| Pacific Association of Collegiate Registrars & Admissions Officers |
|
|
Heating up for PACRAO Has Heart! |
Dear ,
In the heat of summer, it's astonishing to reflect on how quickly the season has gone. As we all begin to look at our (unfinished) lists of summer projects, I hope you can take time to relax and gear up for an exciting fall—a highlight, of course, being PACRAO Has Heart! This year's theme highlights our community's spirit and the passion we share for our work and the students we serve.
With mixed emotions, we bid farewell to Pheng (Max) Xiong, who resigned as Treasurer-Elect due to an exciting new opportunity outside our region. Max's contributions to PACRAO have been significant, and I am deeply grateful for his dedication and service. The Board is in process of identifying a new Treasurer-Elect and hope to have an announcement soon! If you have an interest in Treasurer-Elect please reach out!
This past weekend, we held our summer board meeting in Spokane, Washington, the site of our 2025 conference. The beautiful weather, excellent venues, and delicious food set the stage for productive discussions, particularly around the membership survey results. These insights will guide us as we embark on initiatives each year to expand PACRAO's reach and highlight the strength of our organization and the connections we foster.
My anticipation for PACRAO Has Heart is palpable. The committees and board are working tirelessly to ensure this conference is not just another event but a truly transformative experience. I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer and look forward to seeing you this fall in Seattle! Alex Underwood PACRAO President University Registrar | The University of Arizona |
PACRAO Board members at the Summer Board meeting in Spokane, Washington |
|
|
Applications for the 2024/2025 Leadership Development Institute Due August 9th |
|
|
A quick overview of LDI: - The LDI builds greater belonging across higher education by widening our higher education network and our wisdom.
-
The LDI encourages and helps equip emerging leaders to shape their futures and the futures of their institutions and our profession.
- PACRAO covers all costs associated with the LDI.
- LDI cohort members and faculty members commit to scheduled, 90-minute group discussions monthly via Zoom.
- Each cohort member connects monthly with a faculty mentor and within a mentor/mentee small group.
|
| |
|
Christine Lee 2024 Program Committee Chair Thompson Rivers University |
|
Jeff Hill 2024 Local Arrangements Chair
DigiPen Institute of Technology | |
|
Your conference chairs, Christine and Jeff here! We have been working hard on making sure that our 2024 conference is a smashing success! But, do you know what makes a conference the most successful? YOU! If you haven’t registered yet, please take a couple of minutes right now and register! We are excited to share that this year's Gala theme is Shoot the Moon! Check out some stellar sessions and pre-conference workshop as you begin to get excited for this year's conference! We can’t wait to see you in Seattle!
With Heart, Christine and Jeff |
|
|
Session Highlights!
Check out just a few of the exciting sessions at this year's PACRAO!
Don't Be Breaking Our Hearts: Building & Re-building Relationships at Work
We put our hearts into our work and into our working relationships. Come and learn from a trio of colleagues about how we can build and re-build heart-healthy connections. Hearty relationships support our shared sense of belonging and our shared accomplishments and let us lead with heart. Presented by:
Julia Pomerenk, University of Oregon
Ruth Garay, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Chris Sweet, Clackamas Community College
Tracking Key Metrics: An Example of a University Registrar Dashboard Coming into a new role as the University Registrar and Director of Institutional Research, I developed a dashboard of key metrics highlighting registrar processes. The data show what we know and is useful in conveying information to the Gonzaga community on the work the office does.
Presented by: Maxwell Kwenda, Gonzaga University
Shifting Focus: Enhancing Admissions Office Efficacy and Reducing Stress through Process-Oriented Goals
This presentation advocates for admissions offices to shift focus from new student headcount goals to operational targets. By emphasizing the completion of tasks and activities in recruitment plans, we can reduce stress and improve task management, despite the uncertainties of fluctuating enrollment numbers. Presented by: Josh Hibbard, Whitworth University |
|
New Pre-Conference Workshop!
Presented by the US Department of Education Student Privacy Office Student Privacy Policy Office FERPA Workshop
FERPA 101: FERPA Fundamentals
FERPA 201: You think you know FERPA?
Vetting Online Educational Technology
Do you have questions about student privacy? Need help understanding what your responsibilities are? Well, we are here to help! The U.S. Department of Education, through the Student Privacy Policy Office’s Privacy Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) will conduct an introductory presentation on the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the principal federal law protecting students' privacy, introducing the fundamentals of FERPA and provide depth and clarity on its application to the 21st century college setting!
