Texas Christian University (TCU) seeks an experienced, strategic and visionary leader to serve as University Registrar.
About the University
Founded in 1873, TCU is ranked among the top 100 national universities by U.S. News & World Report, and its 9,700 undergraduates represent 76 countries and more than 60 faiths. Current enrollment stands at 11,379, with 717 full-time faculty members. TCU offers 116 areas of undergraduate, 72 master’s level, and 38 doctoral areas of study delivered in a friendly, mentoring culture. Nearly half of all undergraduates live on campus, and The Princeton Review ranks TCU’s residence halls and quality of student life #4 in the nation.
The tree-lined suburban campus (ranked #20 most beautiful by The Princeton Review) is located five miles from downtown Fort Worth. The University has nine schools and colleges, including the John V. Roach Honors College and the TCU & UNTHSC school of medicine, which is operated in collaboration with the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth.
TCU continues to draw inspiration from its historical roots with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), whose hallmarks include openness and willingness to engage difference and a commitment to academic rigor. Named a "Great College to Work For" by Modern Think for 10 years in a row, TCU is also ranked #5 in The Princeton Review's "Best Run Colleges."
As TCU looks towards the future, it identifies three foundational themes that transcend the institutional goals and are key to the University’s strategic direction – Diversity and Inclusion, Student Experience and Student Support. These fundamental themes are explored in TCU’s strategic plan: Vision in Action: Lead On.
About Fort Worth
Fort Worth is the 12th largest city in the United States with a population of 927,720 in 2020. It is known for its attractive cultural, educational, and entertainment opportunities. The city boasts three world-class art museums—the Kimbell Art Museum, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, and the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. The Bass Performance Hall is one of the premier venues in the country, home to world-class touring productions; resident dance, music, and opera companies; and performances by TCU students and faculty. In 2018 Fort Worth had the 6th highest population growth among any large U.S. city and in 2014 was named #1 in the livability.com list of Top Ten Downtowns in the country.
Position Description and Responsibilities
Reporting to the Associate Provost for Enrollment Management, the Registrar leads a staff of 14 employees and provides strategic leadership and direction for all aspects of the University’s student academic record-keeping systems. The Registrar ensures timely and efficient delivery of services, overseeing quality controls, and promoting effective management of student academic records. Using exceptional leadership and supervisory skills, the Registrar leads the office in its strategic direction as well as its complex and detailed day-to-day operations. The Registrar must have an in-depth understanding of student records administration, and knowledge of current records, registration, and enrollment policies, Title IV compliance and other regulations, laws and trends as well as an in depth understanding of the student information system. The Registrar is the University’s custodian of academic records and is responsible for the development, maintenance, and integrity of those records, ensuring compliance with all laws, University policies, and guidelines.
The Registrar must also lead the development and implementation of strategies and policies that will make certain TCU is in full compliance with federal and state laws and university policies. In support of these responsibilities, the Registrar must identify and deliver technology solutions to enhance business processes and procedures; support innovative and evolving teaching pedagogies and programs; and deliver data that support the
University’s academic and administrative policies and the delivery of services to students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
Major areas of responsibility include:
- Establish and maintain collaborative and effective working relationships with academic and administrative leaders throughout the university.
- Provides leadership in managing multifaceted technological systems (Oracle PeopleSoft, Ad Astra) and evaluates and utilizes tools and applications that represent the best industry standards.
- Develops and implements processes and solutions that advance the University’s commitment to strengthening academic profile and reputation.
- Identifies and evaluates market trends and assesses opportunities to adopt initiatives that advance strategic goals.
- Demonstrates ability to adapt to changing demands, both internal and external, and remain flexible and available to leadership, faculty, and staff.
- Partners with deans, associate deans, and faculty to establish course schedules that meet academic requirements and facilitate a path to degree completion for all students.
- Manages and maintains all business processes that lead to creation of student academic records.
- Directs, plans, and oversees registration, final grading, and degree clearance.
- Manages classroom scheduling and serves as a functional lead for room scheduling system.
- Assures fiduciary responsibility by allocating resources appropriately, developing budgets, monitoring expenditures and managing projects to implement new technology.
- Works in partnership with other student service and administrative offices including Admissions, Financial Aid, Student Financials, Information Technology, Academic Advising, and Institutional Research.
- Ensures compliance with state and federal policies, including FERPA and SACSCOC accreditation, and provides reports to various governmental, public, private, and academic agencies.
- Provides oversight of compliance with NCAA academic eligibility requirements and certification of student academic eligibility.
- Provides oversight of compliance with Veteran Affairs eligibility requirements and certification of student eligibility for VA benefits.
- Maintains staff by recruiting selecting and training employees; maintaining a safe, secure and legal work environment; developing personal growth opportunities.
Position Qualifications
The ideal candidate will demonstrate a record of accomplishment in promoting a culture of data driven decision making and the ability to improve business processes by leveraging integrated CRM systems while leading staff in responding to industry changes and technological advances.
The successful candidate will also possess:
- Bachelor’s degree with seven years of progressively responsible experience with academic records and registration, including three years in a leadership position.
- Ability to establish and maintain a highly collaborative and effective working relationship with a broad and diverse group of academic and administrative leaders from across the university, including schools and colleges, and central offices.
- Strong management skills, including the ability to direct and motivate staff responsible for time-sensitive, customer-oriented processes.
- Ability to plan, communicate, and establish consensus for projects, priorities, and goals.
- Excellent analytical, reasoning, and organizational skills and an affinity toward and with technology.
- Proven ability to relate effectively to a wide variety of people of diverse backgrounds, including an understanding and respect for cultural, ethnic, and individual differences.
- Strong commitment to delivering excellent customer service to students, faculty, staff, alumni, and other constituents.
- Extensive understanding of the interrelationships among core student service functions, such as Admissions, Financial Aid, Bursar, and Title IV Compliance.
- Success in leveraging the power of technology to meet the dynamic needs of an operation.
Preferred Education and Experience:
- Master’s Degree; and five years of progressively responsible experience with academic records and registration; and three years in a leadership position.
- Significant experience managing a student information system and other systems that support the mission of the Registrar office.
- Experience implementing policies and procedures to enforce federal and state laws and university policies governing student records administration including but not limited to Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Title IV Financial Aid, and Higher Education Authorization (HEA).
How to Apply
Interested candidates should send, as two separate documents, a resume and a letter of application that relates skills, abilities, knowledge, and professional experiences to the stated qualifications for the position and notable achievements. The packet should be sent to URTCU@wspelman.com. The subject line in the email should be URTCU.
Confidential inquiries may be made by contacting Megan Spelman by email to Megan@wspelman.com or by telephone at 585-750-7091.
For full consideration, all materials should be received by August 20, 2021. The process will continue until the position is filled.
As an AA/EEO employer, TCU recruits, hires, and promotes qualified persons in all job classifications without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ethnic origin, disability, genetic information, covered veteran status, or any other basis protected by law.
