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Survey Reveals Four Positive Impacts of Professional Development on Registrar & Admissions
Using an exploratory case study methodology, the authors collected survey data from 30 past participants across five previous cohorts and…
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Between Two Worlds: The Higher Education ‘Crossover Album’
“We love strategic plans, committees, task forces, and redesign efforts. Meanwhile, students are trying to register for classes, transfer credits,…
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Closing the Cycle Without Losing the Lessons
The challenge is that graduation season is rarely the right time to stop and fix everything. When the volume and…
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Meet the Next Parliamentarian to Keep the Business of AACRAO in Order
“Governance can seem complex from the outside, but it becomes much more accessible through involvement.” —Tiffany Blackwell,
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Discuss AI in Higher Education with Colleagues
Michael Davenport of The University of Arizona hosts the June 11 Collective Gathering to invites higher-education professionals to explore how…
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In Conversation: SEM-EP Evaluators in 2026
Meet the two outgoing SEM-EP evaluators, Dr. Andrea Lehmacher and Keir McIsaac, who are wrapping up their service and welcome…
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‘We Got the Program Approved. We Didn’t Get the Back-End Ready.’
AACRAO conducted one-on-one interviews with members who have worked in or alongside Prison Education Programs—registrars, admissions professionals, enrollment managers, and…
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An ASCEND Scholar’s Reflection on the Perplexity of Silos
“Perhaps naïve, but I did not realize there was such dissonance in structure until joining an institution as the Director…
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Session Preview #TheAssembly2026: Transfer Melt and Statewide Strategy
Explore two sessions on transfer melt and statewide strategy. You’ll find tips for participants on how to approach The Assembly…
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Build Skills That Lead Successful Campus Projects
You’re already managing projects even if “project manager” isn’t in your title. Dr. Reginald Garçon uncovers what the AACRAO Project…
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Too Many Scoops: How Stress Culture Impacts Us All
“In higher education, workplace trauma is rarely discussed openly, yet it quietly shapes the experiences of faculty, staff, and administrators…
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Live from #AACRAO2026: Best Practices for Compliance Tracking and Communication
The Government Relations team, the Federal Compliance Committee, and the State & Regional Relations Committee showed how you can keep…
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Live from #AACRAO2026: What Leaders Do When Things Get Hard
Three different speakers. Three different contexts. One room full of a community of enrollment and academic services professionals trying to…
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New Report Finds a Way Forward for Price Transparency in Higher Education
Strada Education Foundation’s latest report reveals how cost confusion is driving distrust in higher education, along with a new set…
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Why Interoperability Still Matters in the Age of Agentic AI
At this year’s Ellucian Live 2026 Conference, one theme consistently emerged across conversations: the growing role of agentic AI in…
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AANHPI Caucus Highlights from the 111th AACRAO Annual Meeting in New Orleans
The Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Caucus had a vibrant presence at the 111th AACRAO Annual Meeting and…
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Letter from the Editor: May 12, 2026
Spring term is culminating with commencement—you could say your graduates are blooming. But what about you—how will you bloom this…
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From Latinx to Raíces: A Name Change Rooted in Identity, Belonging, and Collective Purpose
The AACRAO Latinx Caucus becomes the Raíces Caucus, marking a timely, intentional shift toward a more expansive and inclusive understanding…
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Identifying the Invisible Middle of Leadership
Drawing on her career trajectory, Dr. Kimberly Taylor-Benns of La Salle University challenges the traditional assumption that leadership influence only…
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The New Three-Year Bachelor’s Degree in the U.S.: Part 4
Robert Watkins and William Paver, Ph.D. introduce factors that should be considered as U.S. graduate schools debate admissions policy for…
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A Community Built By Its Volunteers
AACRAO is, at its core, a volunteer-led member association. And the case for what volunteering gives back is well-documented.
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Letter from the Editor: April 28, 2026
For our profession, patience can be an active and practiced skill, showing up in the careful answer, the double-check, the…
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The Next Five Years: What the New AACRAO Strategic Plan Means for You
The 2026–2031 Strategic Plan made its public debut at the Annual Meeting in New Orleans—and the most pressing questions from…
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Ask a Consultant About Staffing
Dr. Robert Hornberger offers an approach to staffing pressures that starts with identifying how the work is structured.
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Your Documentation Matters
Cindy Suter of Norwich University offers four tips to maintain and organize your process and operations documentation with or without…
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Live from #AACRAO2026: Evidence-Based Guidance for Managing Emotional Labor
Dr. Cassandra Heath of Biola University shared her research examining how enrollment leaders, in particular, can manage the pressure to…
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Live from #AACRAO2026: How to Screen for Fraudulent Transcripts
Doretta Kidd of the University of Missouri-Kansas City shared how she and her team put their CRM to work with…
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Letter from the Editor: April 21, 2026
This special edition of Live from #AACRAO2026 brings the meeting to you, wherever you are.
