Bluefield, Virginia | Dean of Registration Services | (2020-2024)

As Dean of Registration Services, Dr. Lemon oversaw the registration services of the University, with primary focus on creating an integrated experience that joyfully serves students, and efficiently connects student admission, registration, financial services, and advising on through graduation and beyond. In his role, he:

• oversaw the personnel and operations of the Office of the Registrar, including student registration, course scheduling (with a centralized master schedule), student advising, transcript release, and graduation; 
• as Dean of Registration Services worked with the Financial Aid and Student Accounts Offices in serving students through Bluefield Central;
• coordinated with admissions to bring students from evaluation to enrollment;
• coordinated with financial aid and student accounts to verify enrollment and provide timely, accurate reporting of census data and changes in student academic standings;
• assisted faculty in questions of advising, curriculum, scheduling, policies related to academics, etc.;
• annually assists the Provost and Academic Deans in the review of the Academic Catalogs, and coordinated the update, publication, and dissemination of the Catalogs and the Academic Calendars; 
• coordinated the development of long range and strategic planning within registration services;
• developed training mechanisms for faculty, staff, and students regarding the various operations of Registration Services and the larger Bluefield Central space;
• served as Primary Designated School Official (PDSO) for International Students and coordinates SEVIS reporting for F-1 students;
• assisted the Business Intelligence office in institutional reporting to IPEDS, the state of Virginia (SCHEV), NAIA, NC-SARA, SACS-COC, and various other reporting agencies as needed; and, 
• served on multiple councils and committees to further the mission of the institution.

Key Successes

• Streamlined processes to significantly improve customer service response times for emails, forms, and other registration functions from days to hours or less;
• Implemented cross-training within the department to ensure office responsibilities could be completed in a timely manner regardless of total workload;
• Developed and, in coordination with Academic Deans, launched a Master Centralized Schedule with consistent rotations, and regular review to ensure student success and institutional cost savings;
• Transitioned Registrar from a paper based office to a completely digital office;
• Decreased Registration Services spending by eliminating paper (including files) and reducing graduation expenses;
• Developed and maintain a Five Year Academic Calendar;
• Coordinated the development and review of each new annual Academic Catalog;
• Streamlined census process to provide accurate campus enrollment to executive leadership and decreased delays in final numbers by almost 2 weeks;
• Strengthened International Student policies to clarify requirements and enforce timely payment;
• Developed training manuals/brochures to assist incoming students, faculty, admissions recruiters, and others with processes related to Registration Services;
• Created and maintains an app in PowerApps to streamline Fine Arts Community School (FACS) lesson registration and documentation that significantly decreased program costs while providing up-to-date lesson information to instructors, and payment reminders to students;
• In coordination with Registrar staff, developed and updates a Standard Operating Procedure Manual for the functions of Registration Service; 

Bluefield University Councils and Committees:

• University Leadership Team (ULT) | Comprised of the Vice Presidents and key leaders throughout the institution, we review and provide feedback on institution wide policies, events, and situations.
• Deans Committee | Comprised of the Academic Deans of the University, we review program additions and changes, addresses academic concerns, and considers long-term improvements in the academic offerings.
• Curriculum Review Committee(s)  | Comprised of Faculty, Department Chairs, and other academic stakeholders within the undergraduate and graduate divisions, we review and vet curriculum and approve changes in undergraduate and graduate programs.
• Provisional Admissions Committee | In cases where applicants do not meet minimum requirements, we review the potential of each applicant to determine whether we as an institution are equipped to help the student thrive.
• Academic Appeals Committee | For students who are facing suspension due to poor academic performance, we review their appeal and consider their plan of action to overcome the academic deficit.
• Institutional Effectiveness Committee | As a committee, we review the mechanisms established in each area to ensure assessment is robust and comprehensive.
• Student Success Committee | Comprised of a cross section of the institution, we review policies and procedures to identify and help students who are struggling academically, and engage with these students to encourage them toward success.