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For the Record, An AACRAO Podcast

For the Record, An AACRAO Podcast

Doug McKenna 90 episodes Latest Jun 3, 2026

A podcast by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), hosted by Doug McKenna. It covers topics relevant to registrars and admissions officers in higher education.

Episodes

Becoming a Higher Education Leader Jun 3, 2026 2406 “University Registrar” isn’t usually included in the list of dream jobs for children. So how did we all wind up in these higher education leadership roles, and what have we learned along the way? In this episode, Andrew Marx, University Registrar at Clark University talks about his unconventional, yet not altogether uncommon path to the registrar’s office. Andy shares his reflections on becoming a
90 Credit Degrees (“Applied Baccalaureates”) May 14, 2026 2308 Season 9 kicks off with a discussion about 90 credit degrees and how the University of Maine System is moving forward with three Applied Baccalaureate degrees as a way of bringing learners with some college but no degree back to the university system. Chancellor Dan Malloy and Vice Chancellor Jeff St. John join to talk about their process for developing the Applied Baccalaureates, the surprisingly
A Conversation Between Friends Feb 26, 2026 2690 Welcome back to For the Record! After an unintentional hiatus (writing a dissertation), we’re back with one of my favorite people: Keisha Campbell. We talk about her fascinating career arc, her involvement with the AACRAO REG 201 preconference workshop, what life is like at an HBCU right now, and how she is staying grounded in the world today. It’s a wide-ranging and in parts funny, in parts serio
Don’t Let Your Ego Be Your Enemy Nov 4, 2025 3002 This episode was inspired by Ryan Holiday’s book, Ego is the Enemy, and its applications of Stoicism to modern ideas of leadership and management. With everything that’s going on in the United States as a backdrop, this episode reiterates the importance of focusing on service over receiving recognition, on cultivating humility, and leading with wisdom. These practices can help you avoid developing
Holding Doors Sep 17, 2025 2535 In this conversation with Dr. Cié Gee from the University of Texas at San Antonio we explore the idea of leadership through the roles of line leader and door holder–familiar responsibilities from elementary school. Dr. Gee argues that the door holder is a less glamorous but potentially more important role than the line leader, and we discuss ways door holding opportunities present themselves in th
What’s a Registrar Anyway, Revisited Aug 20, 2025 1954 In the very first official episode of this podcast, we explored the question of what even is a registrar. Now, with six more years of experience that included a global pandemic, it was time to once again take stock of our understanding of the role of the registrar. What do we do? And how do we explain what we do to people who work at our institutions or to people  all the way outside of higher edu
Hire the Best and Treat Them Well Jul 16, 2025 3110 Two very important functions we engage in as registrars are hiring and onboarding. Perhaps surprisingly, we don’t spend a lot of time talking about either of those very important practices. In this episode we discuss ways to improve the interviewing and hiring process for everyone involved, along with practical ways to bring your new hire into your office and get them acculturated quickly.   Key T
Harnessing Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education Jun 17, 2025 2134 Following up on the previous episode about AI’s potential applications to higher education, this episode focuses on the work that the Computational Approaches to Human Learning research lab at UC Berkeley is doing under the direction of Dr. Zach Pardos. We talk about ways AI can assist with transfer or credit mobility, ways AI might be able to streamline the creation of degree pathways for student
What the Carnegie Classifications Mean for You May 12, 2025 1848 For more than 50 years, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has been categorizing institutions in a functional but basic way–by the highest degree the institution awards and the amount of research generated by the institution. Even as American higher education changed significantly from the early 1970s, the classifications remained the same. Until recently! In this episode we t
The 110th Annual Meeting Apr 14, 2025 1492 The AACRAO Annual Meeting is a phenomenal event for networking, learning, and catching up with friends and colleagues. This year’s meeting, held in Seattle, Washington, brought together more than 1,700 higher education professionals for breakout sessions, plenaries, timely topics, and great fun. Key Takeaways:The AACRAO Annual Meeting continues to provide outstanding opportunities for personal and
Artificial Intelligence in the Registrar’s Office Mar 11, 2025 3094 Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a hot topic everywhere these days. What is it, what are its promises, and what are its current limitations in terms of applicability to the work we do in a registrar’s office. You’ll hear from the Chief AI Officer at George Mason University about the promises and challenges of AI, and from a privacy and information law attorney about some of the considerations we sh
The Registrar’s Office is a Service Office Jan 28, 2025 1678 Pursuing an education is a political act. Working in a registrar’s office means providing service. In the currently divisive political climate, with an ever diversifying student (and faculty and staff) population, how can we provide the kind of servant leadership our communities need?Key Takeaways:Being a servant leader is about treating people with respect, putting others’ needs ahead of your own

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