Chase Williams is cofounder and CEO of Pathify, a leading digital engagement hub for higher education.
Higher education’s future feels uncertain at the moment. Persistent enrollment and retention challenges linger despite last year’s slight uptick. Skepticism about the value of a college education continues, and with a new administration, an added layer of complexity raises even more questions.
Regardless of all the upheaval, one thing remains clear: Higher education has weathered plenty of storms before. Leaders will continue what they’ve always done—adapt and focus on what they can control. Streamlining operations, closing loss-making programs, furloughing staff and prioritizing projects with clear, measurable returns on investment are all on the table.
There’s another way to strengthen higher education operations in the near term: consolidating the various and often redundant technology solutions and tools deployed across an institution. Smart technology consolidation is often overlooked as higher education leaders look to shave costs amid siloed point solutions and integration challenges. When those systems are streamlined and integrated, institutions can save time, money and overhead—even boosting engagement as students and staff make better use of the tools at their disposal.
Scattered And Outdated
The tech reality on many college campuses is disconnected, outdated and duplicative. Administrative and academic departments have deployed different tools for similar purposes. College students, expecting the familiar, seamless experience of gaming, social media and e-commerce platforms, are underwhelmed and frustrated by their college’s clunky websites and apps and often avoid using them.
Despite investments in flashy, whiz-bang technologies promising to revolutionize student success and improve learning outcomes, many fall short. In today’s flat (or shrinking) budgetary environment, institutions must adopt smart, strategic technology consolidation to maximize impact and efficiency.
Technology, after all, is constantly evolving, reshaping how faculty teach, students learn and administrators operate. AI, particularly generative AI, is among the most transformative forces. When used appropriately, institutions can allocate resources more efficiently, especially by strategically investing in systems that serve multiple purposes, streamline operations and improve user experiences.
Building A More Effective, Consolidated Tech Stack
As the CEO of Pathify—a digital engagement hub for higher education—since 2017, I’ve worked closely with customers to successfully integrate technology and consolidate their tech stacks for efficiency and ease of use. Here are three tips that have been proven to help build a more effective, consolidated solution stack.
Assess your current technology.
Often, technology portfolios include software and tools that overlap or are underused. Multiple products may serve the same function or be useful only to specific departments. Now is the time to identify redundant systems and features. For example, most institutions have multiple customer relationship management tools and portals for prospective students, current students and alumni. Consider opportunities to integrate, streamline or consolidate those tools.
Get strategic.
Institutions have poured a lot of money into non-core tools, sometimes leaving critical strategic resources underfunded. We need a broader, more strategic approach to technology—one that balances essential tasks with forward-thinking innovation while focusing on solutions and platforms that deliver real, tangible ROI around learning outcomes, student engagement and—most importantly—retention.
Make it integrated.
In higher education, tech solutions often work in silos with limited ability to collaborate or exchange information. When those solutions seamlessly communicate with each other, departments can share data easily and work more efficiently. In other words, investing in integrated solutions helps campuses maximize the value of their existing technology while strengthening performance and user experience.
Big Payoffs
Consolidating tech stacks requires effort, of course. Replacing overlapping systems, embracing new and innovative technologies and integrating solutions take time and financial resources. But the results can be substantial.
Fewer systems mean less spending on licensing and operations. A consolidated tech environment makes for a smoother, more user-friendly experience for students and staff. They no longer must juggle multiple log-ins or navigate the quirks of disparate platforms. That ease of use drives higher adoption rates, maximizing return on investment. And finally, a better, smarter system frees up precious resources, allowing IT teams to focus on new opportunities for growth and innovation rather than troubleshooting problems across a variety of tools.
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