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Office of the Registrar2011-2014 Strategic PlanOffice of theExecutive Vice Presidentand Provost

From the RegistrarI am pleased to present the 2011-2014 Office of theRegistrar Strategic Plan. As we reflect upon the pastthree years and the accomplishments of the Registrar’sOffice, there are many achievements for whichwe can be proud. There is, however, a good deal ofwork left to do. University of Texas President BillPowers made a powerful statement in his 2010-2011State of the University Address:“We will have to reinvent how we do things inorder to become more efficient and effective,or in economic jargon, to become more productive…Thosewho change and become moreeffective in new environments survive and prosper;those who don’t, don’t.”We have taken his words to heart. As we look aheadto the coming years, the 2011-2014 Office of theRegistrar Strategic Plan will help us focus our effortsin those areas where we can best support theUniversity. This plan will not only act as our guidepost,but will keep us focused on where, and how,we can become more efficient, effective, and productive.We realize, however, that even with our goalsclearly outlined and defined, we must maintain ahigh level of flexibility and creativity to accomplishour objectives, all the while being agile enoughto adapt to the changing needs of the Universityenvironment. Doing so requires the commitmentof a dedicated staff, thus the emphasis in this planon Staff Excellence in addition to Productivity andCustomer Service.With the Office of the Registrar’s alignment with theOffice of the Executive Vice President and Provost inthe fall of 2011, many of our goals and objectives focuson academic-related issues and our central rolewithin the institution. We are in a unique position inthat we not only have the ability to directly impactthe University community through our core services,but because of our central position, we have theability to actively support and lead change whileserving as strategic partners to those we serve.The following strategic plan was produced throughthe efforts of more than 40 individuals within theOffice of the Registrar and our constituents aroundthe University. Our 2011-2014 Strategic Plan wasinformed and influenced by the recent Task Forceon Undergraduate Graduation Rates, the Universityof Texas System Framework for Advancing Excellence,and is a continuation of our very own 2008-2011 Office of the Registrar Strategic Plan. AppendixB lists those individuals who were involved inthe strategic planning process. My thanks to thosestaff members and everyone else who was involvedin and made significant contributions to this document.While we have set lofty goals for the comingyears, I am optimistic and confident that we havemuch to look forward to because of the outstandingteam members who comprise the Registrar’s Officestaff.Please feel free to contact me if you have questionsor comments, or if you would like to discuss any ofthe plan’s objectives or tactics in more detail. I lookforward to our future collaboration, teamwork, andcoordination in the coming years.All the best,V. Shelby StanfieldVice Provost and University Registrar

Our MissionThe mission of the Office of the Registrar is to create,maintain, certify, and protect University recordsof courses, degrees, and students.Our VisionThe Office of the Registrar at the University of Texasat Austin strives to• Recognize the importance of each person weserve.• Hold the trust and confidence of students, faculty,and staff for our quality of work, collaborativesolutions, and administrative foresight.• Care for employees by promoting a friendly andstimulating office environment with opportunitiesfor professional development.• Earn national respect for excellence in academicservices and the use of technology that benefitsour campus and the higher education community.Our ValuesThe Office of the Registrar emphasizes• Accuracy, to maintain exceptional quality in ourrecords and processes.• Integrity, to demand responsibility, confidentiality,and honesty in our work.• Customer Service, to help people in a timely andcaring way.• Communication, to share expertise and listen toour clients and each other.• Teamwork, to foster a collaborative work environmentin order to coordinate the intricacies ofour collective mission.Our Core FunctionsThe core functions of the Office of the Registrar include• Catalog Production• Certification of Athletic Eligibility• Course Inventory Administration• Course Scheduling• Degree Audit• Diploma Services• Document Management• Enrollment Certification• Final Exams• Research and Assessment• Registration• Room Scheduling• Student Academic Records• Transcript Services• University Academic Calendar• Veteran CertificationThe Provost’s MissionThe primary mission of the Provost’s Office is to securethe vitality of the University’s academic life, to fosterthe intellectual well-being of students, staff and faculty,and to marshal and allocate resources in support ofacademic excellence, and in doing so, to serve as aneducational asset for the benefit of the state and thenation.The University of Texas at Austin CorePurposeTo transform lives for the benefit of society.

