2023 Conference Session Descriptions

Wednesday, 2:00 – 2:45

New Member Session, Cindy Davis
Session for new members/first time attendees to learn about OACRAO, committee, list serves and all the other things.

Maintain the Art of Providing Performance Feedback: A Guide to Productive Conversations, Carlier Myers
This session aims to equip attendees with the necessary skills and strategies to deliver effective performance feedback that drives positive change and empowers individuals and teams.

Registrar and Data Requests, Deb Benton
Data, data, data! We all have data and now everybody wants it. This session will focus on the role of the registrar as data steward and how to manage the myriad of requests we receive daily. There will also be time for discussion, to share your tips and tricks, and to brainstorm together any specific requests from the attendees.

Wednesday, 3:00 – 3:45

Preparing Your Office for a new SIS Implementation, Wilson Turner
How does a Registrar's Office prepare for a new SIS while still needing staff for the old?

First Time Supervisor's Toolkit, Kathleen Pugh
I am now a supervisor, what did I get myself into? This session will focus on best practices and strategies for first time supervisors as they navigate the waters of supervision. This session will also be beneficial to more seasoned supervisors who have had to change their approach in a post-Covid world. Join this collaborative discussion whether you supervise one or one hundred, or if you are interested in supervising down the road.

Abandoning Ship, Chris McNay
College and university closures and mergers have seen a significant uptick over the past several years.  Sometimes the institution’s administration will lead students, faculty, and staff responsibly through this devastating time.  Sometimes they don’t.  When the unthinkable happens, what do you do?  How can you best care for your students and your staff when the world seems to be falling apart around you?  If your institution’s leadership fails what steps can you take to keep from feeling helpless?  When the ship is sinking, do you arrange the deck chairs or do you man the life boats?  Join us for an interactive discussion and an insider’s perspective about what you can do  when it seems like there are no good choices or easy answers.

Wednesday, 4:00 – 4:45

Leveraging AI to Improve Service and Reduce Workload, Jayme Arnett
In today's higher education l landscape, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) can be a game-changer for institutions looking to enhance student services and streamline administrative processes. This session will explore the transformative power of AI in higher education and demonstrate how it can improve student services while simultaneously reducing the workload for educators and administrators. Join us to discover innovative AI solutions that can revolutionize the way you support and engage with students.

Collaborations with Key Campus Stakeholders, Rhonda Kitch, AACRAO Past President
On some occasions, financial aid, student accounts, IT, facilities and the registrar’s office haven't proactively worked together. Increasingly, federal and state regulations require better collaboration across these distinct lines. This session will explore ways to improve collaboration and the opportunity to brainstorm ways to work better together.

Preparing Your Office for Retirements, Carol Jones
How does a Registrar's Office prepare for the exchange of institutional knowledge when staff retire?

Thursday, 10:00 – 10:45

Concierge Services vs. Self Service Registration, Becky Cogswell
Using system functionality to better control students who are able to register for classes instead of restricting access and requiring departments to register students.

Effective Team Building in the New Normal, David Schneider & Kathleen Pugh
Effective team building strategies in the post covid-era. Learn tips and strategies for how to maintain a team atmosphere and ensure that the work is getting done, while still also providing staff access to newfound flexible work opportunities.

Empower Students & Administrators With Unified Academic Operations, Patrick Manchester, Coursedog
This presentation discusses the research behind how to provide students with accessible curriculum information, accurate degree paths, and the courses they need. We'll also go over how to effectively manage academic processes and leverage data to make student-centric decisions. Specifically, we’ll cover best practices and the results from our research surveys conducted in partnership with AACRAO.

Thursday, 11:00 – 11:45

Tips and Tricks for Implementing Multi-Term Registration, Bri Lievens and Angie Kiska
Sharing tips and tricks learned from transitioning from single-term to multi-term (fall and spring) schedule-building and registration. We just finished our second year under the new model. The session would include how we managed the project on the schedule-building side and working with academic departments, along with implications on the student registration side.

