University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Office of the Registrar and Director of Institutional Research.

The position of Registrar was officially established in 1886 to handle student admissions and grade records. In 1930 the title of the position became Dean of Admissions and Registrar. In 1942 it became Registrar and Examiner; the Registrar at that time had administrative authority over the Central Office of Records and the newly created Office of Admissions. In 1947 the Registrar's position was eliminated, and the directors of the Central Office of Records and the Office of Admissions were placed directly under the Chancellor. In 1954 the Central Office of Records was placed within the new Division of Student Affairs; in 1961 it was reorganized and named Office of Records and Registration. Finally, in 1969, the Office of the Registrar and Director of Institutional Research was established and given authority over the Office of Records and Registration. The Office of the Registrar and Director of Institutional Research was eliminated in 1984. The current positions of Registrar and Director of Institutional Research, because of much administrative reorganization, are not true successors to the previous Office.

From the description of Records of the Office of the Registrar and Director of Institutional Research, 1931-1983. WorldCat record id: 27192252

On 26 January 1886, the university's Board of Trustees created the position of registrar to maintain records of student admissions and grades. At first, the responsibilities of the position were simply added to those of the secretary of the faculty. Joshua Walker Gore was the first to hold the combined office. Until 1916, the Office of Registrar remained much the same, with Eugene Lewis Harris replacing Gore in 1894, Charles Woollen replacing Harris in 1902, and Thomas James Wilson succeeding Woollen in 1908. Under Woollen, the keeping of academic records was formalized on what have come to be known as permanent record cards, and the office began to be seen as more an administrative than a faculty responsibility. By January 1916, Thomas J. Wilson was released from other duties and became the first full-time registrar, and in 1923, George Kenneth Grant Henry was appointed assistant registrar. In 1930, the responsibilities for admissions and academic records were divided between Henry and Ben Husbands as assistant registrars reporting to Wilson as dean of admissions and registrar.

The Central Office of Records was established in 1938 with Issac Cebern Griffin as director, reporting to Wilson. In 1942, Ben Husbands succeeded Wilson as registrar, and the division offunctions under him was further formalized by the creation of the Office of Admissions with Lee Roy Armstrong as director. The following year, Husbands was replaced by William Howard Plemmons. Following Plemmons's retirement in 1947, the title of registrar was abandoned, and the directors of the Central Records Office and the Admissions Office reported directly to the Chancellor.

In 1954, the Cresap, McCormick and Paget management study resulted in a reorganization of the university's administrative structure, and the Central Records Office was placed in the new Division of Student Affairs. In 1961, Raymond E. Strong became director of a reorganized Office of Records and Registration. Following J. Carlyle Sitterson's appointment as chancellor, the office was placed in the Division of Academic Affairs reporting to the provost.

In July 1969, the Office of the Registrar and Director of Institutional Research was established with James R. Gaskin as its head, and the Office of Records and Registration was placed under it. A year later, the new Division of Administration was created, and the registrar and director of institutional research began reporting to the new vice chancellor for administration. In July 1971, Lillian Y. Lehman replaced Gaskin as registrar and director of institutional research. On 1 July 1980, the Division of Administration was renamed Division of University Affairs.

From the guide to the Office of the Registrar and Director of Institutional Research of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Records, 1931-1983, (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. University Archives.)