A Framework in Support of Advancing Excellence Throughout The University of Texas at AustinOffice of the Registrar Action PlanThe Office of the Registrar plays a central role within the University as its core mission is to create, maintain, certify, and protect University records of courses,degrees, and students. The office has developed an action plan to support the University and UT System in achieving its goals of continuous improvement, fostering aculture of innovation, and positive change.GOAL 1Undergraduate Student Access and SuccessSupport institutional efforts in ensuring time to graduationAction Items Responsible Parties Goals/Metrics (Best estimates)A. Lead technological implementation that will assist students, faculty, and staff in facilitating students' pace toward graduation1. Develop and support advising tools in collaboration with theacademic community that aid students and advisors2. Develop a progress-toward-degree methodology to aid students'progression to degree attainment3. Support tools to assess and respond to early warning and studentsuccess factors• Senior Staff• Degree Audit Staff• Student Records Staff• IT Staff• Project Manager• Degree Audit Staff• Student Records Staff• IT StaffA. Project plan approvedB. Implementation of advising toolsC. Rollout to campus communityA. Progress-toward-degree methodology developedB. Implementation of methodologyC. Integration into advising and degree audit toolsA. Early warning and success factors identifiedB. Integration into advising and degree audit toolsC. Merge EASI and Advisor's ToolkitB. Assess and modify the University catalogs and degree plans to increase usability1. Streamline degree plan information in collaboration with theacademic community• Official Publications Staff• Degree Audit StaffA. Consistent degree plan information across colleges/schoolsB. Integration into advising, degree audit tools, and the Universitycatalogs2. Standardize the content and presentation of information in theUniversity catalogs• Official Publications StaffA. Consistent display of information across colleges/schoolsB. Integration into advising and degree audit tools, and the Universitycatalogs3. Implement solutions that allow the course inventory change process• Official Publications Staffand catalog production cycle to be more flexible, responsive, and agile• IT Staffto meet campus needsA. Review of current processes completedB. Implementation of new course inventory and catalog productiontools

Action Items Responsible Parties Goals/Metrics (Best estimates)A. Expand opportunities to assist employees in achieving their professional goals1. Develop structured office cross-training program and staff rotationplanGOAL 2Staff ExcellenceRecruit, develop, retain, and reward a dynamic workforce• Assistant RegistrarsA. Plan developedB. Plan implemented2. Develop a mentor program for new staff members • Assistant RegistrarsA. Plan developedB. Plan implemented3. Provide opportunities for "stretch" assignments and opportunities todevelop staff members' knowledge, experience, and skills• Management TeamA. "Stretch" assignments identifiedB. Appropriate staff identifiedC. Assignments completed and evaluatedB. Actively support and engage staff within the office and across the University1. Develop a communication plan to inform employees of professionalpathways, opportunities, and benefits within the University2. Provide training sessions on customer service and diversity-relatedissues once per quarter• Assistant Registrars• Office Staff• Assistant RegistrarsA. Plan developedB. Plan implementedA. Appropriate session topics identifiedB. Training sessions conductedC. Evaluation of staff knowledge in areas of customer service anddiversity issues

