Acknowledgement: This brief summary liberally borrows from the work done in 1995 by Mike Allen, Mike Smith and others in creating the publication, “The Texas Associate of Collegiate Registrar and Admissions Officers: A Historical Perspective.” And from the work of the 1986 Historical Committee, chaired by Dana Ransom.
The Texas Associate of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers was founded in 1916 and is a voluntary and nonprofit professional educational association of cooperating collegiate level institutions. Its general purpose is to contribute to the advancement of higher education in its fullest and broadest implications. The specific purposes are to advance professionally the work and positions in the offices of admissions, records and registration and other closely related functions within institutions of higher learning.
TACRAO has always been an active organization that has addressed the concerns of its members and steadily grown in the extent of its activities during the years. It is hoped that the material contained in this brief summary of our history will give today’s members a sense of belonging to an organization that has made significant contributions to its members and their institutions, to the students of those institutions, and generally to higher education in Texas.
December 28, 1916, the Texas Branch of the American Associate of Collegiate Registrars is formally organized.
1st
2nd – 6th
- 1922– 1926, Locations unknown
7th
- Spring 1928, Southern Methodist University, Dallas
9th Spring
- 1929, Baker Hotel, Dallas
- Southwestern University
MILESTONE: First Annual Institute is held November 11-12, 1929, in the Education Building at the University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas Registrar E. J. Mathews presided. Topics included Pre-Registration and Freshman Orientation, Transcripts, and Permanent Records. At the conclusion of the institute it was decided to discontinue meeting in the spring with the Texas Associate of Colleges and to meet instead in the fall each year.
10th
- November 14-15, 1930, Agricultural & Mechanical College, College Station
11th
- October 30-31, 1931, Baylor University, Waco
12th
- November 11-12, 1932, Texas Hotel, Fort Worth
- (Forty-one institutions represented)
13th
- November 3-4, 1933, Jefferson Hotel, Dallas
14th
- October 26-27, 1934, St. Anthony Hotel, San Antonio
15th
- October 18-19, 1935, Texas Hotel, Forth Worth
16th
- November 6-7, 1936, Baker Hotel, Dallas
17th
- October 29-30, 1937, Rice Hotel, Houston
MILESTONE: On October 30, 1937, the name of the organization was changed to The Texas Association of Collegiate Registrars.
18th
- October 28-29, 1938, Union Building, University of Texas, Austin
- (Forty four institutions represented)
19th
- October 20-21, 1939, Adolphus Hotel, Dallas
- (A motion carried to suspend the collection of $1.00 per person dues for the year.)
20th
- October 25-26, 1940, Roosevelt Hotel, Waco
- Baylor University
21st
- October 24-25, 1941, Plaza Hotel, San Antonio
- (Attendance reached 73 attendees from 43 colleges)
MILESTONE: The 1942 convention was cancelled due to World War II.
22nd
- November 23-24, 1943, Texas Hotel, Ft. Worth
23rd
- November 14-15, 1944, Adolphus Hotel, Dallas
- (Attendance fell to 37 attendees from 33 colleges)
MILESTONE: The 1943 convention was not held.
24th
- April 1-2, 1946, Adolphus Hotel, Dallas
- (Theme is “Growth, Progress and Leadership”)
25th
- March 2-4, 1947, The Gunter Hotel, San Antonio
26th
- October 30-31, November 1, 1947, Hotel Texas, Ft. Worth
27th
- October 28-29, 1948, T-F., Gunter Hotel, San Antonio
28th
- October 27-29, 1949, Baker Hotel, Dallas
- (Attendance was 73 with 10 or 12 new members)
29th
- October 9-21, 1950, Shamrock Hotel, Houston
30th
- October 18-20, 1951, Texas Hotel, Ft. Worth
31st
- November 6-8, 1952, Memorial Student Center, College Station
- (Conference format went from speech type to workshop type)
32nd
- December 10-12, 1953, Hotel Adolphus, Dallas
- (VP Ray Laird presided since Truett Grant was re-called into the Armed Forces)
33rd
- December 2-4, 1954, Nueces Hotel, Corpus Christi
34th
- December 5-7, 1955, Wooten Hotel, Abilene
35th
- December 4-5, 1956, Adolphus Hotel, Dallas
- (The meeting was held jointly with the Southern Associations of College and University Registrars)
36th
- November 19-21, 1957, Gunter Hotel, San Antonio
- (A workshop on punch card machines sponsored by AACRAO and IBM was held)
37th
- November 18-20, 1958, Hotel Texas, Ft. Worth
38th
- November 17-19, 1959, Rice Hotel, Houston
MILESTONE:On November 19, 1959, the name of the organization was changed to The Texas Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.
