Program Spotlight: University Registrar The duties of the registrar’s office vary during the course of the academic year.

W&L News Office
August 18, 2021

With Washington and Lee University classes scheduled to begin Sept. 9, University Registrar Kim Robinson is hard at work in her new role, preparing to welcome students back to campus and directing the focus of the Workday Student enterprise system conversion. In July, Robinson was appointed the 11th university registrar at W&L.

The registrar’s work involves multiple facets of campus life, including building course schedules, overseeing registration, assisting with curriculum management, tracking degree progress, collecting grades and fulfilling transcript requests. As an academic service station, the office of the University Registrar supports the university’s mission to provide “a liberal arts education that develops students’ capacity to think freely, critically, and humanely and to conduct themselves with honor, integrity, and civility.”

The duties of the registrar’s office vary during the course of the academic year. At the start of the Fall Term, the focus is on verifying the student body’s matriculation and overseeing the add and drop process for students, making sure all students are enrolled in a full course load. In the winter, the registrar collaborates with the deans and academic departments to determine the courses that will be offered the next academic year. Toward the end of the academic year, the focus shifts to verifying degree completion requirements of individual students and planning for graduation.

Students are expected to work closely with their advisers to plan out their course schedules before registration opens each term. Students are also encouraged to use the resources available on the registrar’s website and reach out to Robinson and her staff by email, phone or in person if they have questions or need more information.

“The University Registrar’s office aims to be a timely and accurate resource for students who have questions about academic policy or processes, course offerings or degree requirements,” Robinson said. “We collaborate with many offices across campus and help direct students to the right resources to get their questions answered.”

Prior to her time at W&L, Robinson served as university registrar at Mary Baldwin University. During her 15-year tenure at Mary Baldwin, Robinson worked in various roles of progressive responsibility, including student records manager, assistant registrar and associate registrar. Robinson is a member of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.

“I am ecstatic to be a part of the thriving W&L community,” Robinson said. “The university offers a remarkable variety of majors and minors, courses, and in-depth study opportunities that position our students for the future. It is a privilege to support such talented students and help ensure that they have the right tools, resources, and academic information to thrive during their time on campus.”

Learn more about course offerings and the registrar’s office here. For specific questions, contact the registrar’s office directly at registrar@wlu.edu.