ïAACRAO Spotlight interviews are published twice weekly before major professional development meetings. They feature our conversations with industry experts, highlighting key issues and promoting sessions and workshops at the upcoming conference.
Below you'll find brief summaries of three recent Q-and-As with links to the full interviews.
See these and other sessions at AACRAO's 100th Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado. Register today!
The Interstate Passport Initiative: A New Framework for Transfer
The Interstate Passport Initiative is a grassroots-originated effort by academic leaders in the Western region to develop policies and practices supporting friction-free transfer for students between institutions in the WICHE region.
"We want registrars to know that they may see a comment or a course on the transcript related to the Passport, says Patricia Shea of WICHE. "It would be great if they knew what that notation meant so they could either ignore it, and do the normal articulation, or take it into account in the transfer process. But at least they would know about the Passport, which would make the whole transfer process more seamless."
Read the rest of the interview here.
Peering Through the Gates: A Glimpse at How Higher Ed Data and Information Become Mainstream News
The Chronicle of Higher Education reporter Beckie Supiano reports extensively on financial aid, student finances, and college costs. Focusing on the hot topics of the day, such as student debt, net price, and merit- versus need-based aid, Ms. Supiano will provide insights into how media determine what to report. She will discuss what makes a story newsworthy, who she goes to for information, and how she determines the credibility of sources and information. Her session is an excellent opportunity for data and information providers to understand the role journalists play in the collection, synthesis, and dissemination of information. Attendees should walk away with not only a greater appreciation for the news process, but also a deeper understanding of how the news often dictates what gets analyzed in higher education leadership circles.
We spoke with Beckie Supiano to acquire some background information about her presentation. Her co-presenter, James Roche, will also discuss his experiences as the associate provost for enrollment at the University of Massachusetts - Amherst. He will be setting the stage for the presentation by providing the college perspective.
American College Application Campaign: A National Strategy for Increasing College Application and Enrollment
The Common Application is an undergraduate college admission application that streamlines the application process for over 500 of universities in the U.S. and abroad. It’s a not-for-profit membership association that emphasizes “holistic admissions.” Chad Massie, Director, Common Application Technology, will be presenting the session “The Common Application Redesigned” at this year’s AACRAO Annual Meeting in Denver, and he offered the following insight about what to expect at the session. Read our interview with Massie here.