Stress in the Registrar's office at Argosy University

Stress in the Registrar's Office at Argosy University

Silva B. Adeniyi

B6125 - Leadership and Organizational Behavior

Argosy University Atlanta

Professor Andrea Banto

February 28, 2012

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to show the causes of stress in the Argosy University Registrar's Office. Population used for this study were employees that work in the Registrar's office, four employees to be exact, answering a questionnaire about what causes each of them stress and other questions related to stress in the workplace. From the research we will see what causes stress in Argosy University Registrar's office employees and managers, and what is recommended to relieve that stress. Lastly we will look at some stress management techniques.

Stress in the Registrar's Office at Argosy University

History of the Registrar's Office (Background)

The Registrar's Office started back in universities during medieval times where parish officials or academic officer announced messages and implemented decrees of the authorities at the University. In the United States, the first Registrar was a member of the faculty that keep academic records part-time, at Harvard College estimated in the 1636. By 1880, the position of Registrar was a full time position in ten percent (10%) of institutions of higher learning, because college enrollment was growing, by 1900 forty-two percent (42%), by 1910 seventy-six percent (76%), by 1920 over ninety percent (90%).

Registrars from 15 colleges gathered in Detroit, Michigan, on August 15, 1920, to form an enduring nationwide symposium that added the office of admissions in 1949, establishing the American Association of Collegiate Registrar's and Admissions Officers (AACRAO). Supporting the professional Registrar's with responsibilities, roles and several services are the AACRAO, which is the parent organization (Registrar's Office, 2009).

History of Argosy University - Atlanta

Argosy University is a University that is for profit; it has online classes at Phoenix campus, 19 on-ground campuses at five (5) colleges in 13 states. Argosy is owned by the Education Management Corporation (EDMC). In September of 2001, Argosy University was started by amalgamation of the Medical Institute of Minnesota for medical technology careers for trained associated personnel of healthcare that was founded in 1961, The American School of Professional Psychology established by educators, psychologists, and additional professionals at the beginning of the 1970s, requesting a degree in clinical psychology giving emphasis to instruction and hands-on training above the investigation-oriented (Argosy University, 2012) method of the long-established PhD degree answering the developing wants of the medicinal community, and the University of Sarasota made available degreed programs in education and business for adults that worked combining a mixed format including concentrated study periods on-campus and distance learning for 30 years(Argosy University, 2012).

Brief Overview of the Registrar's Office at Argosy University

Argosy University Registrar's Office provides students with transcripts that are officially certified, academic standing during each term and cumulative GPA for each term. Registrar's Office assist students with adding, dropping, and swopping courses during enrollment, grade reporting, program withdrawals during each term, official name changes, changes to majors and prerequisite requirements. I work in the Argosy University Registrar's Office as a student worker. My job is to help students register for classes online through their portal, match students name, degree, and their graduation date with the information on diploma/Petition to Graduate, and Dissertation for Doctorate Students, then I FedEx diploma to student (or check ID when the students pick up diploma). If there is any correction to be made in regard to student's diploma, I give it to the registrar and tell her what needs to be corrected. I keep a count each month of how many transcripts we send to other Universities. Put add/drop forms in binders by month and year, alphabetize transcripts every month and put in binders, alphabetize all student documents and put in their folders, pull and file student folders, copy students transcripts, letters of recommendation, and admission application when requested from other offices, answer students voicemails, separate and distribute mail, and any other thing I am asked to do.

Problem I observed in the Registrar's Office at Argosy University (Key Problem)

One of the major problems I have observed in the Registrar's Office at Argosy University is stress with the employees because of the increased intensity of the job demands, work not distributed evenly among employees, lack of control over the pace of work, no training for new jobs given to employees, employees given jobs without prior knowledge, and deal with hostile students.

When I asked the Employees this question from the questionnaire given to them by me is; Question 1: What do you think causes stress when working in the Registrar's office? The answers from the employees were the Registrar's office is understaffed, volumes of work received, demand of students, supervisors unrealistic expectations, backlog of paperwork from 2010 to present causing employees to point fingers at who is the cause, non-communication between the managers and employees and no type of directions of how to process forms/documents (Argosy Registrar's Office Employee's, 2012).

The problems I have observed with management in the Registrar's Office at Argosy University is stress with management because of not enough employees to do the work puts undue pressure on management, management wears too many hats, work long hours, no overtime pay, and dealing with hostile students.

Literature Review

Job stress can be divided into three categories issues on the job, issues in the organization, or issues with the individual. Issues on the job can be diversity, control of speed and timing on job, complexity of the job, duties of the job, and scheduled work hours. Issues in the organization can be management,