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2026 Honorary Membership Award Winner: Robert Hornberger
With more than two decades in higher education, Robert Hornberger’s career has moved from admissions into enrollment management strategy, data,…
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2026 Honorary Membership Award Winner: Lara Medley
A dedicated leader and active contributor across AACRAO, Medley’s impact is both recent and enduring—having also been named the 2025…
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2026 Honorary Membership Award Winner: Jim Bouse
In this conversation, Bouse reflects on the influence of a formative role model—one of the early leaders who helped build…
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2026 Honorary Membership Award Winner: Don Hossler
Don Hossler has had a lasting impact as a scholar-practitioner whose research and leadership helped establish the foundations of Strategic…
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2026 Honorary Membership Award Winner: Brenda Selman
This year, we are proud to recognize Brenda Selman, Assistant Vice Provost for Enrollment Management and University Registrar at the…
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Live from #AACRAO2026: Takeaways for Meaningful Mentorship
Dr. Connie Newsome of Campbell University School of Law and AACRAO President-Elect answers: is mentorship worth it?, defines mentorship, and…
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Live from #AACRAO2026: Update Your Decision-Making Strategies
Doug McKenna, University Registrar at George Mason University, provided practical strategies for better prioritization, organization, and productivity.
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Live from #AACRAO2026: Lessons Learned, Money Found from Billing Audit
Steve McKellips of Texas Tech University Health and Sciences walked through a real case at a Midwestern university in which…
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Live from #AACRAO2026: Embrace Bold Professional Evolution
Heidi Tuescher-Gille, Anne Eckenrod, and Kelly Norton of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Sara CW Sullivan of Cornell University, shared…
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Live from #AACRAO2026: How to Integrate AI, Compliance, and Enrollment
Dr. Rhonda Kitch and Gena Boling of Cornell University share how defining problems, aligning human design and ethics, and developing…
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AACRAO Awards 2026 Roundup
Explore our 2026 awardees to learn more about their contributions, their journeys, and the communities they’ve helped build.
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Our Grant and Scholarship Award Winners for 2026
Congratulations to our 12 grant and scholarship winners whose journeys reflect the transformative power of professional development and peer connection.
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Our Honorary Membership Award Winners for 2026
Honorary Membership is given to retiring members who have demonstrated exceptional service to the association and the field. This year,…
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The New Three-Year Bachelor’s Degree in the U.S.: Part 3
LesLee Clauson Eicher of Seattle University and AACRAO International Institute faculty shares an institutional perspective on how it created a…
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Letter from the Editor: April 14, 2026
While work is heating up with final exam scheduling or commencement planning, even a simple morning beverage can feel like…
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Our Thomas A. Bilger Award Winner for 2026
Meet this year’s Thomas A. Bilger Award recipient, Tiffany Robinson, who is recognized for sustained, impactful leadership.
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What It Means to Build Together: Reflections from the LER Accelerator Cohort Convening
Institutions from across the country gathered for the LER Accelerator Cohort Convening. Several themes surfaced consistently, reflecting both the progress…
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New Professional Activities Committee for Credential Interoperability and Data Systems
AACRAO members identified interoperability as the number one technical challenge that they face. Apply for our new Professional Activities Committee…
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Building Community Through Collaboration
Please welcome our two new Community and Content Facilitators: Katie Rendon, Registrar at Hebrew Union College and Jay Flynn, Business…
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Your Project-Based Learning Primer
Collaboration looks different when it’s structured around a shared problem, guided by a volunteer facilitator, and designed from the start…
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Review the New Skills-Based AACRAO Competency Set
“Skill-based competencies bring clarity, consistency, and intentionality to the AACRAO professions.” —Dr. Tina DeNeen, AACRAO Associate Executive Director and Curriculum…
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Wellness vs. Well-Being: Why the Distinction Matters for Higher Education—and AACRAO’s Role in Advancing Both
AACRAO is proud to participate in the Interassociation Wellbeing Collaborative, joining a growing coalition of higher education associations committed to…
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Four Domains of Student Success Revealed in C&U
While public scrutiny of higher education is rising, institutions can significantly amplify student growth by pulling “small levers”—specific, evidence-based practices—across…
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Cracks in the Track: Repairing Enrollment Management with the T³ AI Skill Model
The increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation in higher education is fundamentally reshaping enrollment management (EM) strategies.…
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The Carolina Covenant Model of Care: An Integrated Program Approach to Supporting College Students from Low-Income Families and Communities
Higher education professionals might consider adopting a collaborative, caring approach to supporting college students from low-income families as part of…
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Understanding Persistence in Community College: The Role of Demographics, Financial Aid, and Academic Performance
This study examines the factors influencing student retention at a community college, focusing on demographic characteristics, financial aid, and academic…
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Using Data-Driven Decision-Making through the Enrollment Funnel in Graduate Public Health Programs
In 2023, a school within a large, public, four-year research university adopted a new framework for strategic enrollment management (SEM)…
