History of TACRAO
The History of the Texas Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers
Acknowledgement: This brief summary liberally borrows from the work done in 1995 by Mike Allen, Mike Smith and others in creating the publication, “The Texas Association of Collegiate Registrar and Admissions Officers: A Historical Perspective.” And from the work of the 1986 Historical Committee, chaired by Dana Ransom.
The Texas Associate of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers was founded in 1916 and is a voluntary and nonprofit professional educational association of cooperating collegiate level institutions. Its general purpose is to contribute to the advancement of higher education in its fullest and broadest implications. The specific purposes are to advance professionally the work and positions in the offices of admissions, records and registration and other closely related functions within institutions of higher learning.
TACRAO has always been an active organization that has addressed the concerns of its members and steadily grown in the extent of its activities during the years. It is hoped that the material contained in this brief summary of our history will give today’s members a sense of belonging to an organization that has made significant contributions to its members and their institutions, to the students of those institutions, and generally to higher education in Texas.
December 28, 1916, the Texas Branch of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars is formally organized.
| 1st |
1921, Houston |
| 2nd – 6th |
1922 – 1926, Locations unknown |
| 7th Spring |
1928, Southern Methodist University, Dallas
President – R. L. Brewer,
Southern Methodist University |
| 9th Spring |
1929, Baker Hotel, Dallas
President – Pearl Neas,
Southwestern University |
First Annual Institute is held November 11-12, 1929, in the Education Building at the University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas Registrar E. J. Mathews presided. Topics included Pre-Registration and Freshman Orientation, Transcripts, and Permanent Records. At the conclusion of the institute it was decided to discontinue meeting in the spring with the Texas Association of Colleges and to meet instead in the fall each year.
| 10th |
November 14-15, 1930, Agricultural & Mechanical College, College Station President – E. J. Howell, John Tarleton Agricultural College (After registration all were conducted to the home of Mr. & Mrs. Friley where refreshments were served, stories and jokes were told, and this happy occasion gave the correct setting for the meeting. |
| 11th |
October 30-31, 1931, Baylor University, Waco President, D. A. Shirley, West Texas State Teachers College |
| 12th |
November 11-12, 1932, Texas Hotel, Fort Worth
President – E. R. Tucker, Texas Christian University (deceased June 30, 1932)
Edna Phillips, Stephen F. Austin State Teachers College
(Forty-one institutions represented) |
| 13th |
November 3-4, 1933, Jefferson Hotel, Dallas
President – E. J. Mathews,
University of Texas |
| 14th |
October 26-27, 1934, St. Anthony Hotel, San Antonio
President – Charlie Wilkins, John Tarleton Agricultural College |
| 15th |
October 18-19, 1935, Texas Hotel, Forth Worth
President, W. P. Clement, Texas Technological College |
| 16th |
November 6-7, 1936, Baker Hotel, Dallas
President – R.L. Brewer, Southern Methodist University |
| 17th |
October 29-30, 1937, Rice Hotel, Houston
President – Marshal Rix, Sam Houston State Teachers College |
On October 30, 1937, the name of the organization was changed to The Texas Association of Collegiate Registrars.
| 18th |
October 28-29, 1938, Union Building, University of Texas, Austin
President – Iris Graham, McMurry College
(Forty four institutions represented) |
| 19th |
October 20-21, 1939, Adolphus Hotel, Dallas
President – Francis Emerson, Texas State College for Women
(A motion carried to suspend the collection of $1.00 per person dues for the year.) |
| 20th |
October 25-26, 1940, Roosevelt Hotel, Waco
President – Frank M. Allen, Baylor University |
| 21st |
October 24-25, 1941, Plaza Hotel, San Antonio
President – Max Fichtenbaum, University of Texas at Austin
(Attendance reached 73 attendees from 43 colleges) |
The 1942 convention was cancelled due to World War II.
| 22nd |
November 23-24, 1943, Texas Hotel, Ft. Worth
President – S.W. Hutton, Texas Christian University |
| 23rd |
November 14-15, 1944, Adolphus Hotel, Dallas
President – Fred H. Junkin, Schreiner Institute
(Attendance fell to 37 attendees from 33 colleges)
|
The 1943 convention was not held.
