UNews - registrar

Susie Kennedy brings her passion for IT and people to her new role as registrar

caroline.zentner — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 16:13:51 +0000

Decades ago, maintaining student university records was strictly a pen-and-paper task.

Technology put an end to all that, eventually ushering in a new era where students and alumni access their records online and prospective students get acquainted with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s digital campus before they even set foot on the grounds.

“Systems has become an integral part of the registrar’s role now,” says Susie Kennedy, who took over as the U of L’s registrar on July 1. “I still think the front door is important for some and quality access there is important as well.”

Kennedy, whose first degree is in information systems, is adept at seeing the organization as a whole and how a small change in one area affects other parts of the system.

“I have a passion for the combination of IT (information technology) and people. It’s an interesting area to both work and do research in,” she says.

Kennedy is currently working on her fourth degree, a doctorate through Aston ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in England. She’s focusing her dissertation on work groups and promotion in IT. While people who work in the technology field are specialized, they are also part of a team. Kennedy wants to know what happens to someone’s identity when they are promoted out of the team.

“There has been no other work that has reviewed the changing identity through promotion, so this is really new,” she says.

Being a student herself, Kennedy brings a dual perspective to her role as registrar. Service to students is paramount, both in access and equity.

“I believe the Registrar’s Office should work from a determined institutional perspective, with student service, access, accuracy and equity as priorities. Our role is also to serve institutional needs, provide Faculties and programs with support, to ensure they can also fulfil their roles,” says Kennedy.

The Registrar’s Office and its 45-member team report to Dr. Judith Lapadat, associate vice-president (Students).

“It’s a well-rounded team in terms of expertise; we’re really fortunate here,” she says.

Kennedy was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. and raised in the Ottawa Valley, the second youngest of nine children. Her mother, widowed when Kennedy was only two years old, moved to Lethbridge when Kennedy was in high school, following in the footsteps of some of her older children who had already moved west.

After high school, Kennedy attended the U of L without a clear idea of what she wanted to do. She took a couple of years off to work and then attended Lethbridge College to study business administration. She subsequently took advantage of the post-diploma agreement between the college and the U of L and continued her studies at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

“I thought I’d be interested in human resources but then I saw that management information systems major. It was a phenomenal program and I really enjoyed it,” she says.

She started teaching in IT at Lethbridge College and completed a master’s degree in educational technology at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary. She later completed a master of science in management at the U of L.

In her rare spare moments, Kennedy enjoys spending time with her husband Dave and their children, cultivating her flower garden and travelling.

Information for Alberta high school students and parents

trevor.kenney — Wed, 26 Jun 2013 22:32:58 +0000

Due to the impact of the recent flooding, some school boards in Alberta have made the decision that diploma exams are optional for the 2012/13 school year.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will use the final grade recorded in courses by Alberta Education, with or without the completion of a diploma exam, in making its final admission decision for students.

Questions regarding admission decisions may be directed to the Office of the Registrar at 403-320-5700, regoffice.inquiries@uleth.ca, or admissions@uleth.ca.

Information for Alberta high school students and parents

trevor.kenney — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 15:02:05 +0000

Given the decisions of Alberta Education, the Calgary school boards and other provincial school boards regarding diploma exams, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is reviewing its requirements for admission for the 2013/2014 academic year.

Information regarding how the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will accommodate the diploma exam decisions will be provided later this week on Uleth.ca and from the Registrar of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Atkinson gift presents opportunity

trevor.kenney — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 15:43:35 +0000

After finishing his MBA, Courtney Atkinson came to Lethbridge in 2003 to interview for a position with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. At the time, he had never even heard of the city until shortly beforehand. But, as he recalls, after accepting a job in the registrar's office and moving across the country, it took only a short period of time for Lethbridge to feel like home.

"One of the great things I quickly came to appreciate about the U of L was the sense of community. Being a Maritimer, I hold that near and dear to my heart. To me the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ felt like a big family who gave a lot back to the community, students and ultimately our society," says Atkinson.

After working for the U of L for six years in various managerial positions in the registrar's office and later HR, Atkinson felt it was time for a change. He shifted gears and started a completely new personal venture in real estate. Now, four years later, Atkinson has not only found his passion, but is also a successful businessperson, something he largely credits to his education and the time he spent working for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

"I started the most significant part of my professional career at the U of L and spent some pretty formative years there. It was a period of time where I really had the opportunity to grow and figure out who I was and what I wanted to do," says Atkinson. "I feel deeply indebted to the institution for what it has given me in terms of personal growth, training and professional opportunities."

