Office of the Registrar, St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN
Year End Report, 2004-2005
Prepared by Mary Cisar, Registrar and Assistant Vice-President for Academic Affairs
June 2005
Overview
Role of the Registrar
This section reports on the philosophy of the registrar’s office as contained in guiding documents such as a mission statement and statement of ethics; scope of responsibility, including general authority and responsibility and relationships with other offices; organization, including organization of the staff, policies, and procedures; planning and budgeting; personnel, including hiring, training, professional development, and review; and maintenance of office records and documents.
04-05 Work and Achievements
At the end of 03-04, I listed some goals for the office for 04-05: craft a mission statement and statement of professional practices; complete our procedures manual; revise the course proposal form; restore a single filing system for office documents; remain professionally active. During 04-05, we met or made progress toward all of these goals, and also achieved others. In 2004-2005, the Registrar’s Office:
- Crafted a new mission statement for the office: “The Registrar’s Office supports the mission of St. Olaf College by creating, maintaining, and preserving the integrity of the official academic record. The office guides and serves the college community with confidentiality and respect while fostering responsibility and accountability.” Based on that mission statement and the AACRAO Registrar’s Self-Audit, the registrar also crafted a statement of duties of the office, to be posted with the mission statement on the website and added to our procedures manual. Finally, we reaffirmed our commitment to complying with the AACRAO Statement on Professional Ethics.
- Served in some capacity on the following committees, task forces, and work groups: ACM First Year Experience Committee; Binder planning committee; Bookstore Advisory Committee; Career Connections Faculty Advisory Board; CEL Advisory Committee; CEPC and subcommittees (Foreign Language, Special Studies); College Council; Dean’s Council; GEC; General Education Task Force; Grad Fest committee; IDOCS; Information Systems Integration Team; Inquiry in Support of Student Learning group; Leadership Group; Phi Beta Kappa Members-in-Course Committee; Registrar’s Administrative Advisory Group; Registration Task Force; Resource-25 workgroup; Science Complex Design Team; Week I committee.
- Participated in new faculty orientation presentation and office scavenger hunt, and Week I schedule planning workshops.
- Reorganized the staffing of the office in the summer of 2004, following the departure of our former Associate Registrar. Some staff took on additional hours, and most staff took on new duties in full or in part. We rewrote all job descriptions to reflect the changes. As of the performance reviews in the spring of 2005 the new organization was perceived to be working well. See the Human Resources website, http://www.stolaf.edu/services/hr/Job_Descriptions/Dept_Pages/Registrars_Office.html, for all current job descriptions.
- Continued working on our procedures manual by hiring a full-time intern during Interim. She systematically formatted the whole document and added new sections to the manual. At this point, while there are still missing entries, we use the manual for reference in the office. As we implement the new computer system, we will need to revise the entries so that the actual step-by-step procedures match the new database rather than the old.
- Began a systematic effort to gather all office files into one integrated filing system for storage in the vault and transmission to the Archives as appropriate. This project is still underway and will continue through the summer of 2005, when we hope to gain some space in the basement of the Administration Building for storage (old IIT space).
- Remained professionally active by: participating in two office-wide day-long retreats (June and January), when we focused on clarifying our mission statement, making the office more compliant with professional standards of records retention, and preparing for the new computer system; participating in a variety of professional conferences: UMACRAO (the registrar served as program chair for that conference); Veterans Administration workshop; Resource-25 workshop; AACRAO Technology Conference; AACRAO national convention; and three regional Academic Advising meetings.
Goals for the Future
In 2005-2006, the Registrar’s Office intends to:
- Continue to work closely with college-wide offices and committees as appropriate.
- Continue to refine our procedures manual, revising it to include step-by-step procedures for implementing the new database.
- Complete the sorting and reorganization of our office files.
- Remain professionally active.
