The University of Waterloo welcomes back Ray Darling as the University’s Registrar, effective March 30, 2026. Ray previously served in this role from 2014 – 2017, and his return – nine years to the day since his departure was announced in the Daily Bulletin – marks an exciting homecoming for him. During his earlier tenure at Waterloo, Ray championed transformative initiatives that strengthened the student experience and advanced equity across the sector. “He led important work in strategic enrolment management and played a pivotal role in implementing gender-neutral identification and language for Ontario university application forms, which helped drive broader, sector wide change,” wrote Ian VanderBurgh, Associate Vice-President, Strategic Enrolment Management and Interim University Registrar, in a memo to Executive Council.

Following his time at Waterloo, Ray returned to his alma mater to be the Registrar at the University of Guelph, where he had the unique privilege of sharing campus life with his daughters during their studies. After six impactful years at Guelph, he continued his leadership journey as Registrar of the University of Windsor. Throughout his career, Ray has held leadership positions within Registrar Associations across Canada and North America and has supported peer institutions through consulting, always advocating for diverse student populations and furthering the development of OneStop Service models that remove barriers and enhance student success.

Ray expressed his excitement about returning to Waterloo: “I am delighted to be returning to the University of Waterloo to work once again with the exceptional team in the Registrar’s Office and colleagues across campus, many of whom I had the pleasure of working with during my earlier tenure. I look forward to collaborating with Ian VanderBurgh to advance our strategic enrolment management objectives. With such a strong and unique brand, the University of Waterloo is well positioned for success despite a challenging post-secondary environment.”

“Ray’s return to Waterloo brings deep experience, a proven record of innovation, and a genuine passion for student-centred service — qualities that will help guide Waterloo forward as we continue to evolve, adapt, and lead in higher education. Please join me in congratulating Ray and welcoming him back to Waterloo,” concludes VanderBurgh’s memo.