GOAL 3ResearchSupport data-driven decision makingAction Items Responsible Parties Goals/Metrics (Best estimates)A. Improve the utilization of general-purpose classrooms1. Assess and evaluate current space utilization in general-purposeclassrooms• Research Staff• Scheduling StaffA. Assessment completed of current GPC usageB. Improved space utilization in GPCs through room assignments thatbetter match classes with rooms to optimize course offerings2. Evaluate scheduling policies that impact when and where classesare offered• Research Staff• Scheduling StaffA. Assessment completed of current scheduling policiesB. Improved space utilization in GPCs through room assignments thatbetter match classes with rooms to optimize course offerings3. Determine opportunities to improve the scheduling process throughprocedural and technological solutions• Research Staff• Scheduling Staff• IT StaffA. Assessment of current scheduling practicesB. Identification of areas needing improvementC. Improved space utilization in GPCs through room assignments thatbetter match classes with rooms to optimize course offerings4. Implement technologies and policies that allow the coursescheduling process to be more flexible, responsive, and agile• Research Staff• Scheduling Staff• IT StaffA. Review of current processes completedB. Implementation of new course scheduling toolsB. Expand research, development, and collaboration to better inform the campus community on course demand and offering needs1. Study student enrollment, course demand, and options to gaugecapacity to meet demand• Research Staff• Registration Staff• Diploma Services StaffA. Study conductedB. Action plan developed to gauge capacity to meet demand2. Identify key courses (core curriculum and gateway courses) that actas bottlenecks to students' progress toward graduation• Research Staff• Degree Audit Staff• Official Publications StaffA. Study conductedB. Bottleneck courses identified3. Make recommendations to academic units regarding bottleneckcourses and anticipated number of sections needed to meet studentdemand• Associate Registrars• Research StaffA. Action plan to academic community for options to gauge capacityto meet demand

GOAL 3 (continued)ResearchSupport data-driven decision makingAction Items Responsible Parties Goals/Metrics (Best estimates)C. Respond to internal initiatives regarding policy, process, and procedure1. Study and assess waitlist policies to determine whether changes tothe policies could improve understanding of course demand andavailability without negatively impacting academic departments2. Study and assess prerequisite policies to determine influence ofcurrent policies on student outcomes in courses with prerequisites3. Study the substantive impacts on course availability of cancellingstudent registrations due to non-payment• Research Staff• Registration Staff• Registration Staff• Official Publications Staff• Student Records Staff• Research Staff• Registration StaffA. Study and assessment of policies conductedB. Recommendations for alteration of waitlist policies developedA. Study and assessment of policies conductedB. Recommendations for alteration of prerequisite policies developedA. Study of registration cancellations conductedB. Recommendations based upon study findings developed

GOAL 4Productivity and EfficiencyImprove the effectiveness and efficiency of our services and operationsAction Items Responsible Parties Goals/Metrics (Best estimates)A. Strengthen business practices by evaluating and integrating core services and operations1. Develop a process for incorporating current semester and pastsemester academic record changes into one service2. Identify the needs of and tools to manage the increased volume ofVeteran students and dependents3. Automate previously-identified paper forms and processes intoonline servicesB. Respond to internal and external initiatives1. Modify University operations to be compliant with House Bill 30252. Implement course relations tools to better manage cross-listedcourses3. Respond to and support objectives resulting from UT Systemagreement with MyEdu• Student Records Staff• Registration Staff• Veteran Services Staff• Certifications Staff• Student Records Staff• Athletic Eligibility Staff• Registration Staff• IT Staff• Transcript Services Staff• Degree Audit Staff• Registration Staff• IT Staff• Official Publications Staff• Scheduling Staff• Degree Audit Staff• IT Staff• Project Manager• Degree Audit Staff• Registration Staff• IT StaffA. Current and past semester changes are handled by same staffmembers with consistent policiesA. Assessment of needs and toolsB. Implementation of identified toolsA. Paper forms converted to online servicesA. University is compliant with H.B. 3025A. Tools implemented that allow better management of cross-listingsA. Collaboration with the academic community regarding MyEdumodulesB. Various MyEdu modules implemented and integrated with currentRegistrar and University services

