Monica E. Avitsur Deputy University Registrar

With over twenty years of experience in higher education, Monica brings to the Registrar’s Office expertise in leadership within team-based environments, strong communication skills, and a demonstrated ability managing multiple large-scale technical and functional projects. Her educational background culminated with a Master of Music degree in clarinet performance from Mannes College, The New School for Music. She is currently focused on Student Information System improvements, project implementations, process enhancements, and staff management. She has a proven track record of successfully bringing to fruition both large and small university-wide projects with measurable outcomes. As Deputy University Registrar, Monica directs the academic and public-facing services of the Registrar’s Office, implementing university-wide strategies while helping to oversee a highly talented  team of professionals led by the University Registrar, Barry Kane. 

Deputy University Registrar Monica Avitsur first joined Columbia University in 2007. She joined the Office of the University Registrar in November 2013.

1. Do you enjoy working in the Office of the University Registrar?

I enjoy working in the Registrar's Office. Everyone is incredibly talented and eager to provide quality services to faculty and students so they can focus on what is important: teaching and learning. Even though the Office of the Registrar has a long and established history at Columbia, I see how much it is guided by new work, which challenges established ways of doing business.

2. Tell me a little more about your role. What is a typical business day like for you?

A majority of my work is project-based, so there are quite a few meetings each week with our staff, Information Technology, or School partners across campus. We also spend time talking to Faculty, students, and administrators across campus about new tools, seeking input, and answering questions. I also spend time with various members of our team to learn about what they are working on, what challenges they are facing, and how we can work across the office to improve service. 

I always look forward to working on projects relating to technical tools and applications for Faculty, students, and staff, primarily the current Student Information System Replacement Project, as well as managing the daily operations of the Office of the University Registrar.

3. Are there any upcoming initiatives that we can look forward to from the Office of the Registrar or specific issues that you look forward to tackling now that you’re here?

I started this job during a particularly exciting time at the University. We are currently working with Information Technology on the Student Information System Replacement Project which will incorporate new technologies and services to replace our mainframe student information system. We hope that the new system, Vergil, will leverage a dynamic and distributable system that will allow faculty and students to spend less time on repetitive, mundane tasks while maintaining the integrity of the Columbia degree.

4. You’ve been at Columbia since 2007. What do you like most about working at the University?

I am so energized by teamwork, collaboration, and open communication. I feel lucky to work in a central office with some of the best and brightest minds in higher education.

5. What do you do when you’re not being a Deputy University Registrar?

I enjoy doing typical New York City things. Once a year my mom and I go to the Metropolitan Opera and eat at a nice restaurant. I recently started going to see the New York Liberty play at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn. I also enjoy cooking, Macy’s Herald Square, and Riverside Park.