39th
- November 15-17, 1960, Hilton, El Paso
- (Theme: The Registrar and the Explosive Sixties)
40th
- November 14-16, 1961, Jack Tar Hotel, Galveston
41st
- November 13-15, 1962, St. Anthony Hotel, San Antonio
- (A worship service was held for the commemoration of Pearl Neas who was one of the three founders of the organization.)
42nd
- November 5-7, 1963, Baker Hotel, Dallas
- (Conference registration was $2.00)
43rd
- November 10-12, 1964, Commodore Perry Hotel, AustiN
- (142 attended from 89 schools)
44th
- November 9-11, 1965, Continental Houston, Houston
45th
- November 9-11, 1966, W-F, Fairway Motor Hotel, McAllen
46th
- November 7-9, 1967, Green Oaks Inn, Ft. Worth
47th
- November 5-7, 1968, El Tropicana, San Antonio
48th
- November 9-12, 1969, S-W, Hotel Aiffer, Mexico City, Mexico
- (This is the only time TACRAO has met in another country. This required special approval by Governor Preston Smith, who allowed the members to leave the United States and be reimbursed for expenses.)
49th
- November 9-11, 1970, Villa Capri Hotel, Austin
- (A resolution was made to support in writing the nomination of Calvin Cumbie, Registrar at TCU, to the office of President-Elect of AACRAO. Calvin was elected.)
50th
- November 8-10, 1971, Flagship Hotel, Galveston
51st
- November 13-15, 1972, Holiday Inn, Downtown El Paso
- (Hotel rooms were $13.00 for a single and $18.00 for a double.)
52nd
- November 12/14, 1973, Hilton Inn, Dallas
- (This was the first year TACRAO invited vendors to exhibit during the convention.)
53rd
- November 11-13, 1974, Sheraton Lincoln, Houston
- (The 191 registrants were forced to evacuate the hotel during the opening reception when a fire broke out on the roof of the hotel.)
54th
- November 10-12, 1975, El Tropicana Hotel, San Antonio
- (305 registered which, at the time, was thought to be a record.)
55th
- November 7-10, 1976, S-W, Lakeway Inn & Marina, Austin
56th
- November 13-16, 1977, S-W, Hilton Hotel, Corpus Christi
57th
- November 5-8, 1978, Sheraton Fairway, McAllen
58th
- November 11-14, 1979, Kahler Green Oaks Inn, Ft. Worth
- (Theme: Management: Key to the Future)
59th
- November, 1980, St. Anthony Hotel, San Antonio
60th
- November 8-11, 1981, S-W, Convention Center, El Paso
- (Theme: Creativity)
61st
- November 7-10, 1982, S-W, Marriott, Greenspoint, Houston
- (Theme: Partners for Progress)
62nd
- November 6-9, 1983, Hyatt Regency, Austin
63rd
- November 4-7, 1984, Market Center Marriott, Dallas
- (Theme: The Future is Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow)
64th
- November 3-6, 1985, S-W, Hilton Resort, South Padre Island
- (Theme: Forecasting Changes in the 80’s. Registrars 44.1% and 29.5% Admissions Officers; 51.4% Male and 47.3% Female; and 18.8% in the $14-$18,000 salary range and 16.6% in the over $38,000 salary range.)
65th
- November 2-5, 1986, Hilton, College Station
- (Theme: Learning from our Past, Looking to the future.)
66th
- November 8-11, 1987, St. Anthony Hotel, San Antonio
- (Theme: Higher Education the Future of Texas. The first pre-conference workshop for TACRAO was offered: How to Develop a Service Management Program for your Institution.)
67th
- November 6-9, 1988, Marriott Corpus Christi
- (Theme: Charting a Course for Tomorrow.)