After learning about FERPA fundamentals, we will challenge all attendees to put their knowledge to the test! In this session, we will explore complex and varied real-world scenarios around student privacy and ask the audience to help us work through them. This session provides an excellent forum for discussion of complex issues regarding FERPA, and a great space to have questions answered. Do you think you have what it takes? To that we say, "It depends!”
Online educational applications and services are becoming an increasingly important part of what instructors and schools use to educate learners. But have you ever stopped to think about the privacy implications of using always-on, always-connected applications and technology in the classroom? In this session PTAC discusses how FERPA applies in the context of education technology and provides a roadmap to understanding how to protect student privacy in the digital context. PTAC aims, with this session, to give the audience the tools and knowledge necessary to evaluate these apps for privacy protections and learn how to identify applications which may not put student privacy at the forefront.
|
|
|
Calling all Vendors! Vendor Registration for PACRAO Has Heart is O-P-E-N!
You can find the sponsorship options HERE. Don’t forget, vendor slots are sold on a first come-first served basis and there are limited spots available. Some are nearly sold out already so get registered using this link sooner rather than later! We also encourage you to book your rooms ASAP.
Contact Chelsea Peoples at bpl@pacrao.org with any questions or for support! |
|
|
PACRAO CONFERENCE GRANTS! |
Do you want to attend PACRAO 2024 in Seattle, WA but have budgetary constraints? Apply for a PACRAO Conference Grant! Five members will be selected to receive a full-conference registration grant. Complete your application by Friday, August 30th. Grant recipients will be notified by email no later than Friday, September 6th.
Preference will be given to first-time conference attendees. |
|
|
SECOND-TIME ATTENDEE DISCOUNT |
Were you a first-time attendee at the 2023 PACRAO Conference in Portland? Get ready to join us in Seattle for the 2024 PACRAO Conference at an unbeatable price! Special Offer: The first 25 returnees can snag their conference registration fee for just $450—our way of saying thank you for being part of our community!
How to Claim Your Discount: Reach out to Gaby Asamsama-Acuna at vp-membership@pacrao.org to get your exclusive discount code. Don’t wait—this offer is as limited as it is exciting!
We can't wait to see you in Seattle for another unforgettable PACRAO experience! |
|
|
Nominations & Elections Update |
|
|
Kristin Benson N&E Chair
PACRAO Past-President |
| Sarah Strickler N&E Vice Chair |
| It is with great pleasure that Sarah Strickler and Kristin Benson, vice-chair and chair of the Nominations and Elections Committee (N&E), announce the 2024 N&E committee! The following six elected officials serve along with Sarah and Kristin to fulfill the committee’s duties for the year. **Gaby will not join the Nominations & Elections Committee until after the conclusion of the Annual Business Meeting at the 2024 Conference when she will no longer be VP for Membership** |
|
|
Congratulations to the 2024
Nominations & Elections Committee |
|
|
Kelly Aquina
The University of Arizona |
Josh Hibbard Whitworth University | Christopher Rallustian University of Hawai'i at Mānoa |
| Gaby Asamsama-Acuna** Ventura College |
Sean Pattison University of California, Los Angeles | Jarrell Townsend
Oregon State University |
|
|
Alternates: - Bryant Bradt, Utah Valley University
- Jenna Childers, The University of Arizona
- Mayra A. Segura, Roseman University
- Christian Sweatt, University of California, San Francisco
|
One of the N&E’s responsibilities is to solicit nominees for the following year’s board, plus Audit and N&E committees; each spring, after the committee is elected, they get to work engaging with members to identify nominees.
This committee will begin the work of soliciting nominations for leadership roles within PACRAO. The available leadership roles along with position descriptions and duties are:
The nomination process will continue through the end of the business meeting in Seattle. Then the N&E committee carefully reviews all the nominations and sets the slate of nominees for the board positions, appoints the new Audit Committee member, and ensures there is an appropriate number of N&E nominees for the spring election. If you have a colleague who you think would be excellent in one of these leadership roles, please connect with them to encourage them to get involved. We have an online form that they can submit, or you can submit it on their behalf. Don’t be surprised if an N&E committee member reaches out to you before or during the 2024 annual conference to suggest that you get more involved with PACRAO. Why wait, though? Nominate yourself for a board or committee position today! |
Sincerely, Kristin Benson, N&E chair Sarah Strickler, N&E co-chair |
|
|
UPCOMING SPECIAL GUEST WEBINAR How Did We Get Here?
