RO team shares insights with national peers during annual AACRAO meeting

Six people look up at a solar eclipse visible in the sky.

(Left to right) Will Lipske, Katie Block, Anne Eckenrod, Aaron Apel, Brittney Trimmer, and Brittany Elandt take some time during the annual AACRAO meeting to observe a solar eclipse. Columbus, Ohio, where the meeting was held, was just outside the path of totality. Courtesy: Brittany Elandt.

A celestial spectacle above Ohio wasn’t enough to eclipse the insights members of the Office of the Registrar (RO) team shared with their higher education peers during the annual meeting of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) in Columbus. Seven members of the RO team presented during the four-day conference from April 7-10, sharing knowledge on topics ranging from project management to final exams and graduation. Deputy University Registrar Beth Warner had this to say about the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s role at the event:
“Taking the stage to present at AACRAO isn’t just an opportunity for the talented members of the RO to share their expertise with colleagues from across the country; we were also fueling our team’s growth and bringing fresh insights back home. It’s about more than just presenting — it’s about honing our skills, expanding our horizons, and strengthening our community. Together, we’re not just following the national model that’s part of the RO’s mission; we’re shaping it.”
While many of the RO team members in attendance had previous experience presenting at the annual meeting, for curricular specialist Brittany Elandt, assistant registrar for degree audit and academic programs Anne Eckenrod, and IT portfolio manager Brittney Trimmer, the event was a chance to introduce themselves to a wider audience. Elandt; Will Lipske, the associate registrar for academic services; and representatives from Ball State University, Case Western Reserve, and the University of Iowa took part in a panel discussion about final exam scheduling.
Conference attendees sit and listen to a group of presenters.

Brittany Elandt (sitting, center) and Will Lipske (standing, right) take part in a discussion titled “The Correct Answer is All Of The Above: A Multiple Choice Approach to Final Exams.” Courtesy: Beth Warner.

Trimmer, along with representatives from Baylor University and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, presented on prioritizing and managing information technology projects. Eckenrod, associate registrar for student services Aaron Apel – also a member of AACRAO’s Information Systems and Technology Committee – and representatives from Marquette University and the University of Iowa took part in a roundtable discussion on how to support those with “invisible identities,” specifically working parents.
Four people stand and pose for a picture.

Aaron Apel (center left) and Anne Eckenrod (center right) stand with their fellow panelists for their AACRAO session “Roundtable: Invisible Identities – Working Parents.” Courtesy: Katie Block.

Warner and colleagues Sarah Stilp, assistant dean of admissions and student services for the Division of Continuing Studies, and Bobbie Jean Heurth, the director of enrollment management at Madison Country Day School, presented a session titled “Wonder Women: There Are More Than One.” The 50-minute session, which was selected as the Wisconsin Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers’ (WACRAO) “Best of the Best” representative for the national conference, highlighted research on perceptions of women in the workplace and ways women can be supportive leaders who uplift and empower others.
Three women stand in front of a monitor.

Beth Warner (standing, background center) and her fellow panelists share their presentation titled “Wonder Women: There Are More Than One.” Courtesy: Sara Sullivan, University of Iowa.

The full list of RO team members’ presentations is as follows: April 8
  • The Correct Answer is All Of The Above:  A Multiple Choice Approach to Final Exams
    • RO presenters: Brittany Elandt, Will Lipske
  • Commencement & Graduation: What does it look like at your institution?
    • RO presenter: Katie Block
  • Wonder Women: There Are More Than One
    • RO presenter: Beth Warner
April 9
  • Project Management: Strategies for Success
    • RO presenter: Aaron Apel
  • Invisible Identities: Working Parents
    • RO presenters: Aaron Apel, Anne Eckenrod
  • Stop and Share: Get Involved with AACRAO
    • RO presenter: Beth Warner
  • Navigating IT Excellence: A Triad of Insights into Plan, Project, and Portfolio Management
    • RO presenter: Brittney Trimmer
April 10
  • Roundtable: Large Institutions
    • RO presenter: Beth Warner