University Registrar

Stevens Institute of Technology invites nominations and applications for the position of University Registrar. Stevens seeks a visionary and innovative leader with a strong ability to build facilitative and supportive relationships throughout the University community. For a talented, opportunistic, and energetic leader, this is an impactful position in which to grow professionally and help lead Stevens to heightened levels of productivity within the Office of the Registrar.

About Stevens Institute of Technology

Stevens Institute of Technology is a premier, private research university in Hoboken, New Jersey, overlooking the Manhattan skyline. Since its founding in 1870, technological innovation and entrepreneurship have been the hallmarks of Stevens’ education and research. Within the university’s three schools and one college, Stevens prepares its more than 9,000 undergraduate and graduate students for an increasingly complex and technology-centric world. Our exceptional students collaborate closely with world-class faculty in an interdisciplinary, student-centric, entrepreneurial environment, readying them to fuel the innovation economy. Academic and research programs spanning business, computing, engineering and the arts expand the frontiers of science and leverage technology to confront the most challenging problems of our time. Stevens is home to two National Centers of Excellence — the Maritime Security Center (MSC) and the Systems Engineering Research Center (SERC) — as well as leading-edge scholarship and research centers in disciplines such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and cybersecurity, including the Stevens Institute for Artificial Intelligence (SIAI); biomedical engineering, healthcare and life sciences; complex systems and networks; data science and information systems; financial systems and technologies, including the Center for Research toward Advancing Financial Technologies (CRAFT); and resilience and sustainability. Stevens is consistently ranked among the nation’s leaders in ROI and career services, and is in the top 1% nationally of colleges with the highest-paid graduates.

This is an exciting time to join Stevens, as the University advances to the level of excellence, impact, and reputation of a premier, student-centric, technological research university on a remarkable ascent trajectory. Stevens 2032: Inspired by Humanity, Powered by Technology is a bold new plan that charts a path for a future likely to be characterized by rapid change and the diffusion of technology across all aspects of life and work. The University believes that by achieving the ambitious goals set forth in this plan, and by keeping “Excellence in All We Do” as its guiding principle, Stevens will claim a place among the most respected technological universities in the nation and the world.

Position Description and Responsibilities

The University Registrar is a senior level position reporting to the Associate Provost and provides strategic planning, direction and supervision for all activities pertaining to the Office of the Registrar.

The Registrar will be responsible for managing day-to-day operations and supervision of the Registrar's Office. With responsibility for 12 professional staff, this is a position for a skilled manager of people and programs. The Registrar will foster a team environment that sets clear expectations and is cohesive, imaginative, and results-oriented. Furthermore, the Registrar will be responsible for delivering a high-level of service to students, faculty, and staff and focus on transformational activities that will develop the office to be best-in-class.

On an operational perspective, the Registrar is responsible for the maintenance and integrity of all student data and academic records, and must ensure adherence to university policies and procedures, as well as state and federal regulations. The Registrar will manage all staff and functions associated with student academic records, including but not restricted to: planning and executing orderly registration and graduation; developing an academic calendar and course scheduling; maintaining, securing and retaining student records; executing transfer credit transactions, processing grades; preparing and distributing transcripts; maintaining compliance with academic policies and FERPA regulations. The Registrar will play a central role in the development and implementation of university academic and administrative policies affecting students and courses, by engaging in regular interactions with university leadership.

The University Registrar along with the Office of the Registrar staff is responsible for the following responsibilities:

• Plans, coordinates and implements all phases of the registration process.
• Supervises maintenance of complete and accurate academic records for each student, including transcripts and academic files.
• Supervises Registrar's office functions, including registration, add/drop, transcripts, deferments, leave of absence, enrollment, degree verifications, graduation clearance, updating the academic portion of the university’s catalog and subpoena processing.
• Verifies students’ degree-completion requirements at appropriate points in their programs and communicate as needed with Academic Program Directors and Deans.
• Ensures timely completion of course schedules.  Supervise compilation and maintenance of official listings of all courses offered each term and the scheduling of classes, classroom planning, and other related functions.
• Enhances the usage of Workday Student, amongst other systems and software to improve processes and operations. Ensures timely response to student, faculty, and staff inquiries and develop an infrastructure/mechanism to ensure high quality service.
• The University Registrar serves as the University's FERPA compliance officer. Establish and oversee procedures concerning the release of student information. Ensure that the University is FERPA compliant through strict adherence to FERPA guidelines. Conduct FERPA training for all university personnel.
• Supports the university's academic mission by serving on appropriate curriculum and academic committees.
• Develops a strong command of university-level policies and procedures as well as academic policies and recommend improvements as appropriate related to the functions of the Office of the Registrar.
• Provides weekly and monthly reports to program leaders and academic departments. Provide ad-hoc reports as requested by various campus offices.
• Assists with enrollment monitoring and various reporting responsibilities such as Veteran’s Affairs certifications, and the National Student Loan Clearinghouse submission.
• Conducts trend analysis on capacity related items such as optimal class size, and course offering schematic.
• Assists in identifying students for review by the appropriate campus satisfactory academic progress committees.
• The University Registrar manages a budget of $1.75MM for the Office of the Registrar.