How Asian-Americans Became the Face of the SCOTUS Decision on Affirmative Action August 14th @ 12pm Pacific |
Join Jamie Tan from the AACRAO AAPI Caucus for this presentation which will survey the legal and historical framework for how Asian-American students emerged at the center of Supreme Court cases overturning affirmative action in 2023.
You will gain deeper knowledge of Supreme Court cases addressing Asian American students that preceded the 2023 SCOTUS decision on affirmative action; learn the complex history of Asian American students’ inclusion in admissions and enrollment within institutions of higher education in the United States; and hear diverse perspectives from Asian American constituencies, via cited research and interviews, on decisions to support, or not support, the Students for Fair Admissions cases.
Note: This presentation does not “take a side” in terms of whether it was "right" or "wrong" for Asian American students to join Students for Fair Admissions, but rather aims to answer the question of “why?” |
| Presenter Jamie Tan
Yale University AACRAO AAPI Caucus |
|
|
DIVERSITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE UPDATE |
|
|
Inclusive Communication Tips By Amanda Mu
As we prepare for the upcoming academic year, summer may be a good time to review and refresh communication templates and practices used with our students and communities. Inclusive communication aims to avoid the use of words or expressions that might be considered to exclude or imply bias toward particular groups of people. A few tips if you are seeking ways to make your communication more inclusive for the upcoming year! Inclusive Language
There is no singular, “correct” set of inclusive language to use. Instead, aim to be respectful of, curious about, and responsive to your audience. As you are crafting your communication, be as conscious as you can to consider various aspects of identity that your audience members may align with and value. These aspects of identity may include, but are not limited to: race, ethnicity, socioeconomic class, gender, sexual orientation, age, nationality, first language, physical/emotional/developmental abilities, and religion or spiritual affiliation. Identities are also intersectional and may also include the unique experiences that individuals have had. Many folks will likely align with and strongly value more than one aspect of their identity.
|
| Amanda Mu Director, Events & Programs
DigiPen Institute of Technology |
|
|
Common Examples
Please note that the examples below are only suggestions and some audiences or individuals may not prefer the alternative options suggested! Again, it is important to be respectful of and responsive to your audience. If an individual informs you of how they would like to be addressed, thank them and adjust your communication with them accordingly! |
|
|
Instead of “Ladies and gentlemen” or “Boys and girls” “Parents” “She/he” “Handicapped,” “disabled” |
| Try “Students and guests,” “Team,” “Folks,” “All” “Supporter(s),” “Family and friends” “They” “Accessible,” person-first language (e.g., “person using a wheelchair vs. “wheelchair user”) |
|
|
Additional Considerations
Accessibility and universal design are also great considerations for inclusive communication. Accessibility considers the ability to access or participate fully in something without needing to ask for a modification or alternative format. Universal design considers usability, accessibility, and inclusivity and does not assume what someone can or cannot do. There are many resources available when it comes to accessibility and universal design!
A few simple tips for daily practice: - When hyperlinking a URL, use a descriptive word because a screen-reader will read the word that is hyperlinked. When available, enter a screen tip as well (text that appears when a cursor hovers over the hyperlink).
-
Choose accessible font colors: avoid exclusively color coding in documents, increase visibility for users that are colorblind, use high contract colors.
- Be mindful of text size and spacing in documents.
- Use a page break instead of using “Enter” repeatedly to begin a new page (otherwise, screen-readers may read all of those entries!).
- When creating resources:
-
In Microsoft Word or other programs when available, use the built-in heading features (Styles, in MS Word) so that screen-readers will identify appropriate headings, sections, and emphases.
- Add alternate text to images, objects, and tables when possible.