Communications
This section includes the registrar’s office role in communicating and interpreting academic and institutional policies accurately, promptly, and thoroughly to students, faculty, administrative offices, and other constituencies, such as parents and alumni. This section includes: creation and dissemination of the academic calendar, the registrar’s calendar, and an office calendar; the college catalog (paper and web-based); the class and lab schedule; all forms needed to conduct business; the final exam schedule; institutional reports; and data for the college directory. An important aspect of our work currently is to determine the appropriate use of electronic technology in communications.
04-05 Work and Achievements
03-04 goals for 04-05 included: updating and streamlining the website and maintaining the catalog, forms, and final exam schedules as needed. In 2004-2005, the registrar’s office:
- Edited and distributed the St. Olaf College Academic Catalog for 04-06.
- Reformatted the class and lab schedule using the new database and Crystal reports.
- Completely revised the course proposal forms for use by the curriculum committees. The new forms are in PDF format and can be completed electronically and printed. The form will be viewable from the committees’ pages and the registrar’s web site.
- Began to revise documents relating to GE credit through off-campus and transfer experiences (to be completed in 05-06).
- Began planning for the extensive training of students, faculty, and staff for the implementation of the new database and a new registration model in 05-06.
- Completed all the institutional reports required by federal and state agencies, consortia, and so forth; also completed all ad hoc reports requested by individuals and departments.
Some Numbers
63 proposals for new courses were processed in 04-05.
55 proposals for adding GE attributes to new and existing courses were processed.
Approximately 60-75 requests for data (beyond typical annual and semester reports) were received and processed.
Goals for the Future
- Completely revise the registrar’s web page and integrate the login to the new database
- Create appropriate training materials relative to the new database and registration model for students, faculty, and staff.
- Develop new reports to be used in conjunction with the new student information database.
- Complete the 2005 catalog supplement.
- Complete the approval of the academic calendars for 07-08, 08-09, and 09-10 for inclusion in the 06-08 catalog.
- Work with CEPC to revise transfer credit procedures stated in the catalog and other policies as needed.
- Begin preparation of the 06-08 St. Olaf College Academic Catalog.
Registration and Related Functions
This section concerns registration, an essential function of the registrar’s office. Policies and procedures must be well planned, clearly communicated, and designed to maximize convenience, fairness, and effective use of resources. It should be possible to make schedule changes and late registrations in a timely and consistent manner.
04-05 Work and Achievements
03-04 goals for 04-05 included: planning for a new registration model and maintaining the summer school program. In 2004-2005, the registrar’s office:
- Conducted three registration periods in the normal way, including summer pre-registration of new students into the conversations programs, Religion 121, GE 111, and music theory courses, and also including pre-registration periods for each term.
- Worked closely with the Music Department, International Studies, the Dean of Students Office, and the Carleton registrar’s office in ensuring appropriate registration.
- Worked closely with the Registration Task Force to develop a draft new model for registration. A draft was completed in May 2005 and posted for public viewing by students, faculty, and staff. It may be found at: http://www.stolaf.edu/offices/registrar/
- Offered a varied program of summer school offerings in 2004 (see below: enrollment figures and revenue generated).
- Began conversations with Colorado College and Lake Forest College to find ways to make our summer programs more visible among ACM college students.
Some Numbers
40,379 individual registrations into courses were processed in 2004-2005.
232 petitions to add, drop, or make S/U changes late were processed in 2004-2005, resulting in $3,850.00 collected in petition fees.
915 pre-registrations were entered during the year.
306 applications for Independent Study/Independent Research were processed September-May 2004-2005.
89 applications for Internships were processed September-May 2004-2005.
18 Carleton/St. Olaf inter-registrations were processed.
56 course overload petitions were processed, resulting in $9,400.00 collected in additional tuition.
$737,992.00 gross revenue was collected in summer terms I and II 2004 (faculty salaries: $245,080.00; net revenue: $492,912.00.
387 students were registered in summer school 2004.
522 total individual registrations were processed in the two summer terms.
13 registrations for IS/IR were processed in summer school 2004.
21 registrations for Internships were processed in summer school 2004.
