Key points:
- Modernizing internal systems will help support program growth
- Designing the community college of the future
- 5 of higher education’s biggest trends
- For more news on tech infrastructure, visit eCN’s Digital Innovation hub
As expectations shift and institutional goals evolve, technology must do more than support higher education’s business operations–it must also enable smarter, faster, and more student-centered decision-making.
In 2022, a report by McKinsey & Company accurately predicted that the United States would see a shortfall of 200,000 to 450,000 registered nurses (RNs) for direct patient care by 2025. Between 2022 and 2025, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) noted a 1 percent increase in RN supply but a 3 percent increase in demand. The result was a deficit of about 295,800 nurses nationwide, falling within the predicted range.
Recognizing a growing demand for healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, Joyce University, a Salt Lake City-based nursing institution, knew it needed to scale rapidly. The challenge wasn’t just about supporting the tremendous needs within the nursing community–it was about doing so amid a constrained labor market. As of 2024, there were fewer than seven nurses per 1,000 people in Utah–a shortage expected to intensify as much of the current nursing workforce nears retirement.
It was clear we needed to grow to support both our mission and meet this demand; however, our internal systems weren’t built to support that level of growth. Despite having a skilled in-house IT team, our infrastructure was outdated and fragmented. Like many institutions, we faced a pivotal decision: Should we continue investing in internal upgrades, or bring in a partner with the expertise to help us modernize and expand more effectively?
We chose the latter and partnered with Collegis Education, a leading higher-ed technology solutions provider. Together, we reimagined our systems and redefined the role IT could play as a strategic driver of institutional success. Through this experience, we learned what it really takes to modernize IT in ways that support both institutional growth and meaningful student outcomes.
For other university and college administrators considering partnership versus a DIY approach to growing or expanding programs, here are five best practices to consider:
1. Start with an honest assessment of your environment
The most critical place to start is getting a clear picture of your current IT environment. While we initially engaged Collegis for an assessment of our IT infrastructure, that deep dive revealed redundancies, underutilized tools, and missed opportunities that we hadn’t yet considered. It also highlighted gaps we simply didn’t have the internal resources to fill.
As IT leaders, we’re responsible for making sure our systems are not only operating at peak efficiency but are also optimized. An external assessment helped us identify areas of opportunity and clarified where strategic investment would make the biggest impact.
2. Define what to keep in-house and where to seek partner support
We approached our IT transformation with a dual strategy: rely on a partner for the infrastructure and double down on internal data and analytics. This strategy gave us both flexibility and control.
We knew that building out a top-tier infrastructure team internally would be cost-prohibitive, but we also recognized the strategic importance of having our own data and analytics team–people embedded in our culture who directly support institutional decision-making. This dual-approach workforce plan has allowed both efforts to flourish.
3. Don’t underestimate the importance of cultural fit
One of the biggest concerns when identifying key business partners is alignment with our institutional culture. For us, this was non-negotiable.
We shared with Collegis that our students expect a high-touch experience, even with IT. We asked that onsite support staff remain available in key areas of campus–a request Collegis honored without hesitation. We also intentionally embedded a Collegis CIO into our executive leadership meetings, ensuring they had a voice in strategic discussions. Embracing external partners doesn’t mean relinquishing responsibility. You still own your culture and student experience, and your partner should enhance–not dilute–it.
4. Prioritize transparency and open communication
Before bringing Collegis on board, one of our biggest frustrations was a lack of operational visibility. It was difficult to know what was happening within IT at any given time.
Collegis brought clarity, structure, and communication to the relationship from day one. Our executive team now has full visibility into IT operations, which allows us to make better decisions as we collaborate and gather stakeholder feedback across the entire organization. That openness helped us move faster and more confidently across departments.
5. Reinvest your savings strategically to optimize the student lifecycle
Cost savings aren’t always immediate, but they are real. By eliminating redundant contracts and unnecessary services, we saw an estimated 4-5 percent reduction in IT infrastructure spend in the first year of our partnership with Collegis. More importantly, we were able to reinvest those savings into building out our analytics capabilities.
That shift has positioned us for future transformation. We’re building a stronger foundation that can support AI integration and predictive analytics to help identify when students may need support. We envision our advising teams using these insights to proactively reach out to students, improving our ability to serve students across their entire journey.
Looking ahead
Modernizing tech infrastructure isn’t just an IT decision. It’s a strategic imperative that affects every part of the student journey–from outreach to career placement. Partnering with solution and service providers can help leaders to better adapt and respond to changing labor market demands while effectively meeting the needs of their students.
Shea Smith is an experienced Chief Financial Officer with over 17 years of expertise in public accounting, corporate finance, and controllership across a range of industries. Currently serving as CFO at Joyce University, he has a strong track record of enhancing financial performance, driving operational efficiency, and leading strategic growth initiatives. Prior to Joyce University, Shea held senior financial leadership roles at Sky Zone and GameStop, where he led teams across treasury, financial reporting, IT, and other key functions. A licensed CPA and Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA), Shea is a graduate of Brigham Young University.