GOAL 5Strategic Information Technology Infrastructure InvestmentsFoster a development culture and architecture that ensures robust, flexible, secure, and agile technical solutionsAction Items Responsible Parties Goals/Metrics (Best estimates)A. Expand research, development, and collaboration to prepare for trends affecting student systems in higher education1. Develop administrative systems road map called for by theUniversity's Administrative Systems Master Plan2. Engage with the UT community in system and technologymodernization to develop applications that keep pace with moderncapabilitiesB. Assess and modify systems development and administration1. Assess and simplify the systems that control users' access to ourdata to streamline the processes of providing and removing access2. Limit direct access of our data sources by campus entities to reducepotential security risks3. Implement a systems design methodology that is driven byanticipated needs for data analytics4. Implement stronger software audit and versioning policies to meetcompliance requirementsC. Improve the user experience1. Assess and improve the accessibility and usability of our services• IT Staff• IT Staff• Student Records Staff• IT Staff• IT Staff• Research Staff• IT Staff• IT Staff• IT Staff• Web TeamA. Road maps developed to serve as a basis for modernizationA. Engagement with UT IT community to define requirementsB. Use of road map to begin progress on modernizationA. Assessment of systems conductedB. Project plan developed to simplify and streamline processesC. Modifications to systems based upon project planA. Assessment and prioritization of direct access pointsB. Work with community in limiting direct access prioritizedA. Modifications made to project plans to include data analytics as adriver of designA. Versioning tools identified and implementedB. Software audit tools identified and implementedA. Assessment and prioritization of usability of current servicesB. Based upon prioritization, modification of services to be moreaccessible and useable2. Engage where possible with the UT community in mobileapplications development and implementation• IT Staff• Web TeamA. Participation with community in development of mobile applicationstrategyB. Mobile application developed and implemented for a Registrarservice

GOAL 6Revenue to Enhance OperationsIdentify funding and partnership opportunities to support operating costsAction Items Responsible Parties Goals/Metrics (Best estimates)A. Evaluate methods for funding services and operations1. Benchmark with peer institution costs and charges for core services • Registrar• Associate RegistrarsA. Review AAU surveys on funding methodsB. Conduct new AAU surveyC. Identify funding streams in place at AAU institutions2. Investigate alternative options for funding core services andoperations3. Examine feasibility and appropriateness of alternative fundingoptions• Registrar• Associate Registrars• Registrar• Budget DirectorA. Document similarities and differences between our funding streamsand those in place at other AAU institutionsA. Write and submit proposal for alternative funding streams toUniversity officialsB. Explore and evaluate entrepreneurial and creative opportunities1. Evaluate Board of Regents, UT System, and UT Austin rulesregarding external partnerships• Registrar• Budget DirectorA. Rules identified and reviewedB. Rules evaluated with regard to office operations2. Identify opportunities to create partnerships to assist in the fundingand support of core services and operations• Registrar• Associate RegistrarsA. Document opportunitiesB. Assess interest across the community3. As permitted, implement funding or support avenues viacommunity partnerships• Registrar• Associate RegistrarsA. Introduce one new revenue stream or partnership arrangement

GOAL 7Customer ServiceEnhance customer service through strong partnership with the academic communityAction Items Responsible Parties Goals/Metrics (Best estimates)A. Enhance communication and outreach of the Office of the Registrar among and across the University1. Establish a communications committee to coordinate externalcommunications strategy2. Develop quarterly newsletter to keep the academic communityapprised of Office of the Registrar initiatives, institutional policychanges, and procedural updates3. Evaluate and formalize partnerships and participation with studentorganizations, University committees, and college and departmentalforums• Assistant Registrars• Management Team• Management TeamA. External communications committee establishedB. Committee develops a project planC. Committee coordinates and makes recommendations forimprovement of external communicationsA. Quarterly newsletter developed and disseminated to the academiccommunityA. Assessment of current participationB. Partnerships formalized4. Investigate and, as appropriate, be proactive in the adoption ofproven communication methods and tools• Associate RegistrarsA. Investigate various communication methods and toolsB. Adopt new communication methods and toolsB. Refresh the Office of the Registrar website to enhance its usability, timeliness, and relevance to the academic community1. Evaluate the current layout of the website and recommendimprovements to its navigability and search functions• Assistant Registrars• Web TeamA. Current website evaluatedB. Recommendations for improvement implemented2. Create a "What's New?" consolidated landing page as a quickreference for staff who advise students in Registrar-related matters• Assistant Registrars• Web TeamA. "What's New" page created and maintained3. Create a "Tools" section of the website that includes checklists foracademic advisers and students relating to the office's core processesand procedures• Assistant Registrars• Web TeamA. "Tools" page created and maintained4. Develop a more robust homepage that includes notices andreminders• Assistant Registrars• Web TeamA. Homepage includes notices and reminders

