Seven individuals were awarded with Honorary Membership at the 99th Annual Meeting in April in recognition of their active involvement and outstanding contributions to AACRAO. Established in 1926, AACRAO’s Honorary Membership award has a rich history of accomplishment, and documents many of the traditions and changes within the Association and the larger profession over the last century.
More than a generation ago, the potential impact of
new technologies on higher education was frequently discussed, but no one could have predicted how dramatically the Internet would change the profession. In the early 1970s, Honorary Membership recipient W. Albert Cox
, who won an award in 1983,
served on an ad hoc committee formed to evaluate the recommendations on automated personal data systems in HEW Report; this report's recognition of record-keeping practices in the computer age laid a foundation for the Privacy Act of 1974 and FERPA today. This year's recipients
Rick Skeel and
Dave Stones devoted much of their careers to developing and implementing new technologies and electronic data exchange through their work with
AACRAO's SPEEDE Committee and
PESC.
Paul Aucoin, also awarded this year, was an early advocate of electronic services and use of the Internet to improve upon enrollment functions and communication between coworkers, clients and colleagues. He created REGIST-L, the listserv for college and university registrars.
Honorary members’ devotion to their particular institution has remained constant throughout the award’s history. David Windsor, an Honorary Member in 1984, dramatically increased enrollment from 2,400 to 34,000 while at the University of Arizona. 2013 Honorary Membership recipient Kathy Jones began her career 40 years ago at Iowa State University following her graduation, and successfully managed admissions, financial aid, and the registrar’s office while cultivating a leadership style that fostered collaboration, and generated a broad interest across campus for improving retention and developing new initiatives.
The state, regional, national and global commitments held by
honorary members also remain just as strong. Back in the day, Roy Linton Cox, Jr. was known for bringing "a quiet, pleasant, relaxed, Southern manner that [was] disarming"┬" to his regional work in GACRAO and AACRAO, for which he was an Honorary Member in 1983. Today Robert Doolos is involved in LACRAO and SACRAO in addition to his dedication to AACRAO, always offering assistance with "intelligence, integrity and grace",┬" and performing as a key player in AACRAO's New Orleans annual meeting every 10 years. And Richard "Ritch"┬" Yount's leadership roles in his state, regional and national associations with his work in registrar positions all over the country have made him well-known for his mentorship of many in the profession.
Hazel E. Benn, who was an Honorary Member in 1984, dedicated her life to her country and the improvement of the world around with her contributions “so many and so impressive that we can only briefly highlight some of her career accomplishments." Similarly, the expertise and service continually provided to the field today by Christine Kerlin cannot be overstated; she has served as a tireless advocate for community colleges, international education innovation and AACRAO through her leadership in reaching out to new members and emerging leaders.
AACRAO is forever thankful for Honorary Members’ significant contributions to the Association and profession by its honorary members in the past, present and future.
Nominations for the 2014 Honorary Membership and other awards will open in August 2013. To learn more about awards and recent award winners, please visit the AACRAO Awards page.
By: AACRAO Connect
AACRAO Connect