As a way to express his gratitude, Atkinson made a $25,000 gift to a fund that supports professional development and training for staff, and provides start-up research funds for faculty.

"My vision is to give back to the university community in a way that helps others accomplish their professional goals," he says.

In thinking about the future, Atkinson also established the U of L as the beneficiary to one of his life insurance policies. This will eventually be added to the fund and enable the U of L to further his vision when he is no longer here.

"In my journey, I've really come to value education and how institutions of higher learning impact people's lives," says Atkinson. "The U of L has had such a positive impact on my life. This was an opportunity for me to say thanks to the institution and the people who helped me get to where I am while also helping others accomplish their goals."

This story first appeared in the November 2012 issue of the Legend. To view the full issue online, follow this link.

Preparing for tomorrow today

trevor.kenney — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 20:29:01 +0000

As a way to express his gratitude, Atkinson made a $25,000 gift to a fund that supports professional development and training for staff, and provides start-up research funds for faculty.

"My vision is to give back to the university community in a way that helps others accomplish their professional goals," he says.

This story first appeared in the November 2012 issue of the Legend. To view the full issue online, follow this link.

Recruitment and retention initiative will see graduate applications move online

trevor.kenney — Tue, 08 May 2012 20:20:22 +0000

Earning a master's degree presents enough challenges in itself.

Applying for graduate studies shouldn't unnecessarily complicate matters before that quest even begins.

Through the Recruitment and Retention Integrated Planning (RRIP) project, an online graduate studies application process is being developed with the aim of making that task faster and more user-friendly.

"Most of the graduate students are employed and they don't have the time to work through a cumbersome paper-driven process," says Alice Miller, the assistant registrar and team leader of the online graduate application review.

Working online, graduate students are able to get an immediate response to their efforts, such as the ability to upload essential documents.

"They know exactly where they are as they go through the process," says Miller. "That isn't possible now and that's a high source of frustration for them."

Miller says the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ recognized it was lagging behind other comprehensive universities in Canada by not providing an electronic graduate application process. While some universities are at differing stages in the level of service or options they provide online, "everyone is moving forward to the next level of electronic capability."

The current paper-driven application process involves massive amounts of data entry, which is not only time consuming, but makes it subject to the possibility of input errors. Looking at the experiences of other universities that have moved to an online system, Miller believes the electronic method could cut two to six weeks from the time a student applies until they receive a notice of acceptance.

That is a significant benefit for students, and in the case of international student applicants, the quicker response could prove to be a deciding factor on whether to apply or not. A current graduate student application from an international student can take upwards of three to six months to move through the system (plus an additional three months if a student visa is required). By reducing that turnaround time and streamlining the process, the U of L becomes that much more accessible.

Undergraduate students have had the benefit of an electronic application process for the past three years and Miller says the feedback from all involved has been fantastic. The biggest plus has been the ability to request transcripts electronically, vastly improving the time it takes to move applications through the system.

"As a result, we're able to make earlier offers of admission," says Miller.

The need to introduce technology into the graduate student application process had long been a priority for the Registrar's Office. With the launch of RRIP, that need quickly became a priority for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ as the team recognized it was essential to remove barriers for its graduate students.

Miller says the increase in graduate student applications as a result of a move to an electronic application process could be substantial. When another Canadian institution went electronic, its graduate studies applications ballooned from 2,300 one year to 4,100 the next.

With 373 graduate studies applications in 2010-11, Miller says they estimate the introduction of the electronic process could result in 600 to 700 applications.
The project has now become operational through the dean of the School of Graduate Studies, Dr. Robert Wood, registrar Don Hunt, and chief information officer Clark Ferguson.

This story appears in the May issue of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Hunt ready for Registrar's role

trevor.kenney — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 22:12:14 +0000

Don Hunt is no stranger to change, in fact he has embraced it his entire life. So, as Hunt takes over the role of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Registrar with an eye on moving the office forward, don't be surprised if a little bit of change is in the forecast.