Goals for the Future
- Maintain the summer school program at its 2005level if possible. Continue to explore ways of maintaining or expanding summer enrollment on campus.
- Engage CEPC in a conversation about acceptable rationales for late registration actions to ascertain the current thinking of the faculty on this matter.
- Fully implement a new model of registration in April 2006.
Student Academic Records, Transcripts, and Grading Processes
This section includes procedures for grade processing, providing information to students and faculty regarding grades, enrollment information, schedules, and other parts of the student record. It also includes the format and processes associated with providing transcripts to students and others. It includes, finally, policies and procedures for records retention.
04-05 Work and Achievements
03-04 goals for 04-05 included: planning for web-based submission of grades; better tracking of all transcript requests and status; preliminary planning for imaging of documents; full compliance with AACRAO retention of records recommendations. In 2004-2005, the registrar’s office:
- Piloted web-based faculty submission of grades during Interim 2005; the pilot was successful, and faculty who participated found the process easy, clear, and accurate. For technical reasons associated with the cold fusion server, we were not able to do a second pilot after second semester.
- Began tracking transcript requests using the new database.
- Made a commitment, at the June 2004 retreat, to becoming fully compliant with the AACRAO policies on retention of records. During summer 2004, we sorted and purged our records according to those policies.
- Began scanning senior transcripts to CD-ROM.
- Through IIT and the ISIT group, began conversations about imaging of records; visited Carleton College to observe their imaging process; participated in an IIT survey of offices across campus and offered to pilot an imaging project.
Some Numbers
Note: Refer to the Institutional Research and Planning (IRP) website (http://www.stolaf.edu/offices/irp/) for all reports on enrollment, and for other academic reports based on registrar’s office data.
19,374 grades were hand entered by the registrar’s office for on-campus courses, including summer 2004.
114 grade changes (changes due to faculty miscalculation) were made during 2004-2005.
2,944 lines of text were entered into text format (this includes off-campus work, Advanced Placement, Individual majors, and so forth).
$25,272.60 were collected in transcript fees ($3.00 fee per transcript; $8.00 rush fee per transcript).
Goals for the Future
- Remain compliant with the AACRAO retention of records guidelines through annual purging of the files and scanning of transcripts of graduated seniors.
- Conduct a second pilot web submission of grades during summer terms 1 and/or 2 of 2005, this time having the grades enter directly into the system and post onto the students’ records.
- By first semester 2005-2006, fully implement web-based submission of grades by faculty.
- Be able fully to track transcript processes via the new database.
- Continue to work with IIT as they plan for imaging of college records; serve as one of the pilot departments in this process, if possible.
Certifications
In its role as custodian of student records, the registrar’s office provides certifications of enrollment to students or outside agencies, within the limits of the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The registrar’s office also certifies athletic eligibility and provides enrollment information on students who are veterans to the Veterans Administration (VA) so that those students receive the benefits for which they are eligible.
04-05 Work and Achievements
03-04 goals for 04-05: Continue to streamline some of our verification procedures, using the services of the National Student Clearinghouse; continue to collaborate with Athletics on eligibility issues; receive further training through the Veterans Administration on their on-line certification services. In 2004-2005, the registrar’s office:
- Completed the programming required to upgrade the services of the National Student Clearinghouse for us.
- Learned how to use the on-line services of the Veterans Administration through on-site training.
- Moved toward easier verification of enrollment via the new student information database.
Some Numbers
6 Veterans Administration students were certified.
6 certifications of enrollment were processed in our office per day
From the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC):
184 degree verifications were performed on our behalf by the NSC between June 1, 2004 and May 31, 2005.
From the July 1, 2003-June 30, 2004 report of the NSC:
20,896 paper and electronic deferment forms were processed for our students.
6 Department of Education enrollment lists (SSCRs) were processed.
11,551 student records were reported to the Department of Education.
Student loan providers looked up enrollment records for our students 208 times via the Clearinghouse web site instead of generating phone or paper inquiries to our office.