- Use Accessibility Checkers (available in programs such as MS Word, MS PowerPoint, and Acrobat DC for PDFs)
Resources
For additional tips and resources, we invite you to check our PACRAO Diversity Development Committee’s Diversity and Inclusion Resources page. In addition to the few related resources featured below, there are many other resources available on our page and we invite your recommendations to add to our resource library as well! |
|
|
DDC Updates & Reminders DDC Book Club
Join the Diversity Development Committee for the PACRAO 2024 Book Club! The DDC committee has selected He/She/They: How We Talk About Gender and Why It Matters by Schuyler Bailar as the book for this year’s PACRAO book club. Although not required for the conference, we encourage PACRAO members to read the book and attend the Book Club presentation during PACRAO 2024. Check out PACRAO’s recent social media posts for a special offering!
DEI Session Proposals
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Justice sessions requested. DEIBJ is YOU. What diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, or justice topics do you want to discuss or learn more about at PACRAO 2024? Some topics to consider: - How do you DEI without public support/organizational support?
-
How to show solidarity when your institution might not be
- Ways to incorporate DEI/JEDI into college policies
Possible Solidarity Statement Roundtable Session Are you an expert on solidarity statements? The Diversity Development Committee is hoping to facilitate a round table or panel session (or webinar) on this topic and would like to work with some experts. Let us know if you can help! Email vp-dd@pacrao.org |
|
|
In Memoriam: Herb Chereck |
|
|
One of PACRAO’s finest, Herb Chereck, died on Saturday, June 22 in Bend, Oregon at the age of 79. He had been fighting many health battles for the last several months (years, truth be told) and he spent his last six weeks in the hospital where ultimately, infections got the better of him.
Herb was born on August 30, 1944 and grew up in Bradford Woods, PA. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Physical Education at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. He began his career at Kent State in the Registrar’s Office (and yes, he was working there when the shooting happened in May 1970). While at Kent State, he completed coursework toward his PhD in Educational Administration. Herb joined the University of Oregon in 1980 as Associate Registrar and not long after, accepted the position of University Registrar. He served in that role until 2008, when he became Vice President of Enrollment Services. He retired from UO in 2010.
|
| |
|
|
In 1984, Herb and several other AAU Registrars founded the AAU Registrar’s Association and instituted an Annual Meeting; that association is still active today. In 1988, Herb and Bob Tufts founded OrACRAO. Herb was active in both of those associations as well as in PACRAO, faithfully attending the annual meetings, presenting sessions, and sometimes serving on committees. He was part of the infamous PACRAO train trip to Sacramento; see the Fall 2018 PACRAO Newsletter article here: 2018Fall.pdf (viethwebhosting.com)
Last November, Herb and his wife, Deb, sold their home in Eugene and moved to Bend to be closer to their daughter Emily, their son-in-law Drew and their three young grandsons. Herb also has two children from an earlier marriage, Herb Jr. and Danelle, who both live in the Atlanta, GA area. |
|
|
Herb was an outstanding registrar, leader, mentor, and friend. He taught many of us how to be good registrars – how to “raise the standards flag” every day and how to rely on accreditation standards to guide our work. He was not one to shy away from technology and he helped implement many systems during his tenure at the University of Oregon, including touchtone registration, Banner SIS, document imaging, degree audit, online grading, and many more. He was always ready to help out a colleague with a problem, too. Some called him The Registrar’s Registrar!
Rest in peace, Herb. You will be missed. |
| Bob Tufts (left), Sue Eveland, and Herb Chereck, 2006 |
|
|
SUE EVELAND PACRAO ARCHIVIST |
| |
|
DID YOU KNOW? Your team can add themselves to your roster!
If your institution has an active membership any member of your staff can add themselves to your PACRAO roster as an Additional Member direclty. Forward this newsletter to a collegue and encourage them to join PACRAO at no additional cost! |
|
|
Find your next opportunity and the best talent in the region! |
| |
|
2023 - 2024 PACRAO Executive Board |
|
|
Alex Underwood
President The University of Arizona |
| Kristin Benson
Past President Oregon State University |
| Tina Miller President-Elect University of Washington |
|
|
Alisha Higley Vice President, Professional Development Southern Oregon University |
|
Gaby Asamsama-Acuna Vice President, Membership Ventura College | |
Michael Davenport Vice President, Publications & Information Technology The University of Arizona |
| Laura Schonberger
Vice President, Diversity Development University of Phoenix |
|
|
Erin Collins Secretary Pomona College | |
Karen Khuu Treasurer Green River College |
|
Chelsea Peoples Business Partner Liaison University of Nevada Las Vegas | | |
|
|
