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Harold L. Pace, Ph.D.

U i it R i tUniversity Registrar

Office of the University Registrar and Summer Session

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana

Session Number – T1.197Thursday, April 22

8:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.

Presentation @ http://registrar.nd.edu/AACRAO-Pace.pdf

Presentation @

AACRAO New Orleans 2010 3

http://registrar.nd.edu/AACRAO-Pace.pdf

The Registrar’s Staffof the Future


“As a result of technology, the registration and records functions are becoming more automated and the registrar is becoming a data manager. Data management is a wonderful responsibility for the registrar to have in the Information Age. However, there is danger lurking in the lure of technology. Technology can turn the registrar into an invisible entity on campus. As faculty and students gain more direct access to data, there is less need to come see the registrar. Is the registrar a necessary position? Will the registrar disappear?” (1995, The Mission of the Registrar Today, David C. Lanier, University Registrar -retired, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)


Lanier suggested three important functions for the Registrar

1. Be a leader in the development of campus systems that tie the academic and administrative functions togetherand administrative functions together

2. Validate the data that is flowing into and out of the system

3. Be a resource to all the system users of student information


A Healthy Organization…

…continues to evolve as it considers customer/institutional needs

staff talents and expectations

technological opportunities

economy (available resources)

space issues and work environments

institutional leadership and missionAACRAO New Orleans 2010 7

Office of the University Registrar University of Notre Dame

We felt that our staff was healthy, doing good work, and moving forward. But with the changes to our work, we had not adjustedchanges to our work, we had not adjusted our organizational structure.

Also, we were interested in how we should best address growing communications issues.


We wondered…Given that we are less visible to students and faculty. How could we best “position” our staff in order to be a significant participant in the work of the University?participant in the work of the University? Are we organized in the right way to provide the proper support? Is there a more helpful organizational structure?


We wondered…What skills and tools should we be developing in our staff?

How should we present ourselves to the campus to promote significant partnering?

How do we manage communications when everyone is a communicator?

Are we missing something? AACRAO New Orleans 2010 10

Our Plan

Contact trusted colleagues with reputations for being original thinkers and innovators in the administration

of their offices/staffs

and ask a few simple questions, given an ideal environment


Our Plan

We sent our questions to a select group of individuals (12), who are registrars and enrollment managers…asking for their participationWe then arranged and conducted a telephone interview with each and collected their responses


The QuestionsSuppose that you were able to completely start

over…with a blank slate and all the funds and space you needed …with no obstacles….

1. What would the staff/services/responsibilities that / / pyou would develop look like?

2. When staffing this imaginary office or the new areas you foresee, what requirements would you place upon hiring?

3. What talents do you need in the staff who fill the positions?


Here’s what we heard

it would be a “proactive” office not a “reactive” office;

it would be an operation based on ait would be an operation based on a “system and data analysis mode” as opposed to a “transactional mode” with employees who “think beyond the Registrar’s Office” to its constituency;


What we heard

it would have individuals who are cross trained and havemulti-functional responsibilities which are broadly defined as opposed to positions and individuals that/who function in “silos”;

it would be an office in which staff are chosen for projects based on their fit, abilities, and style, rather than according to organizational responsibilities;


What we heard

the staff would be “externally focused” with an “outreach component” that stresses the importance of meeting the academic administrators and faculty in their offices foradministrators and faculty in their offices for training and discussion around services and needs; there would not be designators such as: degree analyst, articulation expert, but would instead be Enrollment Management Professional Level 1, or 2, or 3 to allow for a melding rather than a separation of duties;


What we heard

its staff would understand the importance of organizing around data security and access systems and would work cross-functionally with other offices on “data security teams”;

the technology experts would be integrated into the functional staff…not two separate staffs;

it would be a staff that could support “data driven decision making” and supply appropriate data and information for that purpose;


What we heard

its staff would have excellent “query” and “reporting skills”;

it would be a staff which understands the important role we have to “manage student data” including “data integrity” and “data access”;

staff would reach out to faculty by serving with faculty on committees and on faculty driven initiatives;


What we heard

the faculty would view the staff as colleagues;

the nature of the office must be in concert with the needs of the institution but it mustwith the needs of the institution but it must also be extremely forward thinking in anticipating future needs so the work can start now to be ready to meet those needs.

it must have the ability to “provide and analyze data”;


What we heard

it would take full advantage of “outsourcing”certain services and operations such as enrollment verifications, transcript ordering and mailing, and

dd h f i FTE’ f i laddress changes…freeing up FTE’s for essential analysis and programming work;

it would be organized around “larger concepts/principles” (retention, graduation services, client services, alumni services) rather than “functions” (transcript, registration, etc.)


