HistoryAbout FACRAOSince 1955, the Florida Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers has provided Florida’s enrollment professionals with a forum to address issues affecting your institutions and your profession. At the core of FACRAO’s mission is our commitment to promote the advancement of higher education in its fullest and broadest implications. Today, we express this commitment through our professional development programs. FACRAO facilitates cost-effective professional development via our mini-workshops, regional socials, and annual meetings. Our learning sessions cover topics ranging from FERPA to new technologies in recruitment. By maintaining close contact with our membership, we ensure that our professional development programs are relevant to you, your front-line service staff and your departmental leadership. HistoryThe Florida Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers began its existence in Tampa at the April 30, 1954 meeting of the Florida Association of Colleges and Universities (FACU). Fourteen Registrars and Admissions Officers attended an organizational luncheon at Columbia Restaurant. Charles Walker was elected the first Chairperson of the group, then called the Registrars section of FACU. At the second meeting of the organization, held at Stetson University, in April 1955, a committee was appointed to develop a constitution and by-laws for an independent association. As a result of the committee’s work, FACRAO’s constitution was adopted April 25, 1956, at a meeting held in Winter Park consisting of representatives from fifteen institutions. The organization continued to grow during the late fifties, reaching a membership of 24 institutions by 1960. The year 1961 saw the culmination of the organization s most ambitious project, hosting the 47th annual meeting of AACRAO at Miami Beach in April of that year. Beginning in 1962, regular summer workshops for Admissions Officers and Registrars were started. During the sixties, FACRAO Committees became involved in a number of projects including that of a unified course-numbering system. This project, begun as a part of the Inter-Institutional Committee in 1962, has had a tremendous impact on the State of Florida. It was subsequently adopted by the Florida Division of Community Colleges in 1971, and in 1974, the Florida Legislature mandated the implementation of the Common Course Numbers for all public community colleges and universities. The 1969 Annual Meeting was the first two-day meeting and 1970 saw a change in the time of year for the meeting. Until then, it had always been held in the spring. At the 1970 meeting it was decided to hold the event in the fall, during the week preceding Thanksgiving. Thus, two meetings were held in 1970. Institutional membership had more than doubled since 1960, as 54 institutions paid dues in 1971. The year 1973 saw the return of the Annual Summer Workshop. This Workshop, held at Stetson University, had 75 participants and will long be remembered by those in attendance for the power failure that blacked out most of DeLand during the day and night the workshop was held. In 1975, the Annual Meeting was lengthened to three days in order to accommodate the ever-expanding program of professional presentations. AACRAO returned to Miami Beach in 1978 for its 64th Annual Meeting. FACRAO members, after many months of planning, were rewarded with hosting the largest AACRAO meeting ever held to date. The year 1980 marked the 25th Anniversary, with the Association now representing 63 institutions. The concept of the Summer Workshop was expanded in 1981, to offer regional workshops that would provide the opportunity for a greater number of persons to attend. Over 1,000 persons participated in the Summer Workshop and the three Mini-Workshops. In 1982, FACRAO invited the Executive Committee from the Georgia Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (GACRAO) to attend the meeting in Gainesville. Usually the President and or President-Elect from each association would visit the other associations. This exchange with Georgia, GACRAO, continues today. In 1985, at the request of the Executive Committee, the FACRAO Council of Past Presidents conducted a self-study of the Association. The purpose of the study was to determine if FACRAO was meeting the professional development needs of Florida’s registrars and admissions officers. The results of the study were presented to the membership at the 1985 Annual Meeting. In 1988, FACRAO hosted the SACRAO Annual Meeting in Orlando. The meeting was held at the Sheraton World Resort near Sea World. Many Central Floridians were actively involved in the planning and hosting of this well attended SACRAO Annual Meeting. AACRAO returned to Florida in 1993. Once again, FACRAO members were very active in the planning for this national meeting, which was held in Orlando. Over 2,300 enrollment professionals from throughout the United States attended this meeting. Once again in 1996, SACRAO returned to Florida, this time in Ponte Vedra. This SACRAO meeting will always be remembered for snow and ice, which prevented many southern colleagues from getting to sunny Florida for the meeting. FACRAO celebrated its 40th Anniversary during the 1996 Annual Meeting in Altamonte Springs. Many of FACRAO’s Past Presidents were recognized at this historic meeting. In the late 1990s, FACRAO once again provided leadership for several state initiatives, including the electronic transfer of student records (FASTER) and reciprocity among Florida’s public institutions in honoring determinations of Florida resident status for tuition purposes. As the new century dawned, FACRAO was again playing a leadership role in a legislative initiative with the implementation of Florida s Academic Counseling and Tracking for Students (FACTS) system. FACTS is Florida’s online gateway to information about higher education. FACRAO members served as committee members and chaired expert user groups as FACTS was developed. FACRAO celebrated its 50th Anniversary during the 2006 Annual Meeting. Effective April 7, 2008, FACRAO was organized and incorporated under the laws of the State of Florida. FACRAO celebrated its 60th Anniversary during the 2016 Annual Meeting, in Orlando. In 2017, SACRAO returned to western Florida, hosting the Annual Meeting in St. Pete Beach; and in 2018, AACRAO returned to central Florida, hosting the Annual Meeting in Orlando. Through attendance and session presentations, these events served to showcase multiple Florida institutions and FACRAO members. In 2019, FACRAO formalized a partnership with AACRAO, our national organization. AACRAO’s Affiliation and Partnership Program with State and Regionals offered the opportunity to affirm our shared professional goals by committing to an all-encompassing membership software and website package, and provided access to a number of other cross-promotional opportunities. In 2020, the Annual Summit and FACRAO conference was not held due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2021, with pandemic travel and budget restrictions still impacting member organizations, FACRAO offered its first entirely virtual conference, as well as implementing online webinars periodically throughout the membership year. The Association returned to hosting face-to-face conferences in 2022, in Daytona Beach, with a Summit featuring the distinguished keynote speakers Camesha Whittaker, Ph.D., Managing Principal & Consultant of Advance Civility Enterprises, LLC; and William Gil, Director of Government Relations, American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO). The 2023 Annual Summit returned to central Florida, at the Florida Hotel & Conference Center, featuring guest speakers including Dr. Isis Artze-Vega, College Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Valencia College; Jay Galbraith, Vice President of Public Affairs and Advancement, Valencia College; and Jacqueline Carter, President, AACRAO. The 2024 Annual Summit was held on Florida's west coast, at the Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront, featuring Keynote speaker Chancellor Christian Hardigree, from USF St. Petersburg; and guest speaker Jacqueline Carter, Past-President, AACRAO. As the years pass, FACRAO continues to provide a valuable forum for professional growth and the mutual exchange of ideas to improve both the individual and the institution. Founding Members of FACRAO
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