Pre-Conference Newsletter, November 1, 2007

President's Letter

Dear NEACRAO members,

Fall weather has finally arrived in New England and so has the time for us to gather together as an organization. This year we are in Waterbury, the first time that we have met in the State of Connecticut. Recently I was watching Ken Burns’ documentary on World War II and learned that the businesses and residents of Waterbury played a significant role in the war effort and that the Mayor of Waterbury would send troops a prayer book and a carton of cigarettes. So how appropriate that this year of reflection and rejuvenation we too are planning to send something to our troops in Iraq (see note elsewhere in the newsletter) and coming together to do good work. Even if you are not an “early bird” please still consider joining us as we celebrate 60 years of NEACRAO as the way to connect, learn and grow professionally. Have fun at the birthday party, chat with friends and make new ones, and bring back good ideas for your organization. And if you are unable to join us this year, please consider volunteering for one of the NEACRAO committees which is a great way to get involved in the organization. The time commitment is reasonable and the experience rewarding. I hope to greet you all soon,

Meredith Braz, NEACRAO President

NEACRAO’s
ANNUAL MEETING
Waterbury, CT
November 7-9, 2007

Reverse College Day—November 7

Annual Meeting—November 7-9

IMPORTANT CONFERENCE INFORMATION AND UPDATES:

NEACRAO 2007 Town Meeting Keynote Session: An Opportunity for Members to Bring Your Ideas to the Table

As our keynote speakers this year, we are blessed to have several of our former NEACRAO Presidents on hand to share their reminiscence of the past. Heather Smith (former NEACRAO and AACRAO President) will be our Master of Ceremonies. She will host a panel of Past Presidents including Joe Dimaria, Dottie Lauria, Brian Murphy and Charlie Toomajian and as we explore NEACRAO’s history through the eyes of our most esteemed colleagues.

As part of this session, we will also have a NEACRAO Town Meeting where everyone in attendance can comment, share, and ask about the future of NEACRAO. We want to have our finger on the pulse of our membership, so please bring items that concern or excite you about NEACRAO.

See you there!

Patrick Sullivan

President Elect

IN THE NEWS ...
On Our Campuses and in Our World of Higher Education

(the following is an article from the October 31, 2007 Chronicle of Higher Education)

Today the Dept. of Ed. just released guidelines re: balancing FERPA and Security and a pamphlet is available on the dept. of Ed.'s website at http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/brochures/postsec.html (this is the one for post-secondary institutions).

The release of these guidelines coincides especially well for NEACRAOans who will be attending the upcoming annual meeting in Waterbury where LeRoy Rooker will be presenting the following session:

Session 6-F FERPA and Campus Security
With headlines and current events making us painfully aware of the challenges we face in times of crisis, we have had a moment to determine how and when to release student information that is protected by FERPA. This has left us with many questions and concerns. Please join this roundtable discussion to learn practices and policies that can guide you in making decisions for your college.
Presenter(s): LeRoy Rooker, Director of the Family Compliance Office, U. S. Department of Education; Jason Powell, Director of Public Safety, Central Connecticut State University
Facilitator: Anita McFarlane, Endicott College
Sponsored by: Registrar/Records

What a great opportunity to ask the expert about any questions you may have regarding the new guidelines!

NEACRAO’s 60th Birthday Party!

Dinner, Door Prizes, Games, Music, and Much More...Don’t Miss Out on the Fun and Another Great Opportunity to “Reflect and Rejuvenate!”

Thursday Evening's Highlights Include:

· A Casual Dinner with your Colleagues

· Great Door Prizes for “Best” Dressed (Categories include: Best Retro, Best Hat, Most Imaginative, Best of the 50s, Best of the 60s, Best of the 70s, Best of the 80s, Best of the 90s, Best of the Best)

· Everyone who attends will receive a one-of-a-kind NEACRAO/AACRAO 60th Birthday T-shirt

· Great Music

· Games

· Dancing

· Yummy Birthday Cake

· Reflect and Rejuvenate Picture Board of our Members at Memorable Times in Their Lives**

As part of our “Reflect and Rejuvenate” theme, we REALLY want folks to have FUN with dressing for this event! So, if nothing jumps out of your wardrobe, maybe check out the post Halloween sales to find an outfit or maybe a couple of items of paraphernalia to mark your era and enjoy a little nostalgia.

