Sessions at a Glance 2025

Sessions at a Glance

Subject to Change

Sunday - November 9, 2025

Pre-Conference Sessions

Session Time                                                         
Pre-Conference Workshops               
additional registration required
9:00am - 12:00pm
Leadership Development Institute
by invitation
9:00am - 11:00am
 

Monday & Tuesday - November 10-11, 2025

Note: Session proposals are still being submitted and reviewed. Additional sessions will be added as they are approved. 
 
Session TitleSession AbstractSession Presenter(s)Institution(s)
Are You Ready to Rest? (for real though)AKA Burnout pt4! Experts agree that the ideal time to rest is BEFORE you need it. The same way that Fun is more than just ‘not work’ rest is more than a nap. Lets examine our tendency to overwork and under rest; so we can work less and accomplish more! Chelsea PeoplesUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas
Assess, Discern, Act: Increasing Agency through a 'What Is?' MindsetWhat words do we use in challenging situations? Don’t get stuck in “If Only” or “What If”. In this session we’ll discuss the “What Is?” mindset and how it gives us power (and reduces stress) as we assess situations, discern actionable alternatives, and intentionally choose our response.Jeff Williams & Julia PomerenkUniversity of California - Riverside & University of Oregon
Bloom Where You Are Planted: Managing your career for success in work and lifeHow do you determine which environmental elements you can control and navigate those you can't? Let's talk about best practices for managing your career, including the inevitable - change - in order to strive for a balanced environment in which you can grow and bloom.Kristen LabrecqueUniversity of Washington Bothell
Blooming in the Chaos: A Roundtable for Millennial and Young Professional PACRAO AttendeesJoin fellow millennials and young professionals for a roundtable on navigating higher ed’s ever-changing landscape. Share challenges, wins, and survival strategies in a space built for connection and real talk. Whether you're thriving or just hanging on, if this sounds like your vibe, you’re welcome here.Maggie Ramirez & Omar Saucedo The University of Arizona & University of California, San Francisco
Comparing & Evaluating Academic Policies to Promote Student SuccessIn this session, we'll highlight the registrar's role in promoting student success through academic policy. We'll also review research into how other institutions are implementing common academic policies, and discuss best practices, successes, and challenges with these policies (or with not having them) at our institutions.Joe TateUniversity of Phoenix
Creating a Culture of Inclusion Between Staff and Faculty at Gonzaga University

Identifies a desired outcome, in which both staff and faculty feel included in each other’s work
Highlights specific milestones that demonstrate a movement toward greater inclusion between the two groups 

Evan Schanzenbach & Morgan AndersonGonzaga University
Enhancing Transfer Evaluation with OCR: Challenges and Successes in AdmissionsThis presentation explores our experience integrating OCR into transcript evaluation, addressing challenges like document variability and system integration. We’ll share strategies to improve accuracy, reduce errors, and train staff. Attendees will gain insights into implementation lessons, best practices, and recommendations for using OCR to enhance efficiency and data consistency.Kris ThrasherUniversity of Phoenix
Extending the Life Cycle of a Position Associated with High BurnoutHave you ever felt like Judi Hops as the “Meter Maid” in Zootopia? Working in a role associated with high burnout rates is exhausting. Come learn about UM's successes and challenges and share stories and tools on supporting high-burnout positions.Sarah CorbinUniversity of Montana
Fool's Gold or Real Gold: Mining Student Data Through the Merger of IR and University Registrar OfficesIn January 2023, Gonzaga University merged the offices of IR and Registrar. In this presentation, we engage in a conversation through a presentation highlighting what we have gone through in the last 2 years. We address the following:

