Kolbrek takes on registrar duties
Following Joni Krueger’s March 14 resignation from Augustana’s Registrar position, a search committee began exploring avenues to fill the vacancy. In the meantime, Provost Joel Johnson asked Assistant Director of the Student Success Center Ann Kolbrek to take on key roles that Krueger filled. Since then, Kolbrek has been serving both in the Student Success Center (SSC) and the Registrar’s Office.
The Student Success Center and the Registrar’s Office often share similar lines of duty, as both offices work diligently to help students with academics. According to Kolbrek, she’s compiling and organizing registrar data into documents — reports that she used to receive from Krueger. Kolbrek said working with both departments helps her to execute both jobs more efficiently.
Kolbrek already holds multiple positions at Augustana, including her roles coordinating First-Year Seminar 112, teaching a section of both FYS 110 and 112, acting as a success adviser for students in pre-health profession programs and the natural sciences, and serving as the assistant director of the SSC.
In the face of a heavier workload, Kolbrek said she appreciates the challenge.
“I am just trying to be mindful,” Kolbrek said. “I still want to be efficient, get back to [students] in a timely manner, have the same turnaround time I would have had if I was just in the success center.”
Kolbrek said she is not covering the position alone. Assistant Registrar Katelyn Musick and Registrar’s Assistant Julia Paluch have been working diligently since Krueger’s resignation.
Paluch continues to work primarily with graduate students and programs. Musick’s and Kolbrek’s positions function by filling in gaps, like assisting undergraduate students with degree audits, planning class meeting times and room availability, compiling data for other departments,and more. Emily Zimmer, from the Office of Enrollment Management, also joins the team in the afternoon.
Because Kolbrek believes Musick and Paluch know so much about their goals, Kolbrek is happy to be as supportive and helpful for the Registrar’s Office staff as she can.
“I always joke that if it takes more time to teach me how to do it, then maybe it’s not a good task for me,” Kolbrek said.
Mary Toso, director of the Student Success Center said the SSC only witnessed minor hiccups through the transition and fall 2025 registration. Toso cited shifting class codes, transitioning from one registration software to another and the mentation of the new general education program as reasons for minor setbacks during registration.
“It’s hard to replace Joni Krueger,” Toso said. “[But] nothing’s fallen apart. Registration happened. We’re working through everything just like we always do.”
Kolbrek and Toso have worked together for over five years in the SSC. Despite Kolbrek’s unexpected shift into the administration building, Toso has confidence that Kolbrek will take the challenge in stride and continue to succeed professionally.
“She’s one of the most disciplined people I know,” Toso said. “She’s very good at laying out things that need to be done and completing tasks on her list. She’s very focused.”
President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin said that the search committee has been reviewing applications from internal and external candidates and conducting numerous thorough interviews to find the best candidate for the position. Led by Provost Joel Johnson, the search committee continues to work “as quickly as possible” to permanently fill the registrar position, Johnson said.
“Ann Kolbrek’s extensive experience as assistant director of the Student Success Center made her a good fit for the interim role,” Johnson wrote in an email to the Augustana Mirror. “She has worked closely with the registrar’s office for a number of years, partners effectively with faculty, and understands the necessity of integrated efforts for student success from admission to graduation.”
Kolbrek remains optimistic in her temporary position. Apart from getting more steps in walking between the Registrar’s Office and the SSC, Kolbrek believes the position is more or less an extension of her roles in the SSC.
Kolbrek’s love for learning and being challenged has served her well in the transitionary period.
“While I love learning, I don’t think too many people get into working in higher ed who don’t love lifelong learning,” Kolbrek said. “I love new challenges.”