GOAL 1. Undergraduate Student Accessand SuccessAs a central service unit for the University, theOffice of the Registrar should play a key role in providingbroad-based services to aid student pathwayfrom initial enrollment to graduation. In A Frameworkfor Advancing Excellence throughout TheUniversity of Texas System, a key focus is on undergraduatestudent access and success and decreasingtime to degree.The Office of the Registrar will support these initiativesand focus its efforts in the following areas:Executive SummaryThe Office of the Registrar at the University of Texasat Austin plays a critical and central role within thecampus community. Our mission, which is core to theinstitution we serve, is to create, maintain, certify,and protect University records of courses, degrees,and students. As we embark upon the utilization ofnew technologies, engage in continuous improvement,and strive for innovation and change, theOffice of the Registrar will be a cooperative, leading,and driving force in accomplishing the goals of theUniversity and the University of Texas System.In the pages that follow, the 2011-2014 Office ofthe Registrar Strategic Plan is outlined. This planrepresents the focus of the office’s strategy, direction,and principles regarding resource allocation.The method by which this plan was created isdescribed in Appendix A: Process Summary; however,it should be noted that it was highly influencedby the 2008-2011 Office of the Registrar StrategicPlan, The University of Texas System Action Plan:A Framework for Advancing Excellence throughoutThe University of Texas System, and a number ofrecent reports including those by The Task Force onUndergraduate Graduation Rates, The Task Forceand the Second Task Force on Enrollment Strategy,and the Administrative Systems Master Plan.For 2011-2014, the Office of the Registrar will focus itsstrategic efforts in seven primary areas:• Undergraduate Student Access and Success• Staff Excellence• Research• Productivity and Efficiency• Strategic Information Technology InfrastructureInvestments• Revenue to Enhance Operations• Customer ServiceA. Lead technological implementationthat will assist students, faculty, andstaff in facilitating students’ progresstoward graduation.In collaboration with the academic community, theOffice of the Registrar will play a critical role inthe development of advising tools to aid studentsand advisers in tracking time to graduation. Thisinitiative will provide the option for the colleges/schools to use centralized advising tools. The Officeof the Registrar will not only be collaborative in theprocess, but will also lead change agents in developinga progress-toward-degree methodology and willsupport the tools needed to respond to early warningand student success factors.Timely graduation benefits every constituent in the educationalchain, from parents and students to professors andadministrators…What’s more, it represents a major savingsfor students in an age of concern over rising costs.– University of Texas at Austin President Bill Powers

B. Assess and modify the Universitycatalogs and degree plans to increaseusability.The Office of the Registrar maintains four Universitycatalogs – the General Information Catalog, theUndergraduate Catalog, the Graduate Catalog, andthe Law School Catalog. We are also responsible formanaging a course inventory of approximately 9,000current courses. Currently, both catalog productionand the maintenance of the course inventory are laborintensiveprocesses, resulting in little flexibility for thecolleges and schools; additionally, the catalogs lack thenecessary agility to display degree plan information inan easily understood format for students.A major focus of the Office of the Registrar will be towork collaboratively with the academic community tostandardize the content and presentation of informationin the University catalogs, and to implementsolutions that will allow the processes to be moreflexible, responsive, and agile to meet the changingcampus needs.GOAL 2. Staff ExcellenceThe Office of the Registrar strives to maintain ahigh quality workforce that is motivated to performoffice functions in an exemplary manner. We believethat staff development and recognition efforts anda stimulating office environment are significant factorsthat contribute to sustaining a dynamic workforce.We are committed to creating an operatingculture of inclusiveness, allowing us to better serveand meet the needs of the University and the surroundingcommunity.The Office of the Registrar will focus its efforts inthe following areas:A. Expand opportunities to assist employeesin achieving their professionalgoals.Several of the 2008-2011 Office of the RegistrarStrategic Plan goals focused on the incorporationof competencies in the respective job profiles, inhiring, and in performance evaluations. Our focusfor 2011-2014 will not only be to continue to infusecompetencies into day-to-day decision making,but also to focus on the expansion of professionaldevelopment opportunities for the staff in the areasof cross-training, a formalized staff rotation plan, amentorship program, and the identification and assignmentof “stretch” opportunities for those highlymotivated staff members who wish to expand upontheir knowledge, experiences, and skills.B. Actively support and engage staffwithin the office and across the University.The Office of the Registrar highly values knowledgeablestaff members who are engaged within thecampus community. We aim to support and engagestaff by communicating professional developmentand professional pathway opportunities, informingon University benefits, and providing trainingrelated to customer service, diversity issues, andother beneficial job skills. The goal of the Office ofthe Registrar is to support our staff to develop anunderstanding and awareness of the University communityand the skills and competencies necessaryto be successful as a contributing member of theworkforce.GOAL 3. ResearchData-driven decision making takes a quantitativeapproach to assessing, evaluating, and informing decisionsrelated to planning, budgeting, forecasting,policy, and resource allocation. The Office of theRegistrar generates and maintains a wealth of dataabout student matriculation, course enrollment,and graduation patterns. This information can beused to evaluate the operations of the Universityand make recommendations to improve Universityoperations and enhance the student experience.

