SIS migrations are some of the most complex and resource-intensive undertakings a higher education institution can attempt. If you’ve decided migration away from Anthology Student isn’t the right move right now, you’re in good company.
Choosing to stay with any of the Student, Finance, or CampusNexus fray is a judgement call that weighs the costs of migrations against the risks of your current environment, rightfully concluding that continuity is the most defensible path.
What Does “Staying” Mean?
Admittedly, staying with Anthology Student today isn’t the same decision as it was two years ago. It’s important to note that Ellucian has stated its commitment to supporting and maintaining the software, and has maintained that there are no required customer actions; existing agreements are still in place, and day-to-day workflows will be the same.
It’s a reassuring starting point. But institutions should also be seeking clarity about the future, not just reassurance about continuity. For institutions planning staffing, budget cycles, technology roadmaps and more, staying with Anthology Student now requires more careful scrutiny.
Keys to Effective Continuity
Get Clarity from Ellucian Before Someone Decides for You
One of the most important things an institution can do right now is to get concrete answers from their Ellucian contacts. Ask hard questions before contract renewals, not during them. Start those conversations now, and ask for product roadmaps, staffing plans, and post-transition SLAs.
In practice, this means going to your Ellucian representative with specific questions such as:
- How will staffing changes affect the delivery of services (both managed and support) to my institution?
- How is the leadership and management structure of Ellucian providing real guidance to the former Anthology team?
- With many senior leaders largely gone, how can it make informed decisions and stand behind old promises?
- Who really owns my account?
- What does their continuity look like?
- What is the roadmap for Anthology Student beyond the near term?
- What enhancements are on the horizon and how long will investments continue?
These aren’t intended to be adversarial questions, they’re the kinds of things that senior technology and business leaders should be asking right now.
Ellucian is still determining the value of the technology it acquired and how it fits into their evolving ecosystem, so even if any answers you receive tend to be vague or open ended, that’s still useful information as you plan ahead.
Establish the Right Support Structure
Deciding to stay is one thing, but making it work is another. The institutions that navigate this period most successfully will be the ones that build the right support structure around their decision.
This means having reliable, Anthology-specific technical expertise on call. These aren’t just generic helpdesk agents, but are people who have hands-on understanding of your architecture and can proactively monitor and maintain your system. You need resources that can catch and fix issues before they affect students, faculty, or staff.
In practice, this also means having a team that can manage integrations and upgrade your system with continuity in mind, as well as helping you configure, innovate, and get the most out of your platforms.
This is the exact gap that Deer Brook and HigherEdBPO joined forces to fill: HigherEdBPO brings its deep Anthology technical knowledge, including former Anthology insiders, along with dedicated application support, proactive maintenance and upgrades, and system integration and management. Deer Brook layers on the operational and functional side of the equation, including configuration management skill, process optimization, compliance and risk mitigation, and brings the ability to continue optimization of your system.
This allows you to innovate, and continue to leverage process automation and AI to see solid return on your investment. Together, they function as an effective extension of your team that can fill in the gaps of your internal team.
Is Your Current Setup Enough to Make Staying Successful?
For many institutions, staying with Anthology Student is the right call, especially as Ellucian’s strategy becomes clearer and you survey how AI and new market entrants change the landscape.
Given the cost, complexity, and disruption to staff caused by a major SIS conversion, getting the most out of what you have seems like a good path to many.
For those that seek to optimize and recoup their investment or finish implementation, the question isn’t whether you made the wrong choice; it’s whether you have what you need around you to make your choice successful.
Deer Brook and HigherEdBPO are working with institutions at every stage of this process: those running on Anthology Student who need managed services support, those in mid-implementation who need help getting across the finish line, and those asking longer-term questions about what comes next.
If you’d like an open conversation about whether your support structure is set up to carry your institution through this period, we’re here. Reach out, and we’ll schedule a complimentary Anthology SIS support and continuity review.
