SPRING 2025 NEWSLETTER
Southern Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers
Past President Report
Spring is in the air, clocks have already been pushed ahead by an hour, and graduation season is rapidly approaching With all the activity that springtime brings, be assured that the SACRAO team is also already in motion making plans for an exciting and successful 2025-26 membership year!
I first wanted to start with a thank you to SACRAO President Sofia Almeda Montes, for her efforts to organize and host the wonderful SACRAO@AACRAO regional reception at Von’s 1000 Spirits, in Seattle, Washington, on April 1. Generously sponsored by friends of the association David Haynes, Heidi Haynes, Scott Blevins and the entire International Education Evaluations (IEE) team, the restaurant was packed with association members from institutions all around the southern region. All who attended enjoyed great food and drink and had the chance to catch up with old friends and meet some new ones. The venue was packed, and even AACRAO Senior Fellow LeRoy Rooker was spotted at the gathering, proving that no one can throw an A-list party like SACRAO!
With AACRAO behind us, attention moves to the upcoming SACRAO membership year Be sure to mark your calendars now for SACRAO 2026, February 1-4, in sunny Orlando, Florida! The venue will be the DoubleTree Universal, conveniently located amid the entertainment capital’s many attractions, including the multiple parks of Universal Studios and Walt Disney World The team is already hard at work, with LAC Chair (and former SACRAO Treasurer) Amy Gleason, Duke University, and Vice-chair (and SACRAO Vice President, States/Regionals and Membership) Diana Hull, University of Florida, leading the effort, with plans to bring SACRAO members together for a memorable conference suitable for Orlando, the “happiest place on earth”! As a resident of the Daytona Beach area myself, I greatly looking forward to SACRAO’s return to Florida, and to sharing a February gathering of the association in the Sunshine State! (cont’d next page)
WHAT'S INSIDE THIS ISSUE: TO UPDATE
Past President Report 2025-2026 Membership Cycle Orlando 2026
2025 Conference Recap
Among the duties assigned to SACRAO’s Immediate Past-president, is that of chairing the Site Selection Committee I am happy to be collaborating with SACRAO Past President Patrick Frazier throughout the membership year, to consider future SACRAO conference location sites, a process that includes review of proposals from across the region, contracting with venues, and visiting sites to assure that venues offer the scale, amenities and support that an event the size of SACRAO demands. We are already in motion with plans to review venues for 2027 and 2028 and will be sharing our progress throughout the membership year as dates and locations are contracted and finalized.
Here's hoping our members enjoy a productive and rewarding spring term, and all best wishes for a great graduation season - celebrating the success of your students with your institution’s grads and their families is a highlight every year!
Springing Into the 2025–2026 SACRAO Membership Cycle!
Spring is in full gear across the southern U S , and what a season it’s been! March Madness brought extra excitement this year with a Final Four lineup made entirely of SACRAO-member institutions! Each team represented our region with pride and in the end, the best team took home the title (Go Gators! Had to say it!)
Spring also marks the beginning of SACRAO membership renewals for the 2025–2026 cycle Invoices will be emailed to the designated key contacts at each member institution in early May To ensure uninterrupted access to all the valuable resources, professional development, and community that SACRAO provides, we encourage prompt attention to these renewals
Key contacts have the ability to pay invoices online and manage their institutional rosters directly through the SACRAO website. If you’re new to this process or need a refresher, helpful step-by-step instructions can be found in our Membership FAQ.
SACRAO is proud to serve nearly 300 active institutional members and close to 3,000 individual members, representing a diverse and dynamic cross-section of the higher education landscape across the Southeast. As part of the renewal process, we encourage you to take a few minutes to review and update your institutional roster. While there is no limit to the number of members who can be linked to your school, keeping your list accurate by removing former employees and adding new ones ensures smoother communication and fewer bounced emails.
Your ongoing engagement is what makes SACRAO such a vibrant and supportive professional community Whether you’ve been with us for years or are new to the organization, your participation helps us all grow stronger together We are excited to continue offering opportunities for networking, learning, and leadership in the year ahead
As always, we invite you to help spread the word about SACRAO! Encourage your colleagues especially those who may be new to registrar, admissions, records, or related work—to get involved and take advantage of all we offer.
If you have any questions about your invoice, your roster, or SACRAO in general, don’t hesitate to reach out. Thank you for being an essential part of our community we can’t wait to work together and share SACRAO’s plans for the upcoming year!
Diana Hull VP for States, Regionals, and Membership vp-membership@sacrao
org
ORLANDO 2026
Come join us in Orlando, next February, no less, where we will be celebrating the Sorcery of Student Success!
Mark your calendars for next February 1-4!
We will gather at the DoutbleTree® by Hilton Hotel at the Entrance to Universal Orlando – a beautiful facility at the doorstop of the Universal Studios theme park If you need to plan your budgets, the site selection committee has secured us a great room rate of $169/night (Even better, if you’d like to make a vacation out of it, the rate will be extended, with availability, three days before and three days after the conference!)
Your 2025-2026 program committee is sure to put together a fantastic slate of sessions and the local arrangements committee (LAC) is busy planning some fun to go along with it!
Thank you to the LAC team:
Erin Carlini, Duke University
Matt Cash, Converse University
Nathan Congleton, University of Kentucky
Alana Davis, William and Mary
Patrick Frazier, Western Carolina University
Amy Gleason, Duke University
Dana Howard, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Diana Hull, University of Florida
Ed Trombley, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
As the committee firms up plans, we will be sharing more about the conference in the coming months. Watch for our announcements coming to your inbox!
