Strategic Plan

The goals for the Office of the Registrar outlined in the following Strategic Plan are in alignment with the University of Georgia’s 2020 Strategic Plan (Strategic Directions in parenthesis).

Goal 1:

The Office of the Registrar will ensure the academic integrity of student academic records.

(UGA Strategic Direction I: Building on Excellence in Undergraduate Education)

As the official recorder and custodian of student academic records, it is imperative that the Office of the Registrar ensure the accuracy and integrity of all student academic records. Our goal is to accomplish this by:

• Ensuring all areas of the office have comprehensive written policies and procedures

• Reviewing access periodically and making any necessary changes

• Retaining data custodianship as defined by the standards set forth by American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO)

• Designing mechanisms to automatically update and audit records to complement the student information systems transitions

• Developing in conjunction with EITS a permanent transcript delivery solution for students who attended prior to the implementation of Athena

• Validating all transcript data prior to the release of an ordered transcript

• Auditing changes in Athena performed by the office 

Goal 2:

The Office of the Registrar will continue to be a campus leader in student-centered services.

(UGA Strategic Direction I: Building on Excellence in Undergraduate Education and Strategic Direction V: Improving Faculty Recruitment, Retention, and Development)

The Office of the Registrar will continue its efforts as a campus leader in student-centered services by:

• Enhancing the self-service functions of Athena:
  
  • Developing a method to send certification letters for students using pdf technology
  
  
  • Developing an online grade change solution in Athena for faculty
  
  
  • Continuing to educate the campus on the new culture of student taking responsibility for registration, curriculum, and graduation changes
    
    
  • Continuing to educate the campus on the new culture of faculty taking responsibility for posting grades and confirming enrollment

• Continuing to cross-train office employees
  
  • Continuing to train the campus on scheduling courses, registration, administrative holds, registration, and graduation functions.
  
  
  • Continuing to reevaluate the current office structure and make changes as appropriate
    
    
  • Restructuring the office to offer a true production support unit

Goal 3:

The Office of the Registrar will strengthen security of all data and systems. 

(UGA Strategic Direction I: Building on Excellence in Undergraduate Education; and Strategic Direction VI: Improving and Maintaining Facilities and Infrastructure to Provide Excellence in Instruction, Research, and Service)

The strengthening of the security for all data, both electronic and physical, will be accomplished by the Office of the Registrar in the following ways:

• Electronic:
  
  
  • Continuing to administer the FERPA quiz and monitor user access to ensure compliance
  
  
  • Developing MOUs with school and college deans’ offices and campus divisions (Student Affairs, Alumni Association) to certify that they understand the requirements to keep student data secure
  
  
  • Implementing a new user access request system to organize and record the users access for all functional units based on fluctuating needs
  
  
  • Revamping user groups to identify who has access to certain forms in Athena
    
    
  • Employing a new, streamlined MOU and data request process to ensure that FERPA guidelines are being met

 

• Physical:
  
  
  • Continuing to contract with EITS to host servers in the Boyd Data Center with MOUs signed by both parties
  
  
  • Working with Enterprise Information Security to ensure storage of Student Data is behind a UGA firewall, the servers are penetration tested, and Arch Pass protected
    
    
  • Limiting PCs designated as restrictive in the office

Goal 4:

The Office of the Registrar will improve communications internally, with students, and our partners across campus. 

(Direction I: Building on Excellence in Undergraduate Education)

Seeking to improve its internal and external communications, the Office of the Registrar hopes to accomplish this goal by:

• Redesigning the Office of the Registrar sponsored websites
  • Main Office of the Registrar website
  • University Council website

• Developing a wiki to house office policies and procedures

• Developing a communications plan for internal and external audience
  • Dedicate a resource to serve as a communications liaison

• Providing continuous professional development opportunities to new and continuing staff

• Continuing to meet with the Registrar’s Advisory Council for input and dissemination of information; expand RAC invitees to other campus populations

 

Adopted by the Office of the Registrar
February 2015