Wichita State University (WSU) began the SEM process in 2015 with a steering committee co-chaired by the university registrar and the chief data officer (CDO). Work leading up to and undertaken throughout that process and the implementation of the
SEM plan it produced helped to form an extraordinary partnership between these two professionals. Registrar (RO) and institutional research (IR) offices at colleges and universities often work together, but the level and type of collaboration
achieved at WSU between the RO and the office of planning and analysis (OPA, which incorporates IR) has yielded many benefits. This article provides a look into the development of that relationship and its impact on these professionals and the
SEM team. This article will review the shared vision and values underpinning the partnership, as well as the impact on SEM efforts in data collection, data quality, predictive modeling, and assessment.