All Things Onboarding- How to Accelerate Training Up a New Team Member, Jayme Arnett & Wilson Turner
So you have a new team member, now what? This session will focus on tips and tricks to assimilate a new team member and fast track their productivity.

Meeting Students Where They Are: Navigating Pathways to Achieve Financial Goals, Billy Heath, Modern Campus
In this engaging session, we'll explore the innovative ways that schools use their course catalog as a marketing destination instead of a standard publication. Discover how to bridge the gap between educational offerings and real-world financial aspirations through interactive modules available in Acalog. Learn techniques to enhance student's understanding of course options, and how to equip them with the knowledge to map out a journey towards achieving their financial ambitions. This session aims to empower educators and advisors with insights to ensure a seamless transition for students from academia to a fulfilling financial future.

Thursday, 2:00 – 2:45

Financial Aid 101 for Registrars, Melissa Van Meter
Did you ever wish you worked in the Financial Aid Office at your school? Probably not! However, federal financial aid regulations often intersect with Registrar functions. It is important to have an overall understanding of the financial aid process and the regulatory responsibilities these offices share. This session provides such an overview and explores several junctions where staff from both offices can work together to ensure federal compliance and provide optimal service to students.

I am a Registrar not an Enrollment Manager!, David Schaffer
Learn about ways the Registrar’s Office can help enrollment efforts through policy, communication, data support, and processing.

Goodbye Manual Transcript Data Entry. Hello Data Automation!, Julie Wakefield, Parchment
How long does it take you and your team to manually input transcript data for just one application?  Discover how you can process transcripts in just a few clicks and extract more detailed transcript data with Parchment Receive Premium + Data Automation. Join Parchment to get an in-depth look at how this powerful solution can help you maximize your admissions efficiency. Learn how you can: Process transcripts faster than ever before; Extract more transcript data for better admissions decisions; Improve the experience for prospective students.

Thursday, 3:00 – 3:45

Debate: Are there too many colleges in Ohio?, Jack Miner & Dan Wilson
A popular session for a number of years at OACRAO was a debate between two of the more seasoned members on a general higher education topic.  This year, the great debate will return with a topic specific to Ohio and our institutions.  The “Enrollment Cliff” is predicted nationwide beginning in 2025, where lower birth rates in the 2000’s will cause a significant drop in the number of 18 year olds looking to go to college.  In Ohio, the enrollment cliff is arguably already here.  Over the past 10 years, there has been a 12% drop in enrollment for Ohio colleges and universities.  Are we all just competing for the same high school graduates?  Are there enough students in Ohio to support all of the colleges and universities we have?  

Thinking about a Digital One Stop, Bob Bulow
Following the concept of a physical one stop, where students can take care of all their business in one place, in late 2022, Ohio University began the process to design and implement a digital one stop, a mobile app where students can see their information from across systems on a student dashboard, have access to resources, and make key updates to their accounts. With student experience as the center of the process, the university worked to engage student beta participants as early as spring 2023 and had a full launch for fall 2023. Come to this session to learn how stakeholders across the university came together to launch a brand new mobile app, while focusing on student experience, branding, technical stability, communication, and much more.

Journey Management: the Evolution of Student Success and Degree Progress, Joe Jolesch, Stellic
Imagine you are a student at your campus, and it’s time to register. You need to review your progress, look at your plan (if you have one), identify the correct courses, figure out which sections work best for you, maybe meet with your advisor, and ultimately register at the appropriate time. How many tabs do you need to do this? How confident are you that you’ll pick the right courses? How long is it before you reach out for assistance? Let’s take a journey beyond fragmented systems and processes. Drawing on research from EDUCAUSE, NACADA, and Tyton Partners, come learn how unifying these components under one modern roof can impact student success, and provide unprecedented data and efficiency to your office.

Friday, 9:15 – 10:00

Communication Matters, Cindy Davis

Private School Roundtable, Christine Court
This is a time for attendees from Ohio private colleges to meet and discuss topics and issues relevant to private institutions.

ATC Update and Roundtable Session, Representatives from the Data Stewards Committee

Friday, 10:30 – 11:15