I am honored to be considered for president-elect of the AACRAO Board of Directors. I have had the privilege of serving the association in a variety of roles over the past two decades. AACRAO, like the association’s members, was challenged with rapidly changing priorities and significant shifts to long-standing business practices as a result of the global pandemic. The past two and a half years have presented many obstacles and opportunities to how we deliver our education and services to various campus stakeholders (namely students) and members. I believe we must leverage these experiences, knowledge and understandings to advance our profession and extend our reach to serve our constituents in meaningful and inclusive ways.
I am interested in serving in this role to promote strategic engagement with our members and collaboration with other association and national thought leaders to advance our priorities. AACRAO is poised to help lead a transformational change in higher education that will not only prepare our campuses for continuity during future emergencies, but that allow us to reach underserved learners in impactful ways. This position also plays a key leadership role in advancing AACRAO's diversity, equity and inclusion goals among our membership. Identifying and breaking down barriers for membership in our association -- be they through education, access or fiscal support -- will ensure future generations of registrar and admissions professionals have opportunities to contribute to and benefit from AACRAO. Ensuring that new technologies and professional development are available to professionals on all types of campuses, regardless of their available resources, is critical to ensuring we don’t further foster an exclusionary system.
Areas for growth, advocacy and contributions by AACRAO and its brain trust include: Supporting the education and services in flexible modalities beyond the pandemic; Embracing alternative credentials and pathways for learners; Ensuring data is accessible, secure and understandable in order to articulate the needs of our learners and institutions to decision makers; Promoting and adopting innovative solutions for records security, access and interoperability; Advocating for diverse representation in key legislative discussions; and Fostering the education and professional development of the next generation of AACRAO professionals.
My AACRAO involvement has afforded me many opportunities for growth and leadership. I have served as Vice President for Records and Academic Services on the Boards of Directors; Group IV coordinator and a Group III PAC chair on the Program Committee; chair of the work group on Disciplinary Notations on Transcripts; Co-chair of Volunteers for the 2023 Annual Meeting; advocate during Hill Day; and member of the Nominations & Elections Committee. During my time on the Board, I helped finalize our Registrar CAS Standards, publish a report on Institutional Closures and Mergers, and most recently released a report on Alternative Credentials. I have been involved state and regional ACRAOs, including Rocky Mountain ACRAO and Upper Midwest ACRAO, where I served as president. I have attended every annual meeting since 2003 (and many Transfer, Leadership and SEM meetings), presenting at most. Professionally, I have served as university registrar for the past 20 years at two public research institutions, University of Colorado Boulder and North Dakota State University, and also worked in the field of admissions for a decade.
Our professions are facing rapidly emerging and changing technologies, competition for resources, increased scrutiny, pressure from lawmakers and the public, and persistent equity gaps. The president-elect must represent AACRAO across all its priorities and obligations. If elected, I will foster engagement among existing and future members to build a strong, sustainable and diverse membership, and will advocate for change and growth with intention, compassion and dedication. I strive to giving back to the association that has provided me countless opportunities throughout my career.