A concern for student privacy and increased demands of admission requirements caused the relocation of the registrar's office to the second floor of Buchanan Hall.

Matt Hamilton, registrar and associate vice president of enrollment and student financial services, said he plans to have his office permanently moved to the second floor sometime this summer, depending on construction time. He said his office will definitely be open by the start of the fall semester.

Hamilton said his new office includes three offices and a conference room. He said he has already begun to move office equipment upstairs.

Hamilton said he is moving his office from the Office of Admissions because a lack of space can sometimes create privacy concerns.

"People in the office are so close and so cramped," Hamilton said. "Sometimes we need more privacy and more room when dealing with sensitive issues."

Hamilton said the Office of Admissions needs more space because of the demands of the new admissions requirements.

"The Admissions Office responsibilities have become more detailed as admission requirements and processes have become more sophisticated over the past few years," Hamilton said. "It requires more employees to handle changed admission requirements and additional duties associated with international student documentation needs. The space vacated will be utilized to provide a more appropriate work space for the Admissions Office."

Hamilton said that as the registrar, he oversees and helps coordinate offices, services and programs that originate in Buchanan Hall.

The summer scheduling room, located in the registration office, is the future location of Hamilton's new office. The room was formerly filled with computers used for registration and the Summer Enrollment Program, which enrolls most newly admitted OU freshmen and transfer students.

Breck Turkington, director of registration, said many improvements, like getting new computers and all new furniture, were made to the Registration Office despite its reduction in office space.

"We have not reduced the number of computers [used for registration]," Turkington said. "We have newer, faster and more enhanced computers. It was just time for an update."

Neither the reduction of space nor the reorganization of computers has created problems for the Summer Enrollment Program, said Diane Mayes, director of the Summer Enrollment Program.

"They put in all new computers and when they did that, they set them up next to each other," Mayes said. "The new set-up did not diminish the registration station. From our perspective, it has run really smoothly."

Kim Coffey, co-chief guide for summer enrollment, said the updating of computers has made registration more efficient.

"It's a lot easier to get students set-up," Coffey said. "The computers are faster and seem more accessible for students to find things on the screen."

Hamilton said he is excited about the move that will be completed before the fall semester commences.

"It provides Admissions with the space they need, centralizes the office in Buchanan Hall, and provides more accessibility," Hamilton said.
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