The Office of the Registrar will focus its efforts inthe following areas:A. Improve the utilization of generalpurposeclassrooms.The Office of the Registrar is responsible for schedulingapproximately 260 general-purpose classroomseach semester. The appropriate utilization ofthis classroom space impacts when and where classesare offered. It is imperative to not only study andassess current space utilization practices, but alsodetermine opportunities for improvement throughprocedural and technological solutions. Based uponthese findings, the Office of the Registrar will implementtechnologies and policies that allow the coursescheduling process to be more pliant, responsive,and nimble for the campus community.B. Expand research, development, andcollaboration to better inform the campuscommunity on course demand andoffering needs.A student’s pace toward degree can be impacted bythe courses offered each semester. A goal of the Officeof the Registrar will be to study student enrollment,course demand, and options to gauge capacityto meet demand. This will allow the Office of theRegistrar to provide valuable information to the academicunits and make important recommendationsregarding bottleneck courses and the anticipatednumber of sections needed to meet student demand.C. Respond to internal initiatives regardingpolicy, process, and procedure.Universities need to continually review their policiesand procedures to ensure that they are meetingthe changing needs of the institution. The Office ofthe Registrar, as a regulatory agent of many policiesand procedures, is in a perfect position to providedata-driven research and to offer suggestions forpolicy and process assessment and improvement atthe University of Texas at Austin. Of particular interestare policies surrounding issues such as waitlists,prerequisites, and the cancellation of studentregistration due to non-payment, as these items canimpact a student’s pace toward graduation. Uponreview of these policies, we will either show that thecurrent processes are serving their intended purpose,or make recommendations for improvementbased upon the relevant data.GOAL 4. Productivity and EfficiencyTo hold the trust and confidence of students, faculty,and staff, the Office of Registrar must maintain andcontinually improve the quality of our services andoperations. Our office is committed to providing ourstakeholders with useful services in an efficient andenvironmentally friendly manner. We also strive toachieve the necessary administrative foresight toprepare for changes in policies, laws, or campuswideefforts that might affect our services andoperations.

The Office of the Registrar will focus its efforts inthe following areas:A. Strengthen business practices byevaluating and integrating core servicesand operations.The Office of the Registrar oversees approximatelyfourteen core functions for the University. It isimperative that we continually focus efforts inincreasing our productivity and efficiency in orderto support the varied goals of the University. Someof these efforts will focus on incorporating currentand past academic record changes into one serviceand in identifying the needs and tools necessary tomanage the increased volume of Veteran studentsand dependents. The automation of paper formsand processes into online services will also increaseefficiency for our campus community. One suchproject underway is converting the legacy NCAASatisfactory Academic Progress tracking process toan online one.B. Respond to internal and external initiativessuch as changes to federal andstate law, Faculty Council legislation,and campus-wide efforts dependent onUniversity records of courses, degrees,and students.The Office of the Registrar strives to be a valuablemember of the campus community by participatingin and providing support to projects that respondto changes in educational policy. Over the comingyears, the Office of the Registrar will be responsiveto state legislative mandates such as House Bill3025, and to the UT System agreement with MyEdu.Our office will need to be perceptive and open toadjustment as the projects become more clearlydefined, adapting to the changing needs of theinstitution, and be a change agent in supporting thevarious project implementations.GOAL 5. Strategic Information TechnologyInfrastructure InvestmentsDue to an ever-changing technological environment,the Office of the Registrar will examine howwe manage data, content, and applications for ourstakeholders. We must focus on the continuousimprovement of our processes and technologies forthe benefit of our campus and the higher educationcommunity.The Office of the Registrar will focus its efforts inthe following areas:A. Expand research, development, andcollaboration to prepare for trends affectingstudent systems in higher education.The University has taken a strategic and proactiveapproach to future technology needs by developingthe University’s Administrative Systems Master Plan.The Office of the Registrar will assist these effortsby developing our administrative systems road mapsand by collaborating with the technology communityto develop and maintain applications that keeppace with modern capabilities.