"This is a young institution, everything is changing right now, there's a lot of turnover in some relatively senior positions so for me, this is the perfect opportunity to come in," says Hunt.

Most recently from Cleveland, Ohio, Hunt is from here, there and everywhere. Born in East St. Louis, Ill., he's lived in nine different U.S. states, a host of foreign countries and now Canada. Part of his wanderlust can be attributed to his eight-year career in the U.S. military but the majority is Hunt's innate desire to experience life and seek out new challenges.

Don Hunt is excited about the opportunities he sees as the new ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Registrar.

"Mostly it was just exploring, getting my feet wet and enjoying life," he says. "It's one of the reasons I was not afraid to jump the border and try something new by coming to Canada."

Hunt joined the military directly out of high school, seeking a means to get to college. He began a bachelor's degree in business administration while still serving, with a future goal of becoming an accountant. It became a lesson in patience and perseverance for Hunt as he continued to try and satisfy his degree requirements while taking classes at various colleges related to where he was stationed.

"It took me 18 years to get my first degree," says Hunt, who worked in the accounting field long before he had his accreditation. "Eventually I had gotten too far in the industry to go back and do a CPA program because I would have had to start again as an intern – and that just didn't make sense."

After transitioning to the technology side of the accounting business, Hunt started working for a tech company that designed software for accounting purposes. One arm of the business was to install and then service systems in higher educational settings, and after completing a master's degree in technology, Hunt jumped at the opportunity to work in higher education. His first look at the work of a registrar was an interim appointment at Cleveland State ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. Less than a year later he found a permanent home as deputy registrar at another Cleveland school, Case Western Reserve, and another career path was born.

"It was great to see what life was like on the other side of the fence," says Hunt. "I had always thought it would be nice to see a project through, rather than go in, implement a system and then move on to the next client. This time I actually had the opportunity to implement something and stay to see it through."

After four-plus years at Case Western, Hunt sought a head registrar's role and put no limits on his search parameters.

"In our industry, registrars are generally a terminal position. Because of what you need to be responsible for, the academic records of the institution, having that historical knowledge lends itself to people staying in that role," says Hunt. "Opportunities pop up and they won't be there for another 10 to 15 years so you really have to be ready to take on the opportunity wherever it presents itself. I didn't limit myself."

The U of L was one opportunity that emerged, along with positions in the UK and Australia.

"What sold me was the vision for the institution as both (Vice-President, Academic) Andy Hakin and (President) Mike Mahon laid it out," says Hunt. "The idea of where the institution wants to go as a whole, moving to a very customer-centred, destination university – all those things I could get behind."

He sees the Registrar's Office as an excellent opportunity for advancing those ideals.

"When you look at this operation, it's really in its infancy," says Hunt. "We are still manually driven where there is technology available that we already own. Let's put this technology in place and see how we can increase our self-service portfolio. Let's put in the tools to minimize the workload, not only for my staff, but also for faculty and students. Let's clear all the hoops they have to go through."

Hunt knows all too well what it's like to jump through hoops, and he's determined to use that experience to minimize that process for everyone else.

GET THE FACTS

· Hunt's highest rank in the military was corporal. He served in Germany, the U.S. and during both the Grenada and Honduras conflicts.

· A tennis enthusiast, Hunt is also looking to play squash and racquetball this winter and adds, "I'll even give curling a go, why not?"

· In addition to his bachelor's degree in business administration, he also has a master's degree in technology, both from ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Maryland ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ College.

· One of his first orders of business will be to reduce student traffic to the Registrar's Office. "That front counter gets way too much traffic, realistically, for today's times. Students expect self service 24/7, and so why not make it as available to them as possible?"

Hunt announced as new ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Registrar

trevor.kenney — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 16:54:49 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors has approved the appointment of Donald E. Hunt as the new ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Registrar. Hunt follows Leslie Lavers, who retired from the U of L after a 31-year career as Registrar and Associate Vice-President Student Services.

"With an extensive business background in finance and accounting, decorated military service in the United States Army and information technology experience implementing complex institutional data systems, Don brings a wide variety of skills to his new position," says Vice-President (Academic) and Provost, Dr. Andy Hakin. "We look forward to having him on our team, and welcoming him into the U of L and broader community."