Reflecting the current momentum and trajectory of Stevens, the University Registrar will imagine, develop, and implement a bold vision for the Office of the Registrar that is anticipatory and ever evolving to meet student, faculty, and staff needs. Priorities for the new leader will include:

Lead the next phase of the Office of the Registrar with vision, creativity, and collaboration

Leadership of the University seeks to be bold, forward-thinking, and proactive in every aspect of the Office of the Registrar. There is a history of — and willingness to — invest in office, and the new leader will feel the support of the entire Stevens community. The Registrar will assess the Office’s current structure and determine the optimal path forward.

Enhance the use of technology and data at all levels and decision making
Data and technology are essential components of a robust strategy, and the new Registrar will further a culture that is guided by rigorous analysis and data-informed planning. The new Registrar will work closely with Information Technology partners to continue to enhance systems adoption and effectiveness.

The Successful Candidate

In addition to the operations of managing and leading an Office of the Registrar team, a successful candidate must have experience transforming the operations and organizational structure of a Registrar’s Office working in close collaboration with university stakeholders. This position will require the leader to focus on continuous improvement; enhancement of processes and services to better support students, faculty, and staff; and work in close collaboration with academic and administrative leadership teams.

In addition, the University Registrar will:

• Authentically embrace and promote the mission of the University.
• Establish strategic direction, priorities, and goals for the office; use data and analytical expertise to make proposals and decisions.
• Lead a transparent and forward-looking office that aims high, projects clear outcomes, and evaluates achievements in coordination with the mission of the University.
• Develop a proactive plan to build strong partnerships with external constituents and key stakeholders.

A successful candidate must be familiar with government and accrediting agency reports and regulations. Experience with academic enterprise resource planning and knowledge of web-based registration, grade entry, and degree audits is required.

Professional Qualifications and Personal Qualities
Stevens seeks candidates with sustained, effective, and significant higher education leadership experience. The new leader will be ambitious in achieving goals while also encompassing the compassion and student centeredness reflected in the University's mission.

A successful candidate must possess a master’s degree and at least ten years of progressively responsible experience with academic records and registration, including eight or more years in a leadership position.

• Vision and leadership: expertise to lead teams; openness to other opinions and ideas while staying grounded to meet goals and carry out the mission of the institution. Must have experience transforming and developing a best-in-class team with streamlined and effective business processes.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion: a passion for advancing diversity and equity and enhancing inclusiveness; experience bringing individuals of varying backgrounds and differing viewpoints together to find common ground. Adaptable and comfortable with change: ability to anticipate and respond to a rapidly evolving environment to help Stevens stay current and competitive.
• Innovative thinker and change agent: an entrepreneurial outlook and eye to new possibilities and emerging challenges; a willingness to bring new ideas and take calculated risks. Extensive knowledge of computer systems and information technology, along with demonstrated experience developing and utilizing that technology, in a large and complex university setting.
• Commitment to collaboration: an open and collaborative leadership style that builds trust across constituencies; an interest in engagement of campus constituents to involve the entire institution.
• Passion for leading: exceptional leadership skills; a commitment to building and motivating teams; an interest in developing staff members and providing opportunities for professional growth.
• Personal qualities: excellent interpersonal and organization skills; confidence and excitement about change; entrepreneurial spirit; commitment to innovation; sound judgment and integrity; outstanding written and oral communication skills; ability to multi-task; a personal presence that is active and inclusive; demonstrated skill working with diverse cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives.

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 URStevens@wspelman.com.

Confidential inquiries may be made by contacting Megan Spelman by email to Megan@wspelman.com or by telephone at 585-750-7091.

Confidential review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the appointment is made. It is preferred, however, that all nominations and applications be submitted prior to November 4th, 2022.

Stevens Institute of Technology is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Accordingly, Stevens adheres to an employment policy that prohibits discriminatory practices or harassment against candidates or employees based on legally impermissible factor(s) including, but not necessarily limited to, race, color, religion, creed, sex, national origin, nationality, citizenship status, age, ancestry, marital or domestic partnership or civil union status, familial status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, atypical cellular or blood trait, genetic information, pregnancy or pregnancy-related medical conditions, disability, or any protected military or veteran status.

Stevens is building a diverse faculty, staff and student body and strongly encourages applications from female and minority candidates as well as veterans and individuals with disabilities. Stevens is a federal contractor under the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as well as other federal statutes.

Jeanne Clery Disclosure:

In accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act), the Department of Public Safety is required to publish an annual security report which includes statistics mandated by the Clery Act. You can obtain a copy of this report by accessing the following web site: http://www.stevens.edu/sit/police