| 24th |
April 1-2, 1946, Adolphus Hotel, Dallas
President – J.T. Haney, College of Mines
(Theme is “Growth, Progress and Leadership”) |
| 25th |
March 2-4, 1947, The Gunter Hotel, San Antonio
President – H.L. Heaton, A&M College |
| 26th |
October 30-31, November 1, 1947, Hotel Texas, Ft. Worth
President – Claude Elliott, Southwest Texas State Teachers College |
| 27th |
October 28-29, 1948, T-F., Gunter Hotel, San Antonio
President – Thomas J. Treadaway, Saint Mary’s University |
| 28th |
October 27-29, 1949, Baker Hotel, Dallas
President – Alex Dickie, North Texas State College
(Attendance was 73 with 10 or 12 new members) |
| 29th |
October 19-21, 1950, Shamrock Hotel, Houston
President – Terrell Spencer, University of Houston |
| 30th |
October 18-20, 1951, Texas Hotel, Ft. Worth
President – Leonard G. Nystrom, Southern Methodist University |
| 31st |
November 6-8, 1952, Memorial Student Center, College Station
President – H. Y. McCown, University of Texas at Austin
(Conference format went from speech type to workshop type) |
| 32nd |
December 10-12, 1953, Hotel Adolphus, Dallas
President – Truett Grant, Baylor University
(VP Ray Laird presided since Truett Grant was re-called into the Armed Forces) |
| 33rd |
December 2-4, 1954, Nueces Hotel, Corpus Christi
President – John E. Tompkins, Tarleton State College |
| 34th |
December 5-7, 1955, Wooten Hotel, Abilene
President – Frank H. Morgan, West Texas State College |
| 35th |
Decmber 4-5, 1956, Adolphus Hotel, Dallas
President – Jerome Vannoy, McMurry College
(The meeting was held jointly with the Southern Associations of College and University Registrars) |
| 36th |
November 19-21, 1957, Gunter Hotel, San Antonio
President – Grady Anderson, Del Mar College
(A workshop on punch card machines sponsored by AACRAO and IBM was held) |
| 37th |
November 18-20, 1958, Hotel Texas, Ft. Worth
President – Perrin Smith,
The University of Texas |
| 38th |
November 17-19, 1959, Rice Hotel, Houston
President – Nadyne Bowen,
University of Texas – Dental Branch at Houston |
On November 19, 1959, the name of the organization was changed to The Texas Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.
| 39th |
November 15-17, 1960, Hilton, El Paso
President – Alton Lee
Baylor University
(Theme: The Registrar and the Explosive Sixties) |
| 40th |
November 14-16, 1961, Jack Tar Hotel, Galveston
President – Ramon Vitulli, University of Houston |
| 41st |
November 13-15, 1962, St. Anthony Hotel, San Antonio
President – R.G. Perryman, Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas
(A worship service was held for the commemoration of Pearl Neas who was one of the three founders of the organization.) |
| 42nd |
November 5-7, 1963, Baker Hotel, Dallas
President – Calvin Cumbie,
President – Texas Christian University
(Conference registration was $2.00) |
| 43rd |
November 10-12, 1964, Commodore Perry Hotel, Austin
President – J.M. Whitaker,
El Paso Public Schools
(142 attended from 89 schools) |
| 44th |
November 9-11, 1965, Continental Houston, Houston
President – J. Douglas Conner, Southern Methodist University |
| 45th |
November 9-11, 1966, W-F, Fairway Motor Hotel, McAllen
President – W. Byron Shipp, The University of Texas |
| 46th |
November 7-9, 1967, Green Oaks Inn, Ft. Worth
President – Helen Hutchins
South Texas Junior College |
| 47th |
November 5-7, 1968, El Tropicana, San Antonio
President – S.W. McKewen,
Stephen F. Austin State College |
| 48th |
November 9-12, 1969, S-W, Hotel Aiffer, Mexico City, Mexico
President – Floyd Boze, Texas Tech University
(This is the only time TACRAO has met in another country. This required special approval by Governor Preston Smith, who allowed the members to leave the United States and be reimbursed for expenses.) |
| 49th |
November 9-11, 1970, Villa Capri Hotel, Austin
President – John Westberry
Texas Southern University
(A resolution was made to support in writing the nomination of Calvin Cumbie, Registrar at TCU, to the office of President-Elect of AACRAO. Calvin was elected.) |
| 50th |
November 8-10, 1971, Flagship Hotel, Galveston
President – Wilbur Dennis, Eastfield College |
| 51st |
November 13-15, 1972, Holiday Inn, Downtown El Paso
President – Rex Jackson,
University of Texas at Austin
(Hotel rooms were $13.00 for a single and $18.00 for a double.) |
| 52nd |
November 12/14, 1973, Hilton Inn, Dallas
President – Don Cates
West Texas State University
