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7 Common Pain Points Registrars Experience With Student Records

Parchment Staff  •  Apr 22, 2019  •  Blog
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If gaps and inefficiencies in your student-record processes are begging you to make some changes, you’re not alone. Other registrars are likely experiencing the same difficulties, or have at least been in your shoes before.

Here are the most common culprits of registrar agony:

1) The ordering process has splinters

With a fragmented credential ordering process, you can’t offer students, alumni, and third parties an easy, unified way to request credentials. The resulting confusion and complications aren’t exactly ideal for students and can also create a disjointed administration process for the registrar’s office.

The solution: A central location for transcript, diploma and other credential requests.

2) Too many vendors to count

When you work with too many vendors, juggling them can become a hassle. It’s especially frustrating when registrar staff are unsure where to send students for support when they have questions about specific credentials.

The solution: A vendor that offers a comprehensive suite of record management services.

3) Customization, who?

Student record management platforms that can’t seamlessly integrate with student information systems and other important software create inefficiencies in your processes. Such rigidity can prevent registrar teams from customizing their workflows, such as creating multiple transcript templates or offering credentials with embedded links.

The solution: Find credential services that offer flexible integration and support custom workflows.

4) Killer wait times

Limited accessibility to credentials and lengthy document processing can not only slow you down but also leave your students anxiously waiting on the sidelines. Case in point: Average vendors take four to six weeks to process and deliver paper diplomas.

The solution: Choose a vendor that provides faster access to paper diplomas and immediate access to shareable digital credentials.

5) Room for greater efficiency

Dealing with returned diplomas, sharing files, testing for quality, delivering credentials and handling other necessary yet time-consuming tasks can eat up time and resources. Registrar staff members are left in desperate need of better operational efficiency.

The solution: Automate as many processes as possible.

6) Wavering confidence in security measures

With access to sensitive student information, registrar offices must uphold a promise to keep the data out of the wrong hands. Added to that, forgery and mistakes on transcripts, diplomas and other credentials are nightmarish problems for registrar offices. Needless to say, security and privacy concerns have certainly kept more than one registrar up at night.

The solution: Invest in a service that continually evolves security practices.

7) Mediocre helping hand

When issues come up, a lack of support from vendors only complicates matters even more. Registrars end up spending time navigating such problems rather than focusing on more impactful student initiatives.

The solution: Find a vendor that’s invested in being your partner, willing and able to provide the level of support you and your students need.

While venting about pain points with your colleagues and fellow registrars makes for some great bonding conversations, that’s about all the good these troubles can do for you. A comprehensive credential management platform can eliminate these hardships and give your processes a push in the right direction. See how Parchment’s credential services for higher education can solve all your record-management woes.

There’s always more to learn.

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