New Registrar Olszewski brings to post 20 years of student service experience

Gabriel Olszewski has been appointed University Registrar, which became effective Monday, March 10. Since 2005, Olszewski has served as University Registrar at the University of California, San Diego. Before his appointment at San Diego, Olszewski served for eight years in registrar roles at Stanford University.

Olszewski, who has 20 years of student service experience, including more than 10 years in academic records, was involved in implementing and enhancing new student systems and building consensus for policy and process changes in his most recent positions at the University of California, San Diego and Stanford University.

As University Registrar, he will guide enhancements to Chicago’s registrar operations and information reporting, and he will work within the University community to identify opportunities to streamline and improve processes as well as report data necessary for the University to assess its operations.

While at San Diego, Olszewski managed and maintained the security of student academic records and oversaw the annual registration and enrollment of 26,000 students, as well as grades, transcripts, certification degrees, diplomas, classroom and final examination scheduling, and the curriculum management of 14,000 courses.

Olszewski also developed a technology plan, long-range goals and information system priorities for the Office of the Registrar, and acted as the campus consultant on FERPA and other federal, state and University of California policies governing student records, services and class scheduling.

At Stanford University, Olszewski served as Associate Registrar for Enrollment Services from 2001 to 2005 and as Registrar for Stanford’s School of Law from 1999 to 2001. Prior to that post, he was Director of Academic Services for the School of Education.

Olszewski earned a B.A. in Art History from St. John’s University and a M.A. in Art History from the University of Texas at Austin. He has served as an advisor on numerous working groups and task-force committees during his tenures at Stanford and San Diego.

“I am extremely appreciative of the search committee, composed of faculty, students and staff and chaired by Professor Michael LaBarbera, for their dedication and hard work in conducting this search,” said Kimberly Goff-Crews, Vice President and Dean of Students in the University.

Serving on the search committee were LaBarbera, Professor of Organismal Biology & Anatomy and the College; Blair Archambeau, Associate Provost for Planning; Constantin Fasolt, Master of the Social Sciences Collegiate Division and the Karl J. Weintraub Professor in History and the College; Greg Jackson, Vice-President and Chief Information Officer; Michael Jones, Associate Dean of Programs and Development in the College; Martina Munsters, Deputy Dean of Students for Student Affairs; Teresa Hord Owens, Dean of Students and Lecturer in the Divinity School; David Zupko, Registrar for Medical School Education in the Pritzker School of Medicine; Dan Kimerling, fourth-year in the College; and Sarah Lickfelt, a graduate student in the School of Social Service Administration.