What we heard

its staff would be cross trained…but not just in the Registrar’s office….but with financial aid, admissions, student affairs, etc;

it would have staff skilled in “data mining”;

it would contain a “forecasting and planning area” …this group would sound an alarm when they saw unmet student academic needs;


What we heard

it would form partnerships with other offices and units around broad concepts and principles rather than specific p p poperations;

it would be a staff respected by the faculty and would support and understand the academic mission;


What we heard

the staffwould be comfortable with technologysince technology pervades everything we do;

the staff could handle and manage processesthe staff could handle and manage processes and deliver information effectively;

the staff would have “solid technologists and good communicators”;


What we heard

staff would be able to develop and run reports but more importantly be able to manage reporting systems which would allow the departments and colleges to query data themselves (Operational Data Store and Data Mart);

it would support and operate in curriculum management;


What we heard

its staff would support academic advising and be active in organizations such as the National Academic Advising Association; g ;

it would provide full featured transfer articulation services;

it would look favorably on hiring recent graduates;


What we heard

staff would be composed of employees with at least a bachelor’s degree and with strong interpersonal, communications, and technical skills;

it would move us from a staff of “processors” to a staff of “analysts”;

the office staff would be open to the delivery of instruction in new ways and find ways to efficiently support a faculty who teach outside of the standard term structure;


What we heard

the staff would be open to cultural changes in the institution;

it would include staff who are proficient init would include staff who are proficient in “document imaging” and “workflow” technologies;

and have staff who can engage in institution wide planning and strategic thinking.


1. Office organization and job structuring2. Communicators and communication

systems

Common Themes…

y3. Support of the faculty and the academic

mission4. Analyst, data mining, and data

management5. Technologist and technology


Office Organization and Job Structuring


Office Organization and Job StructuringMore than a few colleagues spoke specifically about office structure, how the office is organized around work and how jobs and responsibilities are defined and identified.

“it would be organized around ‘larger concepts/principles’(retention graduation services client services alumni services) rather than(retention, graduation services, client services, alumni services) rather than ‘functions’ (transcript, registration, etc.)”

“there would not be designators such as: degree analyst, articulation expert, but……Enrollment Management Professional Level 1, or 2, or 3 to allow for a melding rather than a separation of duties”;

“the technology experts would be integrated into the functional staff…not two separate staffs”;



IdeasConsider organizing teams around more broadly defined “concepts” rather than “functions”

Structure titles and position levels to be broadStructure titles and position levels to be broad rather than specific -- e.g. Records Management II rather than Transcript Operations II

Integrate technologists and analysts into the functional staff, not separate from it



Advantages

Using more broadly defined terms provides an opportunity for employees to comprehend their responsibilities more broadly and perhaps step outside their “functional silos.” But it also allows others with similar responsibilities in the institution to see opportunities to “partner” with these groups/teams/individuals in your office…where they may have been less likely to identify with a narrowly defined position.



Applied

Upon reflection, we decided to install a team structure using broader team definitions…

(1) Technology and Training Team, (2) Academic Services Team, (3) Degree and Informational Support Team, and (4) the Academic Records Team.


Office Organization and Job StructuringTechnology and Training Team

Research and application of technology based solutionsSoftware Testing (SunGard Banner and others)

Training

Desktop Support

Security of Student DataSecurity of Student Data

Interaction With Other Systems and Applications

Academic Services TeamRegistration for ClassesCourse and Section ManagementSchedule of Classes (on-line)Classroom Management and SchedulingFinal Exam SchedulingPublish Undergraduate Catalog



Degree and Informational Support TeamDegree Audit (Banner Degree Works)

Diploma and Graduation List Management

Student Data Queries/Reports/Population Selection for MailingsAnalysis of Student Data

Management of Student Operational Data Store (ODS)

Academic Records TeamIntegrity and Maintenance of the Student Records

Verifications (Clearinghouse provided and customized staff provided)Paper and Electronic Transcript Production and Management

Walk-in and Phone Customer Service

Support Students With VA benefits


Communications andCommunications and Communications Systems


Communications and Communications Systems

Control the quality, tone, and content of our messages at every level. Organize around training and communication channels/methods“the staff would be …good communicators”;

“it would be a “proactive” office not a “reactive” office” “…staff would reach out…”

“the staff would be “externally focused” with an “outreach component” that stresses the importance of meeting the academic administrators and faculty in their offices for training…”;



IdeasDesignate a communications specialist (perhaps not dedicated…but with a primary responsibility to managing communications)Establish a communication standard for e-mail with formatted answers to commonly asked questionsGo out regularly to departments and collegesProvide training videos or scripts which are on-line and professionally produced



AdvantagesA dedicated communication specialist could provide… Focused messages/communications and improved clarity and accuracyimproved clarity and accuracy

Scripted messages provide a standard which you know is clear, accurate, and formatted correctly

Tailored training sessions in user’s offices allows you to …. adjust your training to the actual need and help develop communication channels



AppliedWe were not able to dedicate a position to a “communication specialist,” …but as we hire, we will consider only individuals who have excellent communication skillshave excellent communication skillsWe are developing online training scripts and scripting commonly asked questionsWe have had success meeting our various clientele in their work spaces. We are mentoring that skill within our office and expecting it of each of our team leaders and trainers


