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 an inflated sense of self-importance that hinders effective leadership and decision-making. Making a return guest appearance in this episode is Dr. Doug McKenna (the host’s dad!).  

Key Takeaways:

• Stoicism is an ancient philosophy of personal ethics that emphasizes wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance as a way of cultivating inner peace and strength, rather than being ruled by emotions or external circumstances.
• Stoicism encourages mindfulness, self-reflection, and exercises like negative visualization (imagining worst-case scenarios to build resilience), voluntary discomfort (practicing hardship to lessen fear of suffering), and journaling (as seen in Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations).
• Learn about your Happy 10 Seconds, the Three Things List, and your personal mission statement.  

Host:

Doug McKenna
University Registrar, George Mason University
[email protected]   

Guests:

LTC (Ret.) Doug McKenna, PhD
Dean, Emeritus
Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Quantico VA

References and Additional Information:

Core Competencies: Leadership and Management

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 the normal course of work.   

Key Takeaways:

• Being the line leader can be fun, but being a door holder is a critical role for the success of any venture. 
• Leadership doesn’t require a title, and it doesn’t require grand gestures to convey care and concern for the people one is leading. As Mother Teresa said, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
• If you’re thinking about someone who held a door for you at some point in your career, reach out to them to let them know the effect they had on you.  

Host:

Doug McKenna
University Registrar, George Mason University
[email protected]   

Guests:

Dr. Cié Gee
Associate Vice Provost for Career-Engaged Learning, University of Texas at San Antonio
[email protected] 

References and Additional Information:

Core Competencies: Leadership and Management

Cie Gee

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ciegee/   

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 education? Five brave souls responded to my request for input on the following three questions that guide this episode: 1) what do you think of when you hear the word, “registrar?” 2) How would you describe the registrar to someone outside of higher education? And 3) Why are registrars important?   

Key Takeaways:

• The registrar and higher education go hand in hand. Registrars were the second administrative position created, following only the position of president. Our title dates back to 1446 at Oxford. 
• Registrars play a variety of roles at our institutions, and there isn’t one right way to be a registrar. Because of the variety of institution type and missions, registrar responsibilities also vary widely.
• Registrars use a lot of metaphors to communicate how critical they are to their institutions; “plumbing,” “bridges,” “hubs,” “air traffic controllers,” “multi-tasking quarterback,” are all used. 
• Being a registrar is easy. It’s just like riding a bike. If the bike is on fire. And you’re on fire. And everything around you is on fire.  

Host:

Doug McKenna
University Registrar, George Mason University
[email protected]   

Guests:

Dr. Reginald Garcon
Associate Vice President/Registrar, University of Maryland - Eastern Shore
[email protected]

River Gordon
Registrar, Minneapolis College of Art and Design
[email protected]

Colleen Harms
Associate Registrar, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
[email protected]

Whitney Merinar
Registrar, West Liberty State College
[email protected]

Katie Rendon
Registrar, Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion
[email protected]

References and Additional Information:

Records & Academic Services (AACRAO Professional Proficiencies)

Quann, C. J., & And Others. (1979). Admissions, academic records, and registrar services. A handbook of policies and procedures. Jossey-Bass, Inc.

The Registrar’s Guide: Evolving Best Practices in Records and Registration. (2006). https://community.aacrao.org/CPBase__item?id=a1H1L00000BjYRJUA3

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 Takeaways:

• A clear understanding of the role and a specific articulation of responsibilities in the position description will make recruiting the right person much easier. 
• Calendaring out the interviewing process can reduce stress for participants and candidates alike. Clear timelines are very helpful.
• Asking “Will this person raise the average of the team?” or something similar may help you distill down a hiring decision. It’s better to have a failed search than to hire the wrong person. 
• Clear communication with your new hire is vital to their onboarding. Scheduling out their first weeks in the office can go a long way to positioning them (and you!) to succeed.  

Host:

Doug McKenna
University Registrar, George Mason University
[email protected]   

Guests:

Michael Burke
Dean of Student Services, Harvard University
[email protected]  

Rebecca Mathern
Assoc. Vice Provost Academic Affairs & University Registrar, Oregon State University
[email protected]

References and Additional Information:

Operations and Business Process Management (AACRAO Core Competency)

STAR Technique and Behavioral Interview Questions (indeed.com)

Onboarding Without Overwhelming (Harvard Business Review)

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 students, and ways AI is being leveraged for adaptive tutoring, all with an overarching goal of increasing the student’s social and economic mobility.  

Key Takeaways:

• AI can be considered as anything that takes what a computer is good at and pushes the boundaries closer to doing things that only a human is good at.
• It is vital that we use AI in service of our humanistic pursuits, that it’s used in a way that retains the humanistic character of our education enterprise.  
• AI can help add desirable regularity to systems that are sometimes unnecessarily idiosyncratic.  

Host:

Doug McKenna
University Registrar, George Mason University
[email protected]   

Guests:

Dr. Zachary Pardos
Associate Professor of Education, UC Berkeley
https://bse.berkeley.edu/zachary-pardos 

References and Additional Information:

Welcome to OATutor - An Open Source Adaptive Tutoring System

https://oatutor.io/ 

AI Transfer and Articulation Infrastructure Network (ATAIN)

https://atain.org/ 

A University Map of Course Knowledge

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 talk about the classifications, how they were used and why, and what led to the revised classifications that were just released.  

