A Message from the University Registrar

Fiscal Year 2025 Reflections: Strengthening Student Retention Through Service, Innovation, and Strategic Impact

As part of the university’s Enrollment Management division, the Office of the Registrar plays a pivotal role in supporting student retention and success. In Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25), our work was deeply aligned with the University of Iowa Strategic Plan, advancing excellence in teaching and learning, fostering creative discovery, and contributing to transformative societal impact.

Our teams support students at every stage of their academic journey—from onboarding and registration to degree completion and beyond. This comprehensive engagement allows us to identify and remove barriers, streamline processes, and ensure students have the tools and information they need to persist and thrive. Our work is not just transactional—it’s transformational.

We also collaborate closely with faculty and staff to enhance the student experience. By providing accurate data, responsive service, and system enhancements, we help create an environment where students can focus on learning and growth.

Internally, our staff embraced transitions and growth, strengthening operations through professional development and cross-functional collaboration. These efforts have positioned us to meet future challenges with resilience and agility.

As we look ahead, we remain committed to our role within Enrollment Management and to the university’s mission. The work we do—often behind the scenes—has a direct and lasting impact on student retention, success, and the overall health of our academic community.

Shawna Saad, PhD

University Registrar

In FY25, we:

  • Advanced student retention by improving registration workflows, proactively resolving academic record issues, and supporting timely degree audits and graduation processing.
  • Supported excellence in teaching and learning through accurate course scheduling, grading systems, and academic record integrity—empowering faculty to deliver dynamic educational experiences.
  • Enabled innovative research and creative discovery by maintaining reliable data systems that support academic planning and reporting.
  • Promoted holistic well-being and success by collaborating across Enrollment Management and student services to ensure continuity and care throughout the student lifecycle.
  • Contributed to transformative societal impact by stewarding records from closed institutions, allowing students to continue their academic journey and achieve their aspirations.

Classroom Scheduling

Manages 305 University Classrooms across 34 buildings.

Tuesday and Thursday 9:30–10:45 a.m. is the top scheduled class period assignment. 

1,741

Final examinations scheduled in classrooms

11,046

Unique special event room reservations scheduled

6,763

Sections scheduled in University Classrooms

25,169

Distinct students assigned to University Classrooms

Commencement

Coordinates 15 ceremonies in the spring and 7 in the fall.

6,000 +

Participating graduates in fall and spring ceremonies

43,000 +

Guests attended ceremonies at Carver-Hawkeye Arena and Hancher Auditorium

Curriculum Management

Assists with creating and managing Academic Organizations, Course Library, Degree Audits, Programs of Study, General Catalog, and Sample Plans of Study.

1000 +

Catalog pages reviewed

2,400 page pdf created

220

Academic structure proposals

700

Sample plans reviewed annually

2,400

Requests to add, drop, or revise courses

1,500 +

Degree audit changes for course approval forms

Thousands of manual revisions

1,232

Inactive courses reviewed

21% dropped

33

New graduate degree audits created

Degrees and Diplomas

Processes degree applications and confers degrees.

8,014

Degree applications and programs of study reviewed and processed

7,830

Conferred degrees and Ce/print diplomas delivered

Grades

Coordinates the processing of all grades each session.

< 13,600

Classes for which grades were processed

97 %

Grades processed on time

MAUI Access and Security

Reviews MAUI access forms and assigns security roles based on academic needs.

900 +

MAUI access forms reviewed and processed

Transcripts and Verifications

Processes requests via online forms, printable forms, and in person.

> 50,000

Orders for University of Iowa or closed institution transcripts

15,000 +

Verifications provided