Staff News from DES

NEW STAFF

Adrienne Montgomery - Registrar

Veterans and Yellow Ribbon Program -The new post 9/11 GI Bill is available to veterans who can begin receiving benefits for the fall term 2009.  These benefits are excellent, and if veterans are eligible for 100% of the benefit they may not need to pay any out of pocket expense to attend SMU.  This is great news and our veteran population is already increasing! 

For those graduate programs that are more expensive, SMU is participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program.  This is an education enhancement program which allows institutions to sign an agreement with the Veterans Administration (VA) to fund tuition expenses that exceed the highest  tuition rate for in-state undergraduates ($1,471 per credit hour for Texas, 2009-2010).  SMU can pay up to 50% of the remaining expenses and then the VA will match that same amount.  For more information about the Yellow Ribbon Program and to see a list of our graduate schools participating including amounts that they will pay, please click Yellow Ribbon Program on our Veterans Administration website http://smu.edu/registrar/veterans.asp.

Gretchen Voight President Elect - The staff of SMU elected Gretchen Voight, Assistant Registrar for Academic Ceremonies as the next President of the SMU Staff Association.  Gretchen chaired the SMU Staff Association Talent Show this past year and will join the SMU Staff Association Executive Board as the President Elect for 2009-2010.

Directory Restriction process completed - The project allows students to use self-service in ACCESS.SMU to restrict release of directory information or remove the restrictions.  If campus e-mail is restricted, then the system will send an e-mail to the Office of Information Technology (OIT) helpdesk to create a help desk ticket to hide or unhide the e-mail from the Outlook Global Address.  The Registrar's Office has updated the Directory Information on the FERPA website and will notify the faculty and staff of this change.

Many thanks to everyone who helped make this project happen including Joe Papari, Anel Reyna, Jin Young Bae, Nada El-Sayed, Stephen Forest, Mitzie Goff, Paley Wu and the module leads that helped test.

VIPs - Very Important Ponies 

Some of our VIPs this month are:

Cheryl Swift - I just wanted to tell you how much I really appreciate Cheryl.  We are working on cleaning up AR (balances from prior years) accounts that are assigned to our area to prepare for the installation of the new software system AdvantEdge and we’ve discovered several accounts that need past due fee reversals.  We have sent countless emails to  Cheryl asking her to remove them.  She has been so gracious and has processed every one of them in a timely manner and without complaint.  I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate and value her.  She is a tremendous asset to our team!  J Thanks.  The Student Financial Operations Team

Financial Aid Advisors and Student Account Specialists - I want to take this opportunity to thank you for all your efforts to assist students in attending summer school.  At the moment the enrollment is equal to last summer and the term credit hours are a bit ahead of last year.  This is no small task in the current economic environment and I know how much your work has assisted with SMU maintaining our summer enrollment.  The Summer School Office

Enrollment Resources and Academic Records - I suspect the happy parent is due to a team effort from these two areas.  The parent e-mailed, "I just wanted to ask you to pass on a big thank you for whoever took care of this so quickly [enrollment verification].  I now have the info I need to save us $400 on our [auto insurance] policy.  Thanks so much for your help."

DES AARO Team - I had some parents comment yesterday on how great and helpful everyone has been while they are here for AARO.  Just a little thank you and wanted to say good job to everyone.

Walter Jimenez - I wanted to express that Walter did a wonderful job assisting the parents and students with FERPA and Other Payer yesterday.  He was especially an asset with helping our Spanish speaking families.  Thank you.

Alan Ramirez - I met you at Mustang Monday today.  I wanted to thank you and the rest of the staff for a wonderful and informative day.  You all truly hit every aspect of college life.  All of my questions were answered before I could even ask them.  My parents and I were very impressed with the hospitality, the friendliness of the students, and the organization of the event.  Mustang Monday was the icing on the cake for me.  I believe I fell deeper in love with SMU today. 

Mary Compian, Myriah Garcia, Kimberly Scott, and Sylvia Wiseman - Although Commencement was the highlight of what the University has collectively worked towards, the reality for the Records area was just beginning!  You have worked tirelessly to bring degree and diploma processing to completion and that was no small task.  May graduation presented us with new challenges not withstanding the logistics of how and where we store 2,000 diplomas!  Thank you all for really working together as a team and going the extra mile.  It takes a lot of effort behind the scenes to pull things off well, and you did just that.  Jackie Wilborn

Opening Convocation

For the 95th year, the university community welcomes new students to the Hilltop with the Opening Convocation.  Held on the day before classes begin for undergraduate students, August 25th, students assemble behind Dallas Hall to process through the Rotunda on their way to McFarlin Auditorium.  Rotunda Passage is symbolic of entry into the academic community.

This year, students will hear remarks from Major General Jeffrey Talley, chair of the Environmental and Civil Engineering department in the Lyle School of Engineering.  Talley brings a personal philosophy he states as, "My work has really been about service to others."  This fits well with Dean Geoffrey Orsak's vision that engineers have both the power and responsibility to change lives.  Talley will bring his experience in the U. S. Army Reserve to SMU students in support of that vision.

Opening Convocation - Aug. 25 - 5:30pm - McFarlin

 DON'T FORGET
August 5
Division Meeting

Important Dates
Aug. 17 - Int'l AARO begins
Aug. 19 - Final AARO
Aug 25 - Opening Convocation
Aug 26 - Fall Term begins
Sept 1 - Last Day to Enroll, Add, Drop
Sept. 7 - Labor Day Holiday
Sept 9 - follow Monday Class Schedule
Oct. 12-13 - Fall Break
Nov. 2 - Spring Enrollment Begins
Nov. 10 - Last Day to Drop
Nov. 26-27 - Thanksgiving Holiday
Dec. 1 - Last Day to Withdraw
Dec. 9 - Last Day of Instruction
Dec. 10 - Reading Day
Dec. 11-17 - Examinations
Dec. 18 - Residence Halls Close
Dec. 19 - Graduation
Dec. 21-25 - University Holiday
Jan. 1 - New Years Holiday

Recruit, Retain, Rejoice

The efforts of Enrollment Services to Recruit, Retain, and Rejoice with regard to student enrollment for fall 2009 continues. 

Summer School 2009 enrollment tracked a head of 2008 as the term began.  By the end of enrollment for Summer II, head count and term credit hours for undergraduates were about what they were last summer.  Graduate head count for Summer was up 7.9% from 2008 and term credit hours were up 5.4%. 

New students beginning in fall 2009 are on target as well.  New first year students are attending AARO at an average of 132 students per session for the seven AARO sessions held to date.  With four more sessions for first year students, the new first year class should be between 1335 and 1350 new students.  Although, Transfer AARO has not been held at this time, 200 transfer students have registered for AARO with an addition 75+ transfer students paying admission deposits.  Transfer enrollment should top out over 300 students. 

With regard to continuing undergraduate enrollment, fall 2009 enrollment is 84 students ahead of the same time last year. 

Another positive note is that families are taking advantage of the various payment options provided by the University Bursar in large numbers.  SMU costs become more manageable when families can maximize their student's scholarships, financial aid, and then spread out the remaining cost through payment plans ranging from 4 months to 12 months.

All of the staff of Enrollment Service continue to focus on fall enrollment.  The Admission staff are in contact with our admitted first year and transfer students. Financial Aid and the Bursar's office are working with families on payment of charges, and the Registrar's office is assisting students with enrollment.

By all indications the Recruitment and Retention efforts continue to succeed and will lead us to Rejoicing when classes begin on August 26th.