  • World before the merger

  • Transition

  • Merger

  • Post-merger opportunities and challenges

  • Reflection
Maxwell Kwenda & Heather TeshomeGonzaga University
From Seed to Service: Growing a Student Workforce That DeliversDiscover how the University of Arizona’s Office of the Registrar leverages a student worker team of nearly 50 to enhance services and productivity. Learn practical strategies to build, expand, and manage a student workforce that supports institutional goals while providing meaningful student employment experiences.Jacob Brainerd, Maggie Ramirez, & Michael DavenportThe University of Arizona
How to Bloom in a Drought: Leveraging Resources you Already HaveTwo gutsy Associate Registrars took a new look at operations to revise processes on the fly and make the impossible possible. Focusing on progress versus perfection, we drastically reduced degree clearance time. Learn how we planted the seeds, separated plants from weeds, and emerged with a garden in full bloom. Tina Miller & Leigh MillerUniversity of Washington
It's Genius!Come learn how to maximize your team's collective genius! Based on Pat Lencioni’s, The Six Types of Working Genius, his book can help you identify your type and leverage those of your team to improve communication, enhance collaboration, drive effective decision-making, streamline workflow, and improve project completion.Cheryl GaughanPoint Loma Nazarene University
It's Not About You: How to Recognize & Combat Managerial FragilityA great opportunity for managers to learn about managerial fragility and the ways we can combat our vulnerabilities to better support our teams! An emerging theory in Higher Education scholarship, managerial fragility sits at the intersection of white fragility and managerialism in higher education. Alex UnderwoodThe University of Arizona
Managing UnapologeticallyIt's easy to fall into the trap of over-apologizing and second-guessing decisions we make. "Managing unapologetically" isn't about being arrogant or dismissive; it's about being confident in your decisions, embracing vulnerability, and creating environments where everyone feels empowered to take risks, make mistakes, and grow.Lindsay StadlerPomona College
No Degree Application? No problem!At Oregon State, undergraduate students do not submit a graduation application. This presentation will cover our process we call Institutional awarding, discuss why we implemented this program and the impact on the university. Jarrell TownsendOregon State University
Our Burnout Journey: Where have we been & How are we doing?Roundtable: We will discuss topics and lessons from the first three parts of the Burnout Series. This session can also serve as a review for those who haven't seen previous sessions or just want the information fresh for this year's Part 4!Chelsea PeoplesUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas
Reimagining Class Scheduling & Lessons Learned Along the WayThe University of Arizona will share highlights from the 5-year project to Reimagine the Room and Course Scheduling process. Attendees of this session will learn about our experiences, including project partnerships, approach to change management, and lessons learned along the way.Jaclyn PryorThe University of Arizona
Restoring Trust and Rebuilding Morale: Using Restorative Circles at Registrar's OfficeThis session explores how the Registrar’s Office used restorative circles to rebuild trust, morale, and team cohesion after a leadership transition. By fostering open dialogue and creating a safe space for staff voices, the approach helped break down silos, address tensions, and reestablish a unified, collaborative workplace culture.Shelly HsuCalifornia State University-Fullerton
Sharpen Your Saw: Breaking Free from Career StagnationFeeling stuck in your career? Join our discussion for candid confessions and practical strategies to overcome workplace stagnation. Explore the art of “brave it until you make it” and learn to sharpen your saw professionally and personally to break free from routine, manage up and down, and embrace positive change. Shelly HsuCalifornia State University-Fullerton
Slate Residency Portal Implementation Success!In the summer of 2025, the University of Washington Residency Team moved from making residency decisions using a compilation of Excel spreadsheets, emails, appointment scheduling software, and random Word files to an elegant use of Slate to develop a new Residency portal. Come to see our new Slate Residency Portal.Helen Garrett & Alison BazeleyUniversity of Washington
Small to Mid-Size College Registrar's Office RoundtableThis session will be a round table discussion regarding various topics/areas of the registrar's office. We will focus on colleges with smaller enrollments. The intent is for attendees to share issues and solutions among the group with a narrow emphasis on small to mid-size colleges.Steven StubbsNorth Idaho College
Strategies to Maximize Outcomes as an Influential Leader on CampusWe have all been there before, you are not formally in charge of an initiative and yet you are “somehow responsible” for it all.  How then do you maximize your ability to lead when the solid and dotted lines on an org chart are unclear?  Join us to find out!Marc BookerUniversity of Phoenix
Streamlining Graduation Evaluation: A Custom PeopleSoft Integration for Real-Time Deficiency NotificationsOur institution struggled with static candidate lists in the ACCESS database, resulting in outdated graduation evaluations. To address this, our IT department developed a dynamic solution—a customized PeopleSoft page that integrates with our degree audit system (u.achieve). This tool revolutionizes how we updates and notifies students’ academic deficiencies.Shelly HsuCalifornia State University-Fullerton
Supporting Student Parents through Policy and PracticeStudent parents face unique challenges navigating higher education systems. This roundtable invites registrar and admissions professionals to share insights, examine common barriers, and explore practical strategies for more inclusive, student-centered practices that support student parents. Let’s learn from each other and re-imagine how we serve.Peyton CoronasUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas
Table Talk: Classroom and Academic Scheduling RoundtableJoin our roundtable to connect with colleagues and discuss Classroom and Academic Scheduling current topics. This session is well suited for new and seasoned scheduling professionals alike to convene and share best practices.
 
Jaclyn PryorThe University of Arizona
The Changing Face of DEI: Challenges, Realities, and OpportunitiesThis round table will provide education professionals a collaborative space to discuss DEI challenges and strategies amid evolving policies. Participants will explore legislative impacts, campus climate, and resource allocation while sharing innovative approaches to fostering inclusion. Attendees will gain insights and actionable strategies to sustain DEI efforts in changing landscapes.TBD 
Unleashing Potential: The power of multipliers in leadershipExploring concepts from "Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter" we will explore differences between good leaders (Multipliers) who enhance team performance and bad leaders (Diminishers) who stifle it. Attendees will identify their diminishing tendencies and learn how to get the most from their teams.Ronald VenegasLa Sierra University
When Leaders Bloom Together: The Transformative Power of Friendship in Higher Education Josh Hibbard, Erin Mason, & Julia PomerenkWhitworth University, University of Utah, & University of Oregon