B. Assess and modify systems developmentand administration.The Office of the Registrar is responsible for a significantamount of confidential and secure data. It isimportant that we continually review our processesand procedures to be sure that they are streamlinedas employees enter and leave the institution; thatdirect access to data is limited; that we anticipatefuture data needs when designing our systems;and that we implement various software audit andversioning policies necessary to meet compliancerequirements.C. Improve the user experience.As technology improves and becomes more integratedwithin the institution, it will be important toassess the accessibility and usability of our servicesand to engage, where possible, with the UT communityin mobile applications development and implementation.GOAL 6. Revenue to Enhance OperationsWhile the Office of the Registrar may have limitedmeans to participate in traditional philanthropic activities,opportunities do exist to introduce revenuesupport avenues via partnerships with internal andexternal entities.The Office of the Registrar will focus its efforts inthe following areas:A. Evaluate methods for funding servicesand operations.As with many units within the institution, it is becomingmore important to identify opportunities foralternate funding streams. The Office of the Registrarwill benchmark against other AAU institutionsto document similarities and differences betweenour funding streams and those in place at our peerinstitutions.B. Explore and evaluate entrepreneurialand creative opportunities.As permitted by University, UT System, and Boardof Regents rules, the Office of the Registrar willidentify and explore opportunities to create partnershipsthat can assist in the funding or support ofcore services and operations. Successful incorporationof this goal will result in the enhanced financialsupport of office operations.GOAL 7. Customer ServiceIt is a top priority for the Office of the Registrar toprovide personal service to current and former students,administrative staff, and University faculty.We are committed to making a positive, lastingimpression on these stakeholders by providing highlevelcustomer service both in person and online,establishing and maintaining meaningful collaborations,and offering the opportunity for customerfeedback.The Office of the Registrar will focus its efforts inthe following areas:A. Enhance communication and outreachof the Office of the Registraramong and across the University.Given its central position within the institution, it isimportant that the Office of the Registrar continueto provide the University community with pertinent,timely, and relevant information that is helpful tostudents, faculty, and staff. We must formalize ourrelationships and participation with various campusentities and actively pursue different communicationmedia to meet the changing needs of the campuspopulation.B. Refresh the Office of the Registrarwebsite to enhance its usability, timeliness,and relevance to the academiccommunity.The Office of the Registrar website provides a plethoraof helpful, relevant, and useful information. Aswe evaluate and review the current website layout,it is important to make improvements in navigationand search functions. A goal of the office is todevelop a more robust, dynamic, and useful websitethat is easily searchable and timely in its informationdisplay.