34 enrollment verifications were provided to student service providers on behalf of our students.
Our students accessed the NSC LoanLocator 127 times.
Goals for the Future
- As we update our web page, create a link to the National Student Clearinghouse site to facilitate student self-service verifications; also add information about this to our phone message.
- Remain compliant with Veterans Administration regulations.
- Use the new database to facilitate tracking of athletic eligibility.
Advising/Degree Audit/Graduation/Commencement
The registrar’s office works closely with the Academic Advising Center and the advising process in general. The registrar’s office is also responsible for evaluating transfer credit from other institutions, awarding credit as appropriate, and informing the students and their advisors of received credit for purposes of program planning. The registrar’s office provides web-based degree audits to all students to help them assess their progress toward graduation. The office completes the process of graduation.
04-05 Work and Achievements
03-04 goals for 04-05: continue our successful graduation/commencement practices; prepare better training materials for students and advisors approaching the graduation process; explore options for electronic application to graduate; explore in-house printing of diplomas to save money and aggravation. In 2004-2005, the registrar’s office and Academic Advising Center:
- Assigned faculty advisors to all new students.
- Advised a large number of students at the window, via e-mail, over the phone, and individually about their academic program.
- Trained new advisors at several points throughout the year, specifically through meetings with the Physical Education Department, with new advisors at the beginning of the year, and with the Boldt Faculty Seminar in the spring.
- Advised a large number of prospective and admitted students regarding AP, PSEO, and other transfer credit, and evaluated transcripts of new and continuing students for applicability of transfer credit.
- Performed all the required steps for graduation: set the class, performed individual senior audits for every member of the class, facilitated students’ application to graduate, tracked changes in status, certified majors, concentrations, and requirements, determined honors, provided names for the Honors Day and commencement programs, ordered diplomas and covers, and distributed diplomas and covers on commencement day.
- Prepared the Senior Profile of the Class of 2005 (available for viewing at: http://www.stolaf.edu/offices/doc/facultyminutes/facmtg0405/Motiontograd2005.html)
- Switched from Jostens to Herff-Jones as vendor for diploma covers in response to poor service from Jostens.
Some Numbers
32 High School Honors students were accepted for 2004-2005.
25 continuing education students took courses.
23 faculty/staff took courses.
12 Luther Seminary students took courses.
49 post-graduate student teachers enrolled for a ninth semester.
156 first year students were awarded 377 St. Olaf credits based on Post-Secondary Education Option (PSEO) work.
255 first year students were awarded 634 St. Olaf credits based on Advanced Placement (AP/International Baccalaureate (IB) work.
70 students had off-campus coursework added to their records.
55 current students requested permission to transfer credit back to St. Olaf for summer 2005 coursework.
40 preliminary transfer evaluations were completed and 18 new transfer students have been admitted for fall 2005.
705 senior degree audits were conducted and 690 students were certified to graduate or participate in May 2005.
52 students were graduation participators in May 2005.
$4250.00 was spent on diplomas (Jostens) in 04-05.
In 04-05 we switched to Herff-Jones (from Jostens) for ordering diploma covers; the cost was $262.00 less through Herff-Jones than what it would have been had we used Jostens.
Goals for the Future
- With the implementation of the new student information database, ensure that all constituencies are properly trained to use the services of the system, the website, and the registrar’s office. This will be done through face-to-face meetings, pamphlets, and electronic training materials. A student has been hired through a grant from CILA to create orientation materials for new faculty; these materials will be adapted to other constituencies.
- Update the policies in the catalog concerning transfer credit.
- Continue to refine our system of processing graduation using the resources of the new database.
- For 2006, discontinue ordering diplomas from Jostens and, instead, create our own diplomas. We estimate a savings over two years of $6661.00 ($4250.00 per year for diplomas from Jostens vs. $1889 for two years’ worth of pre-printed diploma paper from ScripSafe + Word mailmerge function).