(This was the first year TACRAO invited vendors to exhibit during the convention.) |
| 53rd |
November 11-13, 1974, Sheraton Lincoln, Houston
President – Charles Bay,
Tarrant County Junior College District
(The 191 registrants were forced to evacuate the hotel during the opening reception when a fire broke out on the roof of the hotel.) |
| 54th |
November 10-12, 1975, El Tropicana Hotel, San Antonio
President – Donald Carter,
Texas Wesleyan College
(305 registered which, at the time, was thought to be a record.) |
| 55th |
November 7-10, 1976, S-W, Lakeway Inn & Marina, Austin
President – Clyde Iglinsky
Stephen F Austin State University |
| 56th |
November 13-16, 1977, S-W, Hilton Hotel, Corpus Christi
President – Robert Mulcahy
Houston Community College |
| 57th |
November 5-8, 1978, Sheraton Fairway, McAllen
President – Norris Kelton
Lamar University (Theme: The Challenge of Change) |
| 58th |
November 11-14, 1979, Kahler Green Oaks Inn, Ft. Worth
President – Betty Bullock,
Midwestern State University
(Theme: Management: Key to the Future) |
| 59th |
November, 1980, St. Anthony Hotel, San Antonio
President – Roy Lazenby,
North Harris County College |
| 60th |
November 8-11, 1981, S-W, Convention Center, El Paso
President – Billy Lay,
Texas A&M
(Theme: Creativity) |
| 61st |
November 7-10, 1982, S-W, Marriot, Greenspoint, Houston
President – Fred Russell, East Texas State University
(Theme: Partners for Progress) |
| 62nd |
November 6-9, 1983, Hyatt Regency, Austin
President – Don Palermo,
North Texas State University |
| 63rd |
November 4-7, 1984, Market Center Marriott, Dallas
President – Cathie Jackson, Tarrant County Junior College
(Theme: The Future is Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow) |
| 64th |
November 3-6, 1985, S-W, Hilton Resort, South Padre Island
President – Augustine Garza
University of Texas at Austin
(Theme: Forecasting Changes in the 80’s. Registrars 44.1% and 29.5% Admissions Officers; 51.4% Male and 47.3% Female; and 18.8% in the $14-$18,000 salary range and 16.6% in the over $38,000 salary range.) |
| 65th |
November 2-5, 1986, Hilton, College Station
President – Teresa Phillips,
North Harris County College
(Theme: Learning from our Past, Looking to the future.) |
| 66th |
November 8-11, 1987, St. Anthony Hotel, San Antonio
President – John Hall, Southern Methodist University
(Theme: Higher Education the Future of Texas. The first pre-conference workshop for TACRAO was offered: How to Develop a Service Management Program for your Institution.) |
| 67th |
November 6-9, 1988, Marriott Corpus Christi
President – John Brown,
University of Texas at San Antonio
(Theme: Charting a Course for Tomorrow.) |
| 68th |
November 5-8, 1989. Airport Hilton, El Paso
President: Dale Hargrove, San Jacinto College Central
(Theme: Challenging New Horizons) |
| 69th |
November 4-7, 1990, Lubbock Plaza, Lubbock
President – Joneel Harris, University of North Texas
(Theme: Winds of Change: New Directions for the 90’s. TACRAO was granted tax-exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service as described in section 501(c)(3) of the revenue code.) |
| 70th |
November 3-6, 1991, San Luis, Galveston
President – John Edwards, East Texas State University
(Theme: Building Bridges for Texas Students) |
| 71st |
November 7-11, 1992, Holiday Inn Centre, Odessa
President – Francette Carnahan, Tomball College
(Theme: Linking Resources for Professional Strength) |
| 72nd |
October 31- November 3, 1993, Sheraton Gunter Hotel, San Antonio
President – Lois Monroe, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (Theme: Doing More with Less) |
| 73rd |
November 6-9, 1994, Radisson Resort, South Padre Island
President – Dana Ransom, Kilgore College
(Theme: Ride the Waves of Change) |
| 74th |
November 5-8, 1995,The Marriott Bayfront, Corpus Christi
President – Marcilla Collinsworth, University of North Texas
(Theme: Charting New Horizons) |
| 75th |
November, 9-13, 1996, Renaissance Hotel Austin
President – Mike Allen, The University of Texas at Austin
(Theme: Past, Present, and Future of TACRAO) |
| 76th |
November 1-5, 1997, Radisson Plaza Hotel, Ft. Worth
President – Richard Elliott, Trinity University
(Theme: Tomorrow’s Dreams Today) |
| 77th |
October 31- November 4, 1998, Hilton College Station and Conference Center,
College Station
President – Suzanne Carter, Tarrant County Junior College, Northeast Campus
(Theme: Preparing for the Future) |
| 78th |
November 6-10, 1999, Holiday Inn Park Plaza, Lubbock