Appendix A: Process SummaryThe following outlines the process by which the2011-2014 Office of the Registrar Strategic Planwas researched and developed. Initial discussionsbegan centered on the office’s 2008-2011 strategicplan, conceived during the spring through summerof 2008. This updated document reflects ongoinggoals carried over from the prior strategic plan, aswell as current issues facing the University. BrendaSchumann, associate registrar, was charged withfacilitating the team to develop this plan.In addition to the previous strategic plan and currentinitiatives, this report is shaped by the office’smission, vision, and values. From this baseline, thefollowing areas were identified as critically importantfor the office to address:• Undergraduate Student Access and Success• Staff Excellence• Research• Productivity and Efficiency• Strategic Information Technology InfrastructureInvestments• Revenue to Enhance Operations• Customer ServiceA core planning group comprised of office staff,various University stakeholders, and student leaderswas assembled to originate the 2011-2014 goals. Inaddition to this core group, affinity groups met toexamine the areas listed above and to provide recommendationson specific goals, objectives, and tactics.Affinity groups were made up of four to sevenpeople each. Appendix B provides a list of membersfor each affinity group.As a result of the Office of the Registrar being transferredfrom the Division of Student Affairs to theOffice of the Executive Vice President and Provost inthe fall of 2011, work on this plan was delayed untilspring of 2012. On January 20, 2012, the Office ofthe Registrar held a kickoff meeting that providedcore group members with an overview of the strategicplanning process.Affinity groups met weekly in February and Marchto review the group focus with respect to subjectmatterareas and related documents. The documentsreviewed included the 2008-2011 Office of the RegistrarStrategic Plan, The University of Texas SystemAction Plan: A Framework for Advancing Excellencethroughout The University of Texas System, and anumber of recent reports including those by TheTask Force on Undergraduate Graduation Rates, TheTask Force and the Second Task Force on EnrollmentStrategy, and the Administrative Systems MasterPlan.The affinity groups then drafted the goals, objectives,and tactics included herein. In March of 2012,the senior staff discussed and reviewed the affinitygroup recommendations. On March 20, 2012, adraft of the strategic plan was given to all affinitygroup members to review. The final plan was publishedMarch 30, 2012.

Appendix B: List of ParticipantsUndergraduate Student Access andSuccessJoseph Lee, Student GovernmentShan Evans, Senior Information Technology ManagerStephanie Gonzales, Administrative AssociateMike Raney, Asst. Dean, College of Natural SciencesSara Rider, Administrative AssistantBrenda Schumann, Associate RegistrarVasanth Srinivasa, Assistant RegistrarTiffany Swonke, Administrative AssistantNathan Vickers, Senior Academic Advisor, Departmentof GovernmentStaff ExcellenceJason Andres, Administrative AssociateCindy Bargmann, Assistant to the DirectorRashida Douglas, Administrative AssociateAlma Nabhan, Administrative AssociateTim Tashjian, Associate RegistrarSydney VanBerg, Administrative AssistantErin Waneck, Senior Administrative AssociateResearchAshley Adams, Assistant RegistrarTara O’Neill, Program ManagerBrenda Schumann, Associate RegistrarPeter Telck, Senior Administrative AssociateDiane Todd-Sprague, Associate Director, Office ofStudent Financial ServicesEmily Van Duyn, Senate of College CouncilsGlen Wadleigh, Senior Software Developer/AnalystProductivity and EfficiencyJeana Baumgardner, Assistant RegistrarClarence Bonnen, Senior Information TechnologyManagerCierra Campbell, Administrative AssistantSara Cheatham, Administrative AssociateAlex Correa, Senior Software Developer/AnalystBarbara Fehlman, Administrative AssociateBobby Kendrick, Administrative AssistantStrategic Information Technology InfrastructureInvestmentsClarence Bonnen, Sr. Information Technology ManagerAlex Correa, Senior Software Developer/AnalystShan Evans, Senior Information Technology ManagerGary Green, Senior Desktop Support SpecialistAndy Loomis, Senior Software Developer/AnalystTim Tashjian, Associate RegistrarRevenue to Enhance OperationsCindy Bargmann, Assistant to the DirectorDan Knauft, Associate RegistrarTara O’Neill, Program ManagerBrenda Schumann, Associate RegistrarShelby Stanfield, Vice-Provost and University RegistrarTim Tashjian, Associate RegistrarCustomer ServiceJeannette Cook, Administrative AssociateDenise Cox, Senior Administrative AssociateAllison Ginger, Student GovernmentLisa Holden, Administrative AssistantLaura Lansing, Administrative AssistantLexi Losch, Assistant RegistrarClaire Spera, Senior Administrative AssociatePaula Walker, Administrative Assistant

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