Charmaine Hack, university registrar, reflects on three decades at Ryerson

Charmaine Hack, university registrar, has been part of the Ryerson community for more than 30 years. Having joined Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in 1989, her progressing roles starting in recruitment and admissions, and through to a full suite of registrarial areas of accountability, have given her a front-row seat to the university's evolution, and have prepared her for the next phase of her career as vice-president, Strategic Enrolment Management with Centennial College.

As someone who has been central to many significant institutional changes, Hack has amassed many rich experiences and fond memories with cherished colleagues, and has an incredible portfolio of work of which to be proud. A member of the Board of Governors from 2007-2011, she was part of the decision to purchase Maple Leaf Gardens, now the Mattamy Athletic Centre (external link) , and helped to approve the acquisition of the Black Star Collection at the Ryerson Image Centre (external link)  and the plan to build the Student Learning Centre.

“The energy and positive momentum that surrounded the university during that time was palpable,” says Hack. “I feel honoured to have been part of these historic decisions that have already enriched the campus community and will continue to do so for years to come.”

With the support of dedicated staff, she also launched Ryerson’s ServiceHub, the one-stop shop for front-line service for the Office of the Registrar – a career highlight borne of a 13-month initiative to foster greater collaboration, cooperation and big thinking amongst previously siloed departments. 

Further, her leadership has continually raised the bar for student support, particularly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with initiatives that adopted new processes to maintain operations and introduced an all-hands-on-deck approach to diploma delivery to ease the shift to a remote university experience.

“We are better prepared and better able to take on the next chapter in our evolution thanks to Charmaine’s ongoing dedication and guidance,” says Jen McMillen, vice-provost, students. “Her advice and operational expertise, particularly during the last 18 months, have been instrumental to supporting student success, and her thoughtful approach to admissions and recruitment has set a strong foundation for our future. I don’t doubt that she will be regarded highly in her new role, and I wish her incredible success.”

Hack will continue to lead transformation at the national level as chair of the ARUCC National Network (external link) . Launched in October 2020, MyCreds (external link)  is transforming academic document and credential exchange for students and graduates of Canadian colleges, institutes and universities by providing portable digital credential wallets for learners and direct peer-to-peer document and credential exchange between post-secondary institutions, employers, government and others.

As Hack approaches her last day at Ryerson on Friday, September 17, 2021, she reflects on her time here:

What attracted you to Ryerson back in ’89?

I was a recent grad working in Housing at UofT Mississauga at the time and looking for new experiences. A job posting came through the network and I really liked the idea of admissions and recruitment – sharing information that students need to make good decisions about which university or college would be the best fit for them, as well as the opportunity to grow personally and professionally.

I didn’t think I’d be here for more than 30 years, but the time has flown by.  Ryerson is ever innovating, ever transforming, and there's no reason to go anywhere else if you’re attracted to that kind of change. It was always exciting and I think that’s why so many people stay here for so long.

How has the university evolved from your perspective?

When I started we had 22,176 applications for admission compared to the 85,000 applications we now receive annually. In September 1989 we admitted 3,928 new undergraduate students and now we’re in the range of 10,000, so it was very different in size and scale. The growth was rapid: new programs were constantly coming out, new faculties were being created, research was expanding and we were becoming better known. For the first time, we started doing school visits outside of Toronto. Now we can’t keep up with the demand locally, nationally and internationally.

Also – and I’m embarrassed to say this now because it really does date me – our technology. On my first day, I was escorted to my office and there was a neat pile of memo pads on my desk with a little cup of pens; no computer. Offers of admission were typed on typewriters with carbon paper, so you might get one with Wite-Out on it, and a few of us would be sent out to follow the mail truck to make sure they arrived safely! This, of course, was before email and digital documents. There were hard-copy files and papers everywhere. I had a desktop phone with a flashing light so I could answer my neighbour’s line if they weren’t around.

Flash forward and we were the first university in Ontario to operationalize paperless admissions. Today, continuing students can manage a wide range of their administrative affairs seamlessly through self-service options and we’ve long eliminated the historical winding lineups that would flank hallways during term start up. We’ve come a long way from reviewing a student’s academic record with microfiche readers! Now we’re on the cusp of change again, reflecting on our pandemic learnings and paving a new way forward.

Though there have many changes across Ryerson over the decades, what has remained constant?

The absolute focus on student success. That has taken different shapes over the years and has become more sophisticated, but has always been centred. Also, the dedication of staff and faculty. Ryerson attracts extremely committed people who believe in the kind learning that we provide – the mix of theory and foundational knowledge you need to thrive in your career, but also the practical experiential piece, where Ryerson has always been a leader.

What has your time at the university taught you?

So, so much. First and foremost, my experiences working with students, staff and faculty from different areas has instilled in me the importance of being open minded, listening, collaborating and moving through change in a thoughtful way. There are so many backgrounds and perspectives that contribute to the conversation, so you have to understand the impact of your decisions on different audiences.

I’ve also learned to believe in our people. They are brilliant, they are dedicated and they have great ideas. Anything I’ve been able to do here has been because of the wonderful people around me.

What philosophies will you take with you into your new role?

Every person matters. It’s a philosophy grounded in equity, diversity and inclusion; one that’s forward thinking and thoughtful so that we’re looking intentionally for what’s falling through the cracks and taking the time to do things right – not just move them forward.

Also, the idea that change is a journey and not an event. When I think of where we were in 1989 and where we are now, change has been the only constant and is what has made Ryerson such an exciting, challenging and rewarding place to work.

What are you most looking forward to in this next phase of your career?

In my new inaugural role, I am looking forward to leveraging the depth and breadth of experience I have gained in my various roles to bring change leadership, strategic acumen and focussed energy to support my new instsitution’s transformative vision for the future. I’m also looking forward to gaining deeper knowledge and perspective within the college sector, and to growing my understanding of what makes it tick and how I can contribute. I think it’s going to be a very rich experience.

Any words of wisdom for the new Registrar?

Registrarial teams often work behind the scenes, but they are essential to the academic operation. We’re facing many challenges, so my advice is to listen, to take the time to absorb the complexity of the work, and to get to know the tremendously talented people who make up this team so they continue to feel valued and work proactively towards finding solutions. The Registrar’s Office is deeply entwined with the success of the university and the experiences that students have, so move into the role confidently knowing that you have good people in your corner.