The principle, “Nothing about us without us” is an important consideration for Registrars and Student Services in higher education. But like any nice slogan, it can be reduced to lip service without actual, practical implementation. The ideals expressed in the Universities Canada statement on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion are followed with a section on what… Read More Nothing About Us Without Us.
I like using Asana* to manage tasks and projects. I recently discovered their blog, which I have enjoyed reading each morning. This post on remote work leadership stuck out for me, especially the term “Heartitude.” This concept is especially important as we Registrars often have to deliver news (good, bad, and other) to students. My… Read More Leading With Heart
Do you struggle with university leaders who make pronouncements without consulting the Registrar’s Office? This can be challenging when you know that what they said is impossible, or at least will be very difficult. It can cause additional work for staff who may not appreciate someone making their lives more difficult. This is a common… Read More Pronouncements Without Consultation
Well, it has been quite a year! COVID-19 has pushed us hard. And in my last blog post of the year, I am not going to dwell on it or look back on it because nobody needs that. What I am going to say is you make me proud. I was speaking with someone who… Read More Kudos to YOU!
In the COVID-19 crisis, how can a university or college keep operating? At Trinity Western University, classes have moved online, and yes, Alex Usher, they really have moved online. They’re not perfect, but they’re working. And how can a Registrar’s Office keep working? Here are my ideas, and make sure you read to the end… Read More 3 Ways to Work Remotely
Y2K, SARS, COVID-19 are all scary events that I have had the privilege of being a Registrar through. I’m on a response team for my university, and here is what I’ve both heard and offered to my team about dealing with things like this: Lead. As Mr. Rogers’ mother famously told him, “Look for the… Read More Registraring in a Crisis
As a Registrar, I find myself interacting with policy on a daily basis. At my university, I find that I write or revise several policies every year. Today seems to be a policy-writing day, so I thought I would share my reflections on policy here. My philosophy of good policy is that it should promote… Read More Good Policy Promotes Good
“Boss! I need your powerful signature.” In universities, there are a lot of expectations of a Registrar. Earlier today, I was discussing with a colleague the assumption that the Registrar should sign a certificate of participation. He wasn’t so sure the Registrar needed to sign, but others were putting pressure on him. Some people like… Read More Six Questions I Ask Before I Sign Something as Registrar
This is the start of a new series on information systems that Registrars use to manage how we admit students, register students, serve student needs, and graduate them. I will write specifically about the systems we use, profiling the the good, bad, and the ugly bits, but these are not sponsored posts. These posts will… Read More Registrar Systems
Did you know that Registrars make daily decisions on privacy matters? At my university, Trinity Western University, I am the designated Privacy Officer partly because so many of my decisions affect data security. It was good to see there is a new report on cybersecurity produced by the National Student Clearinghouse and friends. If you… Read More Registrars and Privacy
Who Wants To Be A Registrar? 