can lead to frustrated students, which may potentially result in lower retention rates. Research also suggests that administrative inefficiencies negatively impact student satisfaction, which appears to be a likely precursor to dropping out, as noted by . With the prediction of an enrollment cliff, retention is a key component to the future vitality of an institution, particularly smaller ones.