UNL’s Registration and Records office has changed its name to the Office of the University Registrar.

Alan Cerveny, dean of enrollment management, said the name change emphasizes the critical role the office plays in supporting UNL’s students and faculty.

Richard Morrell was hired in May to become UNL’s first university registrar. He started the duties on Aug. 1. Morrell takes over for Earl Hawkey, who left the office after 20 years of service to assume the new position of director of student information systems.

Morrell comes to UNL with more than 13 years of experience as the university registrar at the University of Kansas. He also has more than 30 years of higher-education experience.

In another registrar’s office change, David Putensen was hired to serve as the new assistant university registrar for student-athlete academic certification. Putensen replaces Linda Olson, who retired in May after 35 years of service to the university. Olson was UNL’s first athletic certification coordinator, a post she held for the last 25 years.