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.
So much has changed with the COVID-19 pandemic. The “new normal” everyone is talking about seems like constantly shifting sands in a sand storm. We can’t see too far ahead and the landscape and even our footing is shifting, causing us to be unstable and requiring us to deal with something new every day. I… Read More Empathy for Students
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
As many of you will have heard, Melanie Mark, the Minister of Advanced Education in BC, has asked colleges and universities in British Columbia to provide to her our policies on how we handle large cash payments and refunds. Many news outlets have carried this story. We are being asked to do this because a… Read More Money Laundering Investigation
A service we provide to students is offering as many options as possible for them to pay their tuition fees. This is relatively easy for domestic students because they can pay by cheque or bank transfer or debit or whatever. It is a little more tricky for international students. They can pay by international bank wire… Read More How to Pay Tuition Fees
Remember the Sears Catalogue? I fondly recall flipping through the toy section of the Christmas catalogue (which came in the summer!) and dropping hints to my parents in the form of dog eared pages and circles drawn in felt markers around the items I wanted. Nowadays I suppose kids Snapchat their parents with links to Amazon.com…… Read More The Registrar’s Service Catalogue
People often wonder how I can be a registrar for so many years and not get bored. I get asked that question all the time (right after the “And what is a registrar?” question). I hope that accountants and librarians get asked that question too, because I can’t think of a more boring job than… Read More A Double-Dog Dare
Customer service in a highly regulated environment like a university can be tricky. We have all heard the phrase, “The customer is always right” and cringed. How can this be when students ask for impossible things? Here are some of the more out-there questions that I or people in my office have been asked over the… Read More Service and the Hospitable Registrar
It’s Thanksgiving on Monday here in Canada. For my loyal American readers, this does not mean it is November already up here in Canada. Canadian Thanksgiving falls on the second Monday of October and was chosen to coincide with England and Europe’s Harvest Festival. Because, you know, we’re not American…* This year, I’m thankful for many… Read More The Thankful Registrar
In Part 1 I asked what the profession of Registrar is for – why have one, why become one? I started with leadership but now want to focus on service. In Part 3 we’ll talk about administration. Registrars, whether they like it or not, sometimes have a bad rep. I recently met with a retired… Read More What is the Registrar for? (Part 2 of 3)
Who Wants To Be A Registrar? 