Support the Faculty and the Academic Mission


Support the Faculty/Academic Mission

Those we contacted often spoke of the importance of alignment of the registrar with the academic mission and the faculty“support academic advising and be active in organizations such as the National Academic Advising Association”;National Academic Advising Association ;

“support and operate in curriculum management”;

“be respected by the faculty and support and understand the academic mission”;

“be open to the delivery of instruction in new ways and find ways to efficiently support a faculty who teach outside of the standard term structure”;

“be open to cultural changes in the institution concerning teaching and research”;



IdeasAlign your goals with your institution’s academic mission statement

Be involved and support academic advising, classroom redesign, lecture capture methods, and work in the curriculum

Be the go-to-administrator when the faculty governance needs statistics/advice/an explanation



AdvantagesAs registrar jobs become more automated…we

have less contact with the faculty. By i d b i i hi i hsupporting and being active on teaching in the

classroom, curriculum, and academic governance committees, we remain pertinent and connected to the basic work of the institution …teaching and learning.



Applied

Advising support and managementg pp gPerhaps adding a Curriculum ManagerTeaching and Learning InitiativesAcademic Council supportClassroom resources support


Analyst, Data Mining, and Data ManagementManagement


Analyst, Data Mining, and Data Management

We, as registrars, sit on top of all the student data…but what are we doing to interpret the data and make it meaningful for decision support?

“it would be a staff that could support “data driven decision making” and supply appropriate data and information for that purpose”; “its staff would have excellent query and reporting skills”; “it must have the ability to provide and analyze data”; “it would contain a forecasting and planning area …this group would sound an alarm when they saw unmet student academic needs”; “its staff would be able to develop and run reports but more importantly be able to manage reporting systems”;“it would move us from a staff of “processors” to a staff of “analysts”



Ideas

Develop an analyst position. The most often listed skill/position that our contact group desired was “analyst.”( individual who is involved in the process of gathering, modeling, and transforming data with the goal of highlighting useful information suggesting conclusionsthe goal of highlighting useful information, suggesting conclusions, and supporting decision making)A good first step is to increase the number of individuals on your staff who have data querying skills (SQL) and are able to report from the data.Charge your staff to think in a multidimensional way….as the data is processed to step back and consider how the data might inform the bigger picture.Develop staff who are able to manage and maintain the Operational Data Stores and Data Marts being developed.


Analyst, Data Mining, and Data ManagementAdvantages

Most decisions in the institution are “data driven.” The institution needs experts who know the data and can properly interpret it. As data entry and processing is more automated in our systems, we must turn our attention to how we can help the institution through the analysis of the student data.

We can collaborate with our Institutional Research Office in this effort.

Staff who are able to understand the data at a higher level

are more helpful in maintaining the integrity of the data.



Applied

Created team specifically for reporting and data analysisdata analysisSent staff to SQL trainingRequired those who do not have these skills to “run their own reports”Hire individuals who already have data query skills and see themselves as analysts.


Technologistsg


TechnologistsThe other skill most often listed was

“technologists”…this includes programmer, web developer, workflow specialist, imaging specialist, and even analyst.

“the technology experts would be integrated into the functional staff…not two separate staffs”;

“it would be a staff comfortable with technology since technology pervades everything we do”;


Technologists

IdeasTechnologists who are integrated into the staff and who also have functionalstaff and who also have functional responsibilities

orPure technologists…programmers who are in the division and do work only for the division


Technologists

AdvantagesTechnologists who are integrated into the staff with functional jobs, understand the operations,with functional jobs, understand the operations, see opportunities for improvements and provide solutions

Technologists who are purely programmers, can make better use of their time and are doing what they enjoy all of the time


Technologists

AppliedEstablished a Technology and Training Team

Mentor to develop project leaders

Hire and retain staff who can easily interact with software systems, can seek technological solutions but who also have functional responsibilities…”funky-tech”


A Little Lagniappe…Some Thoughts on Hiring Staff


Hiring StaffIdeas

Don’t limit your applicant pool to individuals who are good matches for only the open position hire over qualified applicants whenposition…hire over-qualified applicants when you can

Consider applicants who have made a personal investment in higher education…those with associate, bachelor, master, or doctoral degrees


Hiring StaffIdeas

Consider applicants who have technical skills and/or logical reporting language skills even when hiring for “non technical” positionswhen hiring for non-technical positions

Remember to make certain that there is institutional fit

Look for individuals who will move your office forward overall


Hiring StaffIdeas

Be straightforward concerning the nature and requirements of the job to be filled, b l h k h h / h illbut let the person know that he/she will have the freedom to make improvements and…

also have opportunities to work on projects of interest …even those that are not related to the job being filled.


Questions and Comments

Harold Pace ([email protected])University of Notre Dame

Also at the conference:Also at the conference: Amika MicouLinda MartellaroArlene Vogt

Copy of Presentation athttp://registrar.nd.edu/AACRAO-Pace.pdf


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