**Look for a photo of yourself from an earlier era to bring with you and we will be posting it along with others in an attempt to determine who’s who. (Note: a copy is preferred to an original so we don’t have to worry about returning them).

ANNOUNCEMENTS

New England Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers’ Workshop – December 2007

Back by Popular Demand!

Presenting an encore presentation of this summer’s highly successful workshop.

Safety and Security in Higher Education:  Physiological and Physical Aspects of Violence and Aggression, An Educator’s Perspective

Friday, December 7, 2007, in Waterbury, Connecticut.

Click here for flyer and registration form for details.

NEACRAO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

SLATE OF NOMINEES
FOR 2007-2008

President-Elect:
Irene Rios, Springfield College

Vice President Admission/Enrollment Management:
Mary Dunn, Salem State College

Secretary:
Linda Kean, Babson College

DEAR NEAbby…NEACRAO’s New Advice Column

Please send your questions to NEACRAO’s Association Editor.

Dear NEAbby: For what kinds of services within the Registrar's Office do institutions require the student to present photo ID?

NEAbby: Some institutions will require a student to present a photo ID for all transactions while others, usually the smaller Colleges, may not require it in all cases. The goal is to be certain of the student's identity which is why the larger the institution, the more common it is to require that it always be presented. It is recommended that it be presented whenever a student is requesting or picking up a transcript, changing a PIN number, or requesting a change in or copy of a student record. It is not uncommon for some institutions to ask the student to tell the staff member their ID number for certain transactions rather than present a photo ID.

Addendum to the Program Sessions

Changes From:	To:
1-B: Legal Issues in Enrollment Management	1-B Best Practices for University Records Management
1-G: How to Manage the Difficult Employee	1-G Desktop Diploma Printing
3-C: Forecasting Enrollment	3-C Introduction to Enrollment Management
3-D: Creating Community Partners: Outreach Partnerships for the 21st Century	3-D What To Do About Diplomas and Covers?
4-B: SEM and Financial Planning	4-B Can the Clearinghouse Make it Easier?
5-D: Vendor Session	5-D How to Manage the Difficult Employee
7-C: Vendor Session	7-C Answering Questions about Classes and Classrooms

Remember RCD Raffle Items!

Attending Reverse College Day? Don't forget to pack a few raffle items with your institution's name and/or logo! Every year during the Reverse College Day luncheon school counselors look forward to winning free give-aways from participating New England colleges/universities. Sweatshirts, hats, mugs, jackets, towels...if it's from your bookstore, it's a winner!

Remember Care Package Items to Send to Our Soldiers in Iraq!

The care package we sent to soldiers serving in Iraq last summer was gratefully received and enjoyed so the NEACRAO Council would like to send another care package to our soldiers who are serving in Iraq. If you’d like to have items included, please bring them to the conference. We’ll have a box at the registration area.

For a list of the types of things that our soldiers are asking for, please go to the following website: http://www.asoldierswishlist.org/. Please keep in mind that chocolate melts as the package is heading for the dessert. But, M&M’s do melt in your mouth, not in the package!

Tech Corner

Word Email Merges With Attachments

If you have Outlook (not Express), there are directions and macro code for handling an email merge with attachments that’s a great way to handle personalized attachments at the following site: word.mvps.org/FAQs/MailMerge/MergeWithAttachments.htm

If you have any questions about how to execute this, I’d be happy to try to help you. You can email me at bcasey@williams.edu or call me (413) 597-4979.

NEACRAO Newsletter, November 2007- Association Co-Editors: Barbara Casey, Williams College; Mary Meserve, Bates College
@2007

The NEACRAO newsletter is published three times a year, in April, August and October. Contributions from members (articles, editorials, letters, re-prints-with permission-and drawings/cartoons) are welcomed. Please email items for publication to: Barbara Casey or Mary Meserve.