Key Takeaways:

• The Carnegie Foundation partnered with the American Council on Education (ACE) to conduct the first major overhaul of the Carnegie Classifications for Higher Education in almost 50 years.
• Over the three-year process, the team engaged thousands of stakeholders across the higher education sector and other relevant experts about how best to provide more information about an institution through the classifications.  
• For the first time, the Carnegie Classifications bring in information about the student (not just the degree) through the new Student Access and Earnings category. 
• The American Council on Education prefers a three-syllable callout (“EY SEA EE”) rather than a one-syllable word (“ace”) when referring to the organization in shorthand. 

Host:

Doug McKenna
University Registrar, George Mason University
[email protected]   

Guests:

Mushtaq Gunja
Executive Director of the Carnegie Classification Systems & Senior Vice President 
American Council on Education 

References and Additional Information:

Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education® 

Classification Methodology

American Council on Education

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 professional growth to the AACRAO membership.
• It’s not too soon to start thinking about what you might present next year in New Orleans at the 111th Annual Meeting.  
• Say yes, get out of your own way, and be brave. You have tons of support from people who want to see you succeed! 

Host:

Doug McKenna
University Registrar, George Mason University
[email protected]   

Guests:

So many guests! Thank you to everyone who agreed to be interviewed for this episode.

References and Additional Information:

AACRAO Annual Meeting

Get Involved

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 should be making as we pursue any new technology, but AI especially. 

Note to listeners: edit implemented on 3/12/25 to remove a small audio gap

Key Takeaways:

• There are many promises of AI, but there are some significant challenges currently, as well. Don’t be swept away by the promises without engaging with the limitations.
• As registrars we have a special responsibility to make sure that the AI we employ maintains the safety, security, and integrity of the data we steward. The Fair Information Practice Principles (FIPPs) can help guide us to positive data governance outcomes.  
• Be wary of shiny new things. If the promise of something is too good to be true, it probably is. Explore AI and imagine ways it might be applied in your office, but AI is not the only tool available to us, and (in my opinion) we might be better served by pursuing intelligent automation solutions than artificial intelligence (AI) solutions. 

Host:

Doug McKenna
University Registrar, George Mason University
[email protected]   

Guests:

Amarda Shehu, PhD
Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer and Professor, Computer Science, School of Computing, George Mason University

Claire McKenna
University of Notre Dame Law School

Claire McKenna is an attorney with 21 years of experience advising public and private sector clients.  Her practice focuses on all aspects of information law, including privacy, security, access, and disclosure.

References and Additional Information:

Fair Information Practice Principles (FIPPs) | FPC.gov

Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O'Neil: 9780553418835 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books

The Big Switch | Nicholas Carr  (Sorry I called you “David,” Nicholas!)

How much electricity does AI consume?

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, listening, being empathetic, and building community.
• The coming years are going to be a challenge for higher education and so each of us needs to take care of ourselves, but also look out for and support one another. That includes our staff, faculty, and students. 
• Engaging in positive action outside the office can help maintain a sense of control, a sense of purpose, and a commitment to service. 

Host:

Doug McKenna
[email protected]  

References and Additional Information:

What is Servant Leadership? 

Recommended Reading List - Compiled from multiple sources, including some AACRAO members!

Syllabus for Civil Resistance: How It Works (GOVT 1134 Harvard Kennedy School)

Twenty Lessons for Fighting Tyranny | Carnegie Reporter Winter 2022

Paradox of tolerance - Wikipedia

Find Your Members in the U.S. Congress

Legal Defense Fund

Post-Election Resources to Defend Against Trumpism - Stop AAPI Hate

American Civil Liberties Union

Know Your Rights: If You Encounter ICE | National Immigrant Justice Center

One of the enduring challenges institutions face is how to assess the learning that an individual acquires when they are not enrolled at an institution, and whether and what to award as credit toward a degree in recognition for that learning. In this episode we revisit the concept of Prior Learning Assessment (PLA), and its outcome, Credit for Prior Learning (CPL), with two higher education professionals who saw the need for a better way to manage PLA so they built one. 

Key Takeaways:

• We need our students as much as our students need us. PLA is a way to build trust with our students and to affirm their learning and experiences outside of the academy. 
• Registrars are uniquely positioned to bring transparency to the PLA process because we are the holders of so many pieces of the process. Understanding what’s involved with PLA can also position registrars to advocate for it and educate others at the institution about it.  
• PLA and the resulting CPL can lead to better student outcomes as they can move into classes that challenge them (rather than have to take lower-level classes of material they have already learned). Students who earn CPL are more likely to persist and complete a degree program.

Host:

Doug McKenna, University Registrar
George Mason University
[email protected] 

Guests:

Jesse Boeding
[email protected]
Connect on LinkedIn

Karen Ferguson
[email protected]
Connect on LinkedIn

References and Additional Information:

AACRAO Core Competencies - Leadership & Management

AACRAO Professional Proficiencies - Records and Academic Services

Education Assessment System website

CAEL - Credit for Prior Learning

AACRAO - Innovative Credentials

AACRAO - Learning Mobility