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Registrar’s job may rival students ’
‘The staff cares about their work
By Caroline Petrich
Of the Emerald
The Registrar’s office means
hassles, late fees and red tape
for most students. However bad
their image, these clerks are
human and without them col
lege life might not run as
smoothly
"The staff out there cares
about their work," says Regis
trar Wanda Johnson with con
viction. ‘‘They’re sensitive to
their role ”
Johnson and her 26-member
team keep track of grades, de
Wear your heart
on your sleeve
EMU WEDNESDAY
FEBRUARY 10TH
gree analyses, graduation
requirements, address
changes, grade changes,
adds/drops, and academic
records for every University
graduate since 1880
That's the easy part. The hard
part is keeping tabs on about
16.000 students who currently
are enrolled
Her office also handles the
more obscure, but just as im
portant. duties such as planning
graduation ceremonies, mailing
the diplomas and storing the
leather-bound volumes of all
faculty senate meetings since
1880
The office, with a annual
budget of $880,000, dominates
Oregon Hall’s second floor.
Bulging files that contain
valuable academic information
cover the office
Johnson treats those files
with deep respect The Regis
trar's primary concern is to
"protect the integrity" of the
records, she says
The files have grown to mon
strous proportions, despite a
1973 move from Emerald Hall to
the present office To alleviate
the space problem, Johnson s
team has been translating
82.000 records (not including
the cumulative academic file) to
a data-base fiche system since
last June But the reams and
reams of paper still are neces
sary in the case of a mechanical
breakdown For insurance, the
office uses a paper and tape
back-up system
The registrar s office also is
responsible for the infamous
time schedule of classes
Packed with University policy
lowdown. class times, registra
tion directions and the tuition
payment schedule, the time
schedule may be one of the
most important and most widely
read document at the Universi
ty
A majority of red-tape related
problems arise from misread
ing, or not reading, the time
schedule, Johnson says She
attributes this to a lack of
student self-management,"
but "that doesn't mean we don't
need to improve our commun
ication."
Consider this example of a
bureaucratic snafu that could
have been avoided:
Wanting to drop a math class,
a student slid his drop/add form
r
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J
. They’re sensitive to their role.'
Photo by Bob Baker
Wanda Johnson
through a window at the Regis
trar's office The clerk slid it
back out after one glance
"You need a stamp from the
department," he explained
"What!" cried the
incredulous student "Since
when?"
"1964,” replied the clerk
"Next "
Johnson says she regrets
scenes like these, that tend to
give her workers a bad name for
doing their jobs, and leave
students frustrated
"I think they probably per
ceive us as those people who
say no' she says "Some
times we have to say no ”
But not always Johnson
proudly discusses the current
office system, which has one
clerk assigned to a specific
number of students When
students have questions about
their academic records, they
see the clerk assigned to their
social security number
"I think students appreciate
that personal touch," Johnson
r
says. “I'm very conscious of the
treatment of students Students
will be more acceptive (sic) if
they're treated as adults ”
Students are polite, "by and
large,” Johnson says, adding
her own theory that "I may be a
mother image with my gray
hair ”
With all those responsibilties,
Johnson says with a smile, “I've
had several people say I
wouldn't have your job . "
She admits feeling frustrated
at times, but never bored
"Sometimes I get very impa
tient "
Her release7 A pragmatic
philosophy that includes watch
ing football and stepping back
to get a better perspective
"You do the best you can,"
says Johnson who has worked
in the registrar's office since
1962 After working up the of
fice ladder, she became the
registrar in 1978
"I like to be able to figure out
alternatives," Johnson says
"It’s challenging, I think "
available for academic year 1982-83.
Previous Resident Assistant experience is
required (at UO or elsewhere).
Applications and job descriptions available at
Housing Office in Walton Hall.
Completed applications must be turned in
by Monday, February 15.