Responding to Change

Change is a constant occurrence in a registrar’s world, but it does seem that the amount and rate of change has increased. Responding to change and managing through it are skills that we all employ, but could all improve. In this episode, we talk to members of the registrar’s office from Middle Tennessee State University about recent changes their office has faced, how those changes unfolded, and how they managed their way through them.    

Key Takeaways:

• Initial reactions to change will vary; even if the initial reaction is negative, encourage people to move past that quickly and approach things with an open mind and a positive attitude.
• Communication throughout a change is critical. People aren’t necessarily afraid of change, they’re afraid of the unknown. Communicating through changes helps reduce those fears and increases buy-in. 
• Focus on the positive outcomes, even in the middle of challenging situations. Not everyone will get everything they want out of changes (we all have our Barbie dreamhouse), but focusing on the positives will go a long way.  

Host:

Doug McKenna, University Registrar
George Mason University
cmckenn@gmu.edu 

Guests:

Tyler Hensen, Assistant Vice Provost, Registration and Student Records & University Registrar
Middle Tennessee State University
tyler.hensen@mtsu.edu 

Cindy Johnson, Associate Registrar, Curriculum and Graduation
Middle Tennessee State University
cindy.johnson@mtsu.edu 

Anne Ford, Associate Registrar for Registration, Records, and Scheduling
Middle Tennessee State University
anne.ford@mtsu.edu 

References and Additional Information:

AACRAO Core Competencies - Change Management

AACRAO Core Competencies - Leadership & Management

AACRAO Professional Proficiencies - Records and Academic Services