68th
- November 5-8, 1989. Airport Hilton, El Paso
- (Theme: Challenging New Horizons)
69th
- November 4-7, 1990, Lubbock Plaza, Lubbock
- (Theme: Winds of Change: New Directions for the 90’s. TACRAO was granted tax-exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service as described in section 501(c)(3) of the revenue code.)
70th
- November 3-6, 1991, San Luis, Galveston
- (Theme: Building Bridges for Texas Students)
71st
- November 7-11, 1992, Holiday Inn Centre, Odessa
- (Theme: Linking Resources for Professional Strength)
72nd
- October 31- November 3, 1993, Sheraton Gunter Hotel, San Antonio
- (Theme: Doing More with Less)
73rd
- November 6-9, 1994, Radisson Resort, South Padre Island
- (Theme: Ride the Waves of Change)
74th
- November 4-8, 1995,The Marriott Bayfront, Corpus Christi
- (Theme: Charting New Horizons)
75th
- November, 9-13, 1996, Renaissance Hotel Austin
- (Theme: Past, Present, and Future of TACRAO)
76th
- November 1-5, 1997, Radisson Plaza Hotel, Ft. Worth
- (Theme: Tomorrow’s Dreams Today)
77th
- October 31- November 4, 1998, Hilton College Station and Conference Center, College Station
- (Theme: Preparing for the Future)
78th
- November 6-10, 1999, Holiday Inn Park Plaza, Lubbock
- (Theme: Remember the Past, Ensure the Future)
79th
- November, 2000, Moody Gardens, Galveston
- (Theme: Migrating to a New Millennium)
80th
- October 26-31, 2001. Adams Mark Hotel, Dallas
- (Theme: TACRAO 2001, An Eighty Year Odyssey)
81st
- November 2-6, 2002, Omni Bayfront Hotel, Corpus Christi
- (Theme: Steering the Course Toward Leadership and Involvement)
82nd
- October 25-29, 2003, Multi-Purpose Event Center/Holiday Inn, Wichita Falls
- (Theme: Leading the Lone Star)
83rd
- November 6-10, 2004, Omni Hotel, San Antonio
- (Theme: Rollin’ on the River)
84th
- October 29-November 2, 2005, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Houston
- (Theme: CSI Houston – TACRAO Investigates)
85th
- November 4-8, 2006,
- Hyatt Regency Hotel, Austin
- (Theme: Special Session)
86th
- November 10-14, 2007
- Hotel Intercontinental, Addison
- (Theme: Building Collegiate Success)
87th
- November 1-5, 2008
- Omni Bayfront Hotel, Corpus Christi
- (Theme: Changes in Latitude)
88th
- November 7-11, 2009
- Lubbock Civic Center, Lubbock
- (Theme: TACRAO Promise: Educating Our Future)
89th
- November 14-17, 2010
- Moody Gardens Resort, Galveston Island
- (Theme: Surfing for Success)
90th
- November 5-9, 2011
- Riverwalk San Antonio
- (Theme: Let’s Fiesta! Celebrating 90 Years of Building Bridges)
91St
- November 4-7, 2012
- Sheraton Hotel Downtown Dallas
- (Theme: Sustaining Our Scholars)
92nd
- November 10-13, 2013
- El Paso Convention Center
- (Theme: Leading Texans to Success)
93rd
- October 27-30, 2014
- Waco Convention Center
- (Theme: Taking Charge of Change)
94th
- November 8-11, 2015
- Hyatt Regency – Houston
- (Theme: Reaching New Heights through Innovation, Imagination, and Collaboration)
95th
- November 13-16, 2016
- Horseshoe Bay Resort, Horseshoe Bay, Texas
- (Theme: 100 Years of Making a Difference in the Lives of Our Students)
96th
- November 5-8, 2017
- South Padre Island
- (Theme: Charting the Course for Student Success)
97th
- November 4-7, 2018
- Fort Worth
- (Theme: Blazing New Trails in Higher Education)
98th
- November 3-6, 2019
- Galveston Convention Center
- (Theme: Embracing Our Past, Shaping Our Future)
99th
- November 9-11, 2020
- Originally scheduled for San Antonio, the conference was moved to a virtual format due to COVID-19 pandemic
- (Theme: Using Hindsight for Future Vision)
100th
- November 7-10, 2021
- Lubbock Civic Center
- (Theme: Setting the Sun, Promising Another Century of Success)