Hunt was most recently the deputy registrar at Case Western Reserve ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, a 10,000 student, private university in Cleveland, Ohio. He also served as the interim director of Registrar Operations at the 16,000 student Cleveland State ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

Prior to joining the academic community, Hunt was a consultant and advisor to universities and colleges at Datatel Corp., an international supplier of high-volume databases and records management software.

He has worked as a quality assurance advisor to software development companies, and served in the United States Army as a finance and accounting specialist, where he received a Soldier of the Year Award and was posted to a number of locations worldwide.

Hunt holds a bachelor of science degree in business administration and a master of science degree in technology management from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Maryland, and continues to be active as a member of several professional development organizations focused on student recruitment, retention, registration and enrolment management.

Finding success a long way from home

trevor.kenney — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 21:49:20 +0000

To say Emmanuel Ofoegbunam (BMgt '11) had a plan when he first left Nigeria for post-secondary studies would vastly underrate his intrepid spirit.

Now 25, a recent U of L grad and a junior accountant at Calgary's Edon Management, Ofoegbunam's philosophy is rooted in taking on challenges and adventures. It led him first to Malaysia to begin his education, then brought him across the world to Canada and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Alumnus Emmanuel Ofoegbunam is already working as a junior accountant.

"You can just read about something or some place but I want to feel it, to experience it so that I can tell the story in my own way," says Ofoegbunam, who graduated with a bachelor of management degree in accounting and finance.

His people, from the Igbo tribe, are known for their business acumen, and as Ofoegbunam says, "We work for ourselves, we can get it done."

So it was with that attitude and unfailing support from his parents that he left his hometown of Onitsha for Binary ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ College of Management & Entrepreneurship in Kuala Lumpur.

"When I left home to go to Malaysia, that was the most challenging part," says Ofoegbunam. "When I finished my studies, as much as I'm very close to my parents, sometimes you have to give up something to achieve greater things. They've been with me, they've supported me every way possible with advice, moral support, financial support – you name it."

Setting his sights on Canada, Ofoegbunam was accepted to three schools but the U of L quickly won out.

"The most important thing was the turnaround time for replies from the International Centre for Students office and the Registrar's office," he says. "The cycle time was one day maximum for phone calls or e-mails. It really made me feel like I was in a one-on-one relationship with the people in Lethbridge."

That didn't change when he arrived on campus in April 2007 when he was confronted with, among other things, windy -2C weather and a daunting list of tasks in a completely foreign country.

"It wasn't anything what I expected . . . it's better than what I expected," says Ofoegbunam, thanks largely to the assistance of ICS and specifically International Liaison Officer Charlene Janes.

"I asked her the first week I was here, "Do you treat everybody like this?" She was not just a lady sitting behind a desk getting her job done. She talked to me, gave me advice like a son and that blew me away. She was so helpful from day one."

The cultural challenges Ofoegbunam faced were many, let alone a weather cycle he had never imagined (both Nigeria and Malaysia average temperatures in the 28C range). Janes helped him get settled, find an apartment, register for classes and meet the people in the Faculty of Management who would set him on his path. When he again had questions on what major to focus on following his second year, she facilitated meetings with the professors who would best serve his needs. It was those conversations, what Ofoegbunam calls "out of boundary" talks where his professors related their experience that really pointed him towards his career.

He completed his studies in December 2010 and two weeks later, was employed.

"Now that I live in Calgary, I really see it. If you're a student, Lethbridge is the place for you," he says. "There are less distractions, which is good because am I here to just have fun or to study and the answer for me was simple and straightforward. This was the environment that helped me do better with my studies."

GET THE FACTS

· Ofoegbunam's parents planned to come to Canada for Spring Convocation but were forced to stay behind when his grandmother passed away. "I would have appreciated if they were here with me today but I know they are with me in spirit."

· Ofoegbunam had never seen snow before moving to Lethbridge. "I didn't just see it, I felt it," he says, adding with a laugh. "The wind, God forbid, it's bad. When it gets cold, the wind adds to it and it gets to minus-1 million, at least that's what it feels like."

· Summing up his educational experience at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Ofoegbunam says, "It wasn't good, it was perfect."

This story first appeared in the Legend. To view the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Hansen benefits from personal touch

trevor.kenney — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:25:57 +0000

A Wikipedia search led Danish student Stine Hansen to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's web door, but it was the personal attention she received thereafter that brought her to campus.

