University Registrar

The mission of The University of Bridgeport is to promote academic excellence, personal responsibility, and commitment to service. Distinctive curricula in an international, culturally diverse supportive learning environment prepare graduates for life and leadership in an increasingly interconnected world.

Position Description Summary/Purpose :

Under the direction of the Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness & Student Systems, the University Registrar serves as the primary custodian of student and former student academic record and is responsible for the accuracy and integrity of all aspects of student records and registration.

The University Registrar works closely and collaboratively with other administrators and departments to ensure compliance to existing policies and procedures.

The University Registrar provides leadership and administrative oversight for the institution’s database management and strategic operational supervision of student records and registration, documents, and systems support.

The University Registrar is responsible for commencement and degree audit protocol.

Additionally, the University Registrar is an administrative leader, responsible for the implementation and maintenance of new applications of technology and upgrading/enhancement of existing systems while providing quality assurance and integrity of data.

Essential Job Functions/Primary Responsibilities :

(The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.)

• Participates in strategic planning activities, including leading and collaborating in university-wide initiatives
• Oversees collection, classification, management, evaluation, security, integrity, certification, and dissemination of student records in accordance with AACRAO standards, professional practices, and University policies and procedures.
• Develops and implements registration policies and processes in line with changes to academic and enrollment management policies. Identify best practices related to the areas of academic records and registration.
• Maintains educational data within systems including: the setup of new programs, the setup/updates of enrollment agreements, attendance corrections, incompletes and transfer credit requests.
• In conjunction with IT, safeguards academic information, focusing on data integrity, security, information flow, maintenance, developments, and enhancements as well as leverage emerging technology.
• Provides professional guidance and leadership related to “student rights to privacy” (FERPA), retention of records, security and management of student records, and information management.
• Counsels students regarding academic records, registration, grades, enrollment eligibility, academic probation, and graduation.
• Oversees the processing of class rosters and grades.
• Works with office staff, Deans, and Department Chairs, in the preparation of the Class Schedule and Registration Guide for distribution to faculty, staff, and students.
• Generates reports that provides information to administration, faculty, and advising and governmental agencies as needed.
• Works closely with campus partners to ensure the provision of accurate and timely data for state, federal, and accreditation reports.
• Coordinates the successful execution of the Registrar plan components with administrative support staff at all instructional locations including distant education. These components include but are not limited to:
• Creation of course sections at least two months in advance of each semester;
• Ensuring timely registrations (input within 48 hours of request);
• Ensuring enrollment verifications are sent to NSC/Clearinghouse and all error reports are corrected. Creates a routine process to ensure compliance of same;
• Ensuring that all grades are posted to student records;
• Evaluation transcripts and graduation certification within two weeks of receipt of information for such evaluation;
• Ensuring diplomas are mailed to students within 30 days of graduation.
• Recruits, trains, supervises, and evaluates personnel in the Office of the Registrar and serves as the budget control officer for the department.
• Develops training materials and implement a training plan that is used to ensure that staff responsible for plan implementation are knowledgeable and informed of all essential aspects of Registrar functions.
• Establishes a quality service evaluation plan to assess the level of performance of all service functions. Makes appropriate modifications to procedures, policies, and service delivery functions as indicated through the evaluation system or other resource mechanisms.
• Reviews and finalize the acceptance of transfer credits and interface with Admissions to ensure that they are posted to student records.
• Coordinates scheduling, to ensure that adequate space is available for classes, exams, and university and non-university functions.
• Processes loan deferments and verify enrollment and degree completions.
• Conducts Degree Audits and Post-Graduation certifications.
• In coordination with Events, oversees registration events and activities.
• Reviews update and ensure that the course schedule is available to students in advance of each pre-registration period.
• Develops necessary operational practices and processes to meet the needs of the University student base in a streamlined, friendly, and efficient manner.
• Performs related duties as necessary to support the University mission.
• Conducts all work in a safe manner and all work safety practices are followed.

Other Functions :

• Performs similar or related work as required, directed or as situation dictates.
• Continues professional development and training; keeps current with trends.
• Assists other department staff as needed to promote a team effort.

Knowledge, Ability and Skill :

• Demonstrated commitment to developing and fostering best practices and policies to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, and build an environment in which all members of the University community are treated with respect and dignity.
• Ability to interpret policies and procedures to students, faculty, parents, and others;
• Strong working knowledge of the standards of student recordkeeping practices in higher education;
• Functional expertise in the technologies of storage, retrieval, retention, archiving, and purging of records;
• A working knowledge and familiarity of FERPA policies;
• Understanding of computation and statistical reporting applications;
• Exceptional management and organizational skills;
• Demonstrated ability to foster collaboration and effective communication across diverse groups of constituents, including students, parents, faculty, academic advisors, alumni, and other staff;
• Interest in, and ability for, problem-solving and long-term planning;
• Ability to initiate and nurture collaborative partnerships;
• Ability to professionally and effectively respond to customer complaints in person and by phone;
• Ability to maintain a motivated and team oriented attitude even under pressure;
• Ability to maintain staff morale and enhance customer service through positive team building efforts;
• Ability to proactively respond to the needs of a diverse student population;
• Ability to meet deadlines within time constraints.

Qualifications

Minimum Required Qualifications :

Education, Training and Experience :

• A Bachelor's degree is required; a Master's degree is preferred.
• 8-10 years of progressive experience in Registrar/Student Records, Enrollment Management or higher education records related.
• In-depth knowledge of student information systems and experience working with records management and student information systems.
• Prior experience using Datatel Colleague preferred.
• Prior experience in a primary leadership role in the capacity of college or university Registrar preferred.
• Prior reporting experience in National Student Loan Data System and Integrated Postsecondary Education Data Systems (IPEDS) preferred.

Physical and Mental Requirements :

Work Environment None Under 1/3 1/3 to 2/3 Over 2/3
Outdoor Weather Conditions X
Work with fumes or airborne particles X
Work near moving mechanical parts X
Risk of electrical shock X
Vibration X

Physical Activity None Under 1/3 1/3 to 2/3 Over 2/3
Standing X
Walking X
Sitting X
Talking & Hearing X
Using hands/fingers to handle/feel X
Climbing or balancing X
Bending, pulling, pushing X
Driving X

Lifting Requirements None Under 1/3 1/3 to 2/3 Over 2/3
Up to 10 pounds X
Up to 25 pounds X
Up to 50 pounds X
Up to 75 pounds X
Up to 100 pounds X
Over 100 pounds X

Vision requirements (Especially relevant if driving is required by the job)

_X_ Close vision (i.e. clear vision at 20 inches or less)

___ Distance vision (i.e. clear vision at 20 feet or more)

___ Color vision (i.e. ability to identify and distinguish colors)

___ Peripheral vision (i.e. ability to observe an area that can be seen up and down or

left and right while the eyes are fixed on a given point)

___ Depth perception (i.e. three-dimensional vision, ability to judge distances and

spatial relationships)

___ No special vision requirements

Full-Time Employee Benefits:

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Pet Insurance
• 401k employer match
• Employee & dependent life insurance
• Great tuition benefits for employee, spouse & dependents
• PTO program
• Flexible work schedules / work from home opportunities

(This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between The University of Bridgeport and employee. It is used as a guide for personnel actions and is subject to change by the University as the needs of the University and requirements of the job change.)

The University of Bridgeport provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. The University of Bridgeport complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.