- Order diploma covers from Herff-Jones rather than Jostens.
Information Technology and Support Equipment
This section concerns the role of the registrar’s office in information technology, efforts to increase efficiency, enhance service, and save money through appropriate use of technology; efforts to ensure data security as a top priority; efforts to create a contingency plan in case of system failure or a natural disaster.
04-05 Work and Achievements
03-04 goals for 04-05: continue to develop the new database; develop a clear timetable for the implementation phase; implement the new system; develop policies and practices to ensure security of data; ensure that the new system is accessible to people with disabilities; explore the implementation of electronic signatures. In 2004-2005, the registrar’s office
- Maintained an updated, detailed timetable for implementation of the new database.
- Worked with IIT in continuing to design the new database.
- Implemented several security measures not in place before: privacy screens on computers, regular virus protection scanning and updating, and regular scanning for spyware on computers.
- Piloted web-based submission of grades at the end of Interim 2005.
- Began the testing and implementation phases of the new database, running the old and new databases in parallel beginning on April 4, 2005.
- With the Registration Task Force, completed a draft of a proposed new registration model and posted it on the Registrar’s web page; publicized the draft model through announcements at the May faculty meeting, the May 12 Student Senate meeting, and other meetings.
- For the second year in a row, collaborated with Chuck Huff’s Ethical Issues in Software Design class to offer the students an opportunity to examine the ethical issues associated with a computer system. In 04-05, the students examined the implications for the office of the implementation of the new system, the student interface on the web, the faculty interaction with the new system, and needed revisions to the registrar’s web page.
Some Numbers
INEZ (the new server) is 40 times faster than the old AS400 system.
With the change to INEZ, printing is now done on a Hewlitt-Packard laser printer in our office; this is also much faster and easier. For example, during Senior Week, we estimate that we saved a total of 6 hours over previous years, simply because of the increased speed of the system in running all the necessary programs, and also because we didn’t have to make approximately 40 trips up and downstairs to use the old printer. One specific example is that we run a transcript for each senior. In the past this took 3 to 3.5 hours; this year it took 30 minutes.
Goals for the Future
- Revise the registrar’s home page during the summer of 2005 and create all necessary training materials for the new web interface of the database.
- Refine the new registration model, beginning with extensive conversations with targeted groups of faculty and staff to ensure that we take departmental needs into account in building the new model.
- Put into place all necessary training materials for the new registration model (for staff, faculty, students).
- Ensure that all constituencies are informed of the impending changes through various means (electronic, face-to-face meetings, pamphlets).
- Fully implement web-based grade submission by the end of semester I, 2005-2006.
- Implement the new registration model in April 2006, with pilot phase in November 2005.
- Disseminate the results of the collaboration between the registrar’s office and the academic program (Huff’s course) through presentation(s) at professional conferences.
Legal Issues
This section concerns the role of the registrar’s office in ensuring compliance with relevant federal law, including, in particular, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and policy concerning veterans.
04-05 Work and Achievements
03-04 goals for 04-05: remain compliant with all federal legislation, particularly while designing the new database and web interface; improve training on FERPA. In 2004-2005, the registrar’s office
- Continued to train new faculty on FERPA.
- Remained compliant with FERPA in all office practices.
- Worked with IIT on the new web interface to ensure that students are properly informed of their rights and responsibilities under FERPA.
Goals for the Future
- Ensure that the new web interface informs all constituencies (students, parents, faculty, staff) of appropriate FERPA regulations and meets the needs of the legislation for implementing FERPA rules.
- Incorporate FERPA training into new training materials for all constituencies of the college.
Conclusion
The registrar’s office staff underwent significant changes this year in staffing and procedures. We lost one staff member, reorganized the job duties of the remaining members, and began implementation of a new database that will significantly change our work in the coming years. In the midst of that upheaval, we maintained all normal responsibilities of the office and continued to provide excellent service to students, faculty, and staff. We also intentionally made room for professional development and renewal through professional conferences and regular office retreats.