Hansen is in her fourth year, thriving as an international student with her eyes set on completing a degree in urban and regional studies. Now an ambassador for the U of L experience, she's a far greater resource than any Wikipedia link.

"Everything I learned about Lethbridge before I moved here, I learned on Wikipedia," she laughs, admitting now that to pack up and leave Denmark to study in Lethbridge, Alberta was a major leap of faith.

International student Stine Hansen found the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge through Wikipedia.

"It was a bit of a risk but my parents were, surprisingly enough, very supportive," says the 27-year-old. "The registrar's office was really good helping me with my courses and transcript, and I just got a really good feeling about the place.

"I also got such good support from the International Centre for Students (ICS). They told me what to expect when I arrived, how to get settled, when to arrive, and how they would help me. At the time, because of all that support, it didn't seem that big a deal to sell everything I owned, pack three suitcases and move here. Looking back it was a little bit crazy."

You might think her assimilation into Canadian culture was an easy one. Hansen's a European who speaks English, and she had been motivated to come study in Canada after a high school exchange program took her to Nova Scotia when she was 16. But the culture, food and lifestyle are markedly different and it began to hit her on the drive from the Calgary airport to Lethbridge.

"The first town I went through was Nanton, then Claresholm, then Fort
Macleod and I really started to wonder what I had gotten myself into," she says, having grown up 20 minutes from Copenhagen and recently lived there. "I came into Lethbridge on a rainy Sunday afternoon – it looked deserted and I felt very alone."

She once again used the International Centre for support. Hansen attended the various meet and greet sessions with other international students, took advantage of the Global Connections partner program and signed up to play intramural soccer.

"If you're shy you're never going to get anywhere, you really have to open up. I used to be a shy person but now, I figure you have to step out there," says Hansen.

Her studies followed suit, and she quickly found that the personal attention she received from ICS and the registrar's office was reflected in her classes.

"That's what I like so much about the U of L, it's a small campus and pretty much every class I've ever had I can go to the professors and say, "I don't get this", and they'll sit down and help you out," says Hansen. "They really try, they know your name and I really like that."

Originally interested in pursuing a career in urban planning, she changed her focus to the study of human geography and found a special kinship with anthropology professor, Dr. Jan Newberry. She's excited to work on an Independent Study program with Newberry this summer.

"When I go back home I always say how much I love doing what I'm doing," says Hansen. "Even here, I've convinced a few people to come into my major. I love the multidisciplinary aspect of it, because you can study anthropology, sociology, geography, it's been great."

In fact, Hansen credits women's studies professor, Dr. Tiffany Muller Myrdahl, with setting her on a career path.

"She suggested I attend the Association of American Geographers' Annual Meeting last year. I went with another international student to Washington, D.C., and I came away knowing this is what I wanted to do. I really appreciate her showing that to me," says Hansen, who intends to pursue a master's degree in geography of disability and transportation.

Her success as a student has not been easy, and it hasn't been a straight line but because of support from all over campus, Hansen is eager to talk about her U of L experience. It's why she jumped at the opportunity to participate in the recent International Student Fair in the Atrium, where students from around the globe constructed tri-fold displays to help educate campus about their home nations.

"We got out there and the people who wanted to ask questions got that opportunity," she says. "It's definitely worth doing again. I believe if I only reach a few, it's still a success. I think there's a misconception that international students are only from the Far East but we are a really diverse group and maybe I'm the only one from Denmark but that's OK."

GET THE FACTS

• Post-secondary education in Denmark is free, prompting Hansen to quip, "My parents really love me."

• Hansen's older sister completed a master's degree in economics from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Copenhagen.

• Hansen became ill during her second semester and credits ICS liaison officer Charlene Janes for helping her through. "She is the best person ever. The ICS staff really knows its students and Charlene knew what was best for me at that time. Every time my parents come to visit, they make sure they go visit Charlene because they appreciate how much she looks after us."

• Hansen's tri-fold display highlighted the differences between Canadian and Danish Christmas traditions. She was also eager to tell people just where Denmark is in the world. "I love to talk about my country and I don't expect everyone to know. The Fair was great because I got a chance to show them what my Denmark is like."

For a look at the March issue of the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

UNews - registrar

Susie Kennedy brings her passion for IT and people to her new role as registrar

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