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Our Janie Barnett Distinguished Service Award Winner for 2026
University of Pittsburgh Registrar Jonathan Helm reflects on a career defined by service, surprise, and the people who made it…
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How I Transitioned Into a Leadership Role in the Registrar’s Office
Christian Winnewisser of The Colleges of Law and ASCEND Cohort 6 shares lessons from navigating a promotion and onboarding to…
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Session Preview #AACRAO2026: Career Resilience and Sustainability
From compliance to leadership pipelines to team sustainability, these #AACRAO2026 sessions reflect what AACRAO is designed to support: practitioners who…
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The Work That Makes International Education Possible
When international enrollment is under stress, the quality of credential evaluation matters more, not less. AACRAO brings its gold-standard training…
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Letter from the Editor: March 31, 2026
We’re hovering on the edge of March, about to welcome April. May this spring season help you evolve a little…
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The New Three-Year Bachelor’s Degree in the U.S.: Part 2
Emily Tse of the Global Health Workforce Development Institute and the AACRAO IESC reflects on the evolution of degree recognition…
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What I’ve Gained From Hill Day: A Retrospective
Faith Farley, AACRAO Government Relations Intern and Senior at the George Washington University, reflects on her experience attending Hill Day…
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Operation Reset: Why the AACRAO Annual Meeting Is the Recharge You Didn’t Know You Needed
“Eventually, you notice the spark that fueled you at the start of the year fading … you want to reignite…
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Respect Learners’ Time: Count Their Learning
Research out of California shows credit evaluation processes take a toll on learners’ time, money and morale. The national LEARN…
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Ask a Consultant About the Strategic Registrar
Dr. Robert Hornberger offers five ways to show and tell how the registrar contributes as a strategic partner across campus…
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The New Three-Year Bachelor’s Degree in the U.S.: A Series
Jasmin Saidi-Kuehnert of Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute, Inc. and the AACRAO International Education Standards Council, introduces three-year bachelor’s degrees in…
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When Your ERP Can Identify Problems But Can’t Solve Them
As AI and analytics become standard ERP features, Tirumala Rao Chimpiri explains why many ERP initiatives stall despite better data…
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Discuss Serving Veteran and Military-Connected Students with Colleagues
Jennifer Minke of Tarrant County College District hosts the March 26 Collective Gathering to engage in a peer-driven conversation focused…
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Four Markers of a National Push Toward a Skills-Based Talent Economy
Recent policy momentum signals a shift toward talent marketplace ecosystems that rely on Learning and Employment Records to connect education…
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How to Use the ACE Military Guide for Learner Progress and Operational Efficiency
AACRAO and the American Council on Education are co-sponsoring a webinar on March 12 to demonstrate the ACE Military Guide.…
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New Report to Modernize the Systems and Language of Credit Recognition
AACRAO, Sova, and 15 LEARN “Commissioners” examine four dimensions of learning evaluation and offer recommendations for enrollment leaders, admissions officers,…
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Session Preview #AACRAO2026: Citywide Enrollment Partnerships and International Academic Policy
Explore two timely Annual Meeting sessions on local collaboration and English language proficiency policy. You’ll find tips for first-timers and…
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‘It’s Time to Get To Work’ and Get Out of Students’ Way
Fresh from completing her dissertation on transfer, hosting “Transfer Tea,” and establishing herself as a national advocate, Loida Gonzalez Utley…
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Ask a Consultant About AI Adoption
How do you go from early adopter to strategic leader in AI? Tammy Aagard of AACRAO Consulting offers four tips…
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Voices Echo Toward The Assembly to Fill a Critical Gap in Practice
In an episode of “Transfer Tea,” host Loida González Utley, the new conference director for The Assembly, speaks with enrollment…
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Building Clearer Career Pathways in Higher Education
Quintina Barnett Gallion of AACRAO offers an early look at higher education associations are developing a framework to support the…
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New Data on First-Generation College Applicants Revealed in the Latest SEMQ
Mark Butt of Emory University examines data from 28,468 applicants to analyze responses to an optional Common Application question asking…
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Examining The ‘How’: Lessons for a CRM Implementation
Michelle Burt of Pima Community College recently completed a second CRM implementation and offers common pitfalls and tips to help…
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Graduate Enrollment Management Goes Virtual in the Field
To move from context to practice, the AACRAO Strategic Enrollment Management Endorsement Program curriculum has long emphasized field visits as…
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Rule by Rule: Making the One Big Beautiful Bill Real in Regulation – AHEAD Committee Part 2
Mike Bilfinger of AACRAO Government Relations summarizes the negotiated rulemaking activities brought about by the One Big Beautiful Bill and…
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Expand Influence from the Inside Out
In a field where career advancement may involve either moving on or growing in place, Briana Roades, Associate Director of…
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The 100th SEM-EP Graduate in a Milestone Year
Dr. Necia Martins of Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, is the 100th recipient of the AACRAO Strategic Enrollment Management…
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Exploring the Impact of Advising Frequency and Free College Scholarships on Community College Student Persistence Rates: A Racial Group Analysis
This quantitative study investigates the relationship between academic advising frequency, free college scholarships (FCS), and student persistence in a statewide…