The Office of Registrar and Admissions (ORA) integrates three major functions of the University: Promoting the University through her degree program offerings; recruiting and processing student admissions to Silliman, and; receiving, evaluating, consolidating, systematizing, controlling, preserving student records and enrolling students and issuing transfer credentials.

The Registrar and Admissions Officer serves as the school liaison to government agencies: the Commission on Higher Education, the Department of Education, Culture and Sports, the Commission on Immigration and Deportation, and the Department of Foreign Affairs through the S.U. Manila Office and foreign institutions.

In addition, he does public relations and monitors events that are taking place outside Silliman University. The latter function involves thinking and planning about what the outside environment thinks and does.  This is to help the University administration manage the environment and to help the Office “think globally” for the future and to “act locally”, now.

Mission

The ORA’s mission is the Christian commitment to Silliman University and to her clientele with integrity and honor by making the unit financially viable as well as by transforming the latter’s present conventional file environment into automated record management.

Its mission statement is to accomplish its vision through the goals and the planned activities.

Vision

The ORA’s vision shall be: By the year 2021, the Office of the Registrar and Admissions shall have attained financial self-sufficiency with a committed staff whose level of professional sophistication rises above their present threshold of competence; its services or operations fully automated; and, marketing strategies aggressive enough to attract students within the philosophy of Christian ethics.

Christian responsibility is Bible-based.  This means behaving in the context of accountability and crystal-clear transaction between the attending personnel and the clients.  All financial transactions are done in the Business Office; releases of student credentials are thoroughly processed, reviewed and fully documented.  Strict confidentiality of records is pursued vigorously as trustee of student documents.

The assurance for quick services cannot be attained without going into automation.  The latter’s fulfillment is dependent on solid financial position.  Thus, while the Office is attempting to deliver efficient services to her clients, the financial condition is correspondingly fixed.  Mendicancy must be contained to a level of respectability.  Too much of it weakens independence and impartiality in decision-making.  The classic dictum of Alexander Hamilton is instructive:  “A power over a man’s support is a power over his will.”

Objectives

Specific objectives are drawn from the vision-mission statement adverted to above.  These objectives are specific intentions about what the Office intends to accomplish in the next 5 to 8 years.  The goals are:

To pursue the implementation of the financial scheme to meet the target Trust Fund in the amount of 6 million pesos by the year 2021.

1. To adopt short-term financial strategy to support short term development efforts such as brain power upgrading, equipment acquisition, office improvement and funding other office needs not covered by the annual budget through the Restricted Fund system.
2. To continue upgrading the computerization program for the transcript and permanent records, the secretary’s files, scholarship and teacher’s program, admissions and evaluation through the Management Information System(MIS) Department.  A separate one-stop service hub within the office is also desired.
3. To pursue electronic storage of student records in the immediate term.
4. To include the School of Basic Education in the online enrollment system.