Out with the Old, In with the Impact: Consolidation and Efficiency Over Convention
Out with the Old, In with the Impact: Consolidation and Efficiency Over Convention
Quick Summary:
Illinois Tech consolidated its fragmented technology stack, including an outdated portal, intranet, mobile app, and email marketing tool, into a single platform.
The university sought a solution that offered scalability and agility, moving beyond a simple replacement of legacy systems to a platform that could evolve with market changes and integrate multiple functions.
By adopting Pathify, Illinois Tech achieved an 8% reduction in its technology budget, streamlined operational efficiencies, eliminated hundreds of mass emails, and created a campus-wide hub for communication and resources.
Higher education continues to face mounting pressures to do more with less — making strategic consolidation a smart pathway toward cost savings and operational efficiency. At Illinois Tech in Chicago, Sejal Vaishnav, Chief Information Officer; Molly McDermott, Senior Project Manager; and Tim Batson, Enterprise Solutions Manager, refused to accept anything less than a cutting-edge experience. Confronted with a fragmented technology stack, including an outdated link farm portal, separate intranet, standalone mobile app and email marketing tool, the teams saw an opportunity to replace…and rethink.
Guided by a philosophy of impact over inertia and scalability over short-term fixes, Vaishnav and her team decided to start fresh in evaluating the university’s student portal and engagement strategy — ultimately resulting in a streamlined tech stack and efficiency gains.
Replacing Legacy with Agility
When Ellucian announced the sunset of the legacy Luminis portal, many universities viewed the transition as a simple replacement project — migrate data to a new system and move on. But at Illinois Tech, Vaishnav seized the chance to completely reconsider the university’s approach to communication and engagement. “We had two core requirements,” she recalled. “First, replace the legacy link farm. Second, implement an easily deployable system.”
Her vision also extended beyond a simple replacement to a platform agile enough to evolve with market changes — without locking the university into a specific vendor ecosystem. “We didn’t want migrating our ERP or SIS to hold us back,” Vaishnav added. “We needed to think beyond immediate replacement and consider what served our long-term growth strategies.”
Building a Case for Consolidation
Juggling separate systems meant multiple licensing fees, support contracts and training requirements. The hidden costs ran even deeper — including time lost jumping between platforms, duplicated efforts maintaining content in multiple places and the confusion of users who never quite knew where to find what they needed.
Batson experienced this firsthand. “Resources lived across different systems, including the web portal and mobile app,” he said. “Every update meant multiple deployments, every change demanded coordination across disconnected systems.”
As the team evaluated options, they discovered most vendors focused on replacing individual systems rather than consolidating multiple functions. The incumbent SIS-packaged portal handled some needs but left the team managing separate systems for mobile, employee communications and marketing. The conversation shifted when the team found Pathify.
“What impressed us most about Pathify went beyond its feature set,” McDermott explained. “The platform delivered versatility and flexibility — serving multiple user types with Roles, handling both authenticated and public content, supporting key integrations.” The team realized they’d found a rare solution — a platform that consolidated systems without compromising functionality.
Solving Core Challenges
Pathify quickly executed Illinois Tech’s two core requirements — revolutionizing the antiquated link farm and enabling a fast, seamless launch.
Instead of replicating the previous static portal, Illinois Tech built a dynamic experience. “Links don’t give users the information they need,” Vaishnav said. “In the new portal, widgets display snapshots into our systems and provide relevant notifications and announcements. Pathify provides the context, personalization and tools to meet each user where they are.” Years of communication chaos, including inboxes flooded with thousands of emails, gave way to targeted precision. “We’ve been able to eliminate hundreds of mass emails,” said McDermott. “With Pathify, Roles distribute the right messages to the right people.”
The ease of rollout mattered just as much as a powerful platform. “We run a lean team here,” Vaishnav added. “We couldn’t have a multi-year implementation — we needed to add value quickly.” The structured, intentional launch stood in stark contrast to their experience with other vendors. “Our launch experience felt very intentional and organized,” McDermott said, noting how the contrast remains noticeable with other tech vendors. “Pathify is built to support small teams like ours.”
More Than Money Well Spent
Within several months of launch, the team achieved an 8% reduction in its technology budget by consolidating the portal, mobile app, intranet and email marketing tool into Pathify. “Now, we’re invested in making one system work really well,” Vaishnav noted.
While cost savings marked one outcome, the real value, Vaishnav stressed, resulted in streamlining operational efficiencies. “Now, developers no longer build custom forms — we deploy them directly within Pathify with built-in tracking and automation. It removes a convoluted process we used to manage manually,” she said. “Gains like these enable our teams to move faster.”
She added, “We often overlook how these efficiencies drive real business outcomes. Centralizing and simplifying these processes delivers huge wins for long-term growth.”
“True consolidation isn’t just about eliminating systems — it’s about choosing a platform capable of serving multiple audiences,” Batson explained. “The new portal now serves as our campus-wide hub — connecting our people, communication, information and resources and our technology.”
Web and mobile parity also proved essential. “With Pathify, we don’t need a separate mobile app,” Batson continued. “Maintaining separate mobile and web platforms slowed development. We gladly sunset our third-party mobile app, which saw low usage and adoption.”
Mission-Aligned Technology
Balancing sophistication with simplicity delivered a powerful, intuitive digital experience. “Pathify excelled in the foundation and customization aspects,” shared Batson. “It’s not overly simple or overly technical. Instead, it gives us a strong, flexible foundation.”
Looking back, Vaishnav recognized the decision to implement Pathify as a catalyst to reimagine how technology unifies the campus community. “Best money I ever spent,” she said with a smile. “Above all, Pathify represented the right strategic decision at Illinois Tech.”
For the university, consolidation meant aligning technology with mission, opportunity and creating strategic growth…not cutting corners. “The market changes every day,” Vaishnav added. “We need tools to help us keep pace. Pathify represented the right strategic decision for Illinois Tech.” In the end, thinking boldly didn’t just modernize the campus experience — it also reinforced the university’s commitment to innovation, efficiency and impact.
About Illinois Institute of Technology:
Based in the global metropolis of Chicago, Illinois Institute of Technology was born to liberate the power of collective difference to advance technology and innovation for all. It is the only tech-focused university in the city, and it stands at the crossroads of exploration and invention, advancing the future of Chicago and the world. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering, computing, architecture, business, design, science and human sciences, and law. Illinois Tech students are guaranteed access to hands-on experiences, personalized mentorship, and job readiness through the university’s one-of-a-kind Elevate program. Learn more at iit.edu.