President – William Morris,
The University of Texas – Pan American
(Theme: Remember the Past, Ensure the Future) |
| 79th |
November, 2000, Moody Gardens, Galveston
President – Mike Smith, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (Theme: Migrating to a New Millennium) |
| 80th |
October 26-31, 2001. Adams Mark Hotel,
Dallas
President – Dorothy Kiser, Hardin-Simmons University (Theme: TACRAO 2001, An Eighty Year Odyssey) |
| 81st |
November 2-6, 2002, Omni Bayfront Hotel, Corpus Christi
President – Wanda Simpson, San Jacinto College – North
(Theme: Steering the Course Toward Leadership and Involvement) |
| 82nd |
October 25-29, 2003, Multi-Purpose Event Center/Holiday Inn, Wichita Falls
President – Troy Johnson,
West Texas A&M University
(Theme: Leading the Lone Star) |
| 83rd |
November 6-10, 2004, Omni Hotel, San Antonio
President – David Petrash, Grayson County College
(Theme: Rollin’ on the River) |
| 84th |
October 29-November 2, 2005, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Houston
President – Manual Lujan Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi
(Theme: CSI Houston – TACRAO Investigates) |
| 85th |
November 4-8, 2006,
Hyatt Regency Hotel, Austin
President –Alfred Rodriguez, Jr., Trinity University
(Theme: Special Session) |
| 86th |
November 10-14, 2007
Hotel Intercontinental, Addison
President – Janie Neighbors, North Central Texas College
(Theme: Building Collegiate Success) |
| 87th |
November 1-5, 2008
Omni Bayfront Hotel, Corpus Christi
President – Rebecca Lothringer
University of North Texas
(Theme: Changes in Latitude) |
| 88th |
November 7-11, 2009
Lubbock Civic Center, Lubbock
President – Margaret Dechant, Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi
(Theme: TACRAO Promise: Educating Our Future) |
| 89th |
November 14-17, 2010
Moody Gardens Resort, Galveston Island
President – Dave Stones, Southwestern University – Georgetown
(Theme: Surfing for Success) |
| 90th |
November 5-9, 2011
Riverwalk San Antonio
President – Trey Hattaway, Kilgore College
(Theme: Let’s Fiesta! Celebrating 90 Years of Building Bridges) |
| 91St |
November 4-7, 2012
Sheraton Hotel Downtown Dallas
President – Berri O’Neal, Universities Center at Dallas
(Theme: Sustaining Our Scholars) |
| 92nd |
November 10-13, 2013
El Paso Convention Center
President – Oscar Reyna, Texas A&M International University
(Theme: Leading Texans to Success) |
| 93rd |
October 27-30, 2014
Waco Convention Center
President – Becki Griffith, Lee College
(Theme: Taking Charge of Change) |
| 94th |
November 8-11, 2015
Hyatt Regency – Houston
President – Charles Kettlewell, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
(Theme: Reaching New Heights through Innovation, Imagination, and Collaboration) |
| 95th |
November 13-16, 2016
Horseshoe Bay Resort, Horseshoe Bay, Texas
President – Darla Inglish, Midwestern State University
(Theme: 100 Years of Making a Difference in the Lives of Our Students) |
| 96th |
November 5-8, 2017
South Padre Island
President – Irene Robinson, Alvin Community College
(Theme: Charting the Course for Student Success) |
| 97th |
November 4-7, 2018
Fort Worth
President – Joe Papari, Southern Methodist University
(Theme: Blazing New Trails in Higher Education) |
| 98th |
November 3-6, 2019
Galveston Convention Center
President - Sofia Almeda Montes, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
(Theme: Embracing Our Past, Shaping Our Future) |
| 99th |
November 9-11, 2020
Originally scheduled for San Antonio, the conference was moved to a virtual format due to COVID-19 pandemic
President - Bobby Lothringer, Texas Woman's University/Southern Methodist University
(Theme: Using Hindsight for Future Vision) |
| 100th |
November 7-10, 2021
Lubbock Civic Center
President - Jamie Hansard, Texas Tech University
(Theme: Setting the Sun, Promising Another Century of Success)
|
| 101st |
November 6-9, 2022
Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa
President - Paige Bussell, Texas A&M University-Commerce
(Theme: Riding Into the Next Century of TACRAO)
|
| 102nd |
October 29- November 1, 2023
Embassy Suites by Hilton Denton Convention Center
President - Melinda Carroll, North Central Texas College
(Theme: Innovation for Student Success)
|
| 103rd |
November 10- November 13, 2024
Embassy Suites by Hilton San Marcos Convention Center
President - Bobbie Brown, Texas Tech University
(Theme: Embracing the Shifting Currents)
|
|
