Thought Leadership
The Enrollment Cliff Is a Technology Cliff Too
Why outdated systems threaten your ability to adapt — and how to fix it before it’s too late.
Higher education leaders are staring down the reality of the enrollment cliff — a sharp and sustained decline in traditional college-aged students expected to begin in 2025 and accelerate over the next decade. But while much of the conversation has focused on demographic shifts, marketing tactics, and recruitment strategies, there’s a more subtle — but equally urgent — threat hiding in plain sight: Your technology might not be ready.
Legacy Systems Weren’t Built for This
Many colleges and universities still rely on legacy ERP and SIS systems that were implemented 10, 15, or even 20+ years ago — systems designed for a very different era. Back then, enrollments were rising, competition was lighter, and digital experiences were a novelty. Today, none of that holds true.
Modern enrollment strategy demands speed, personalization, flexibility, and data-driven decision-making. Legacy systems often can’t deliver on any of these — and worse, they may actively hinder your institution’s ability to respond and grow.
Let’s be clear: the enrollment cliff is also a technology cliff — and institutions that don’t act now risk falling off both.
How Legacy Systems Are Undermining Enrollment Strategy
Here’s what we see every day at CampusWorks:
- Siloed data systems that prevent enrollment teams from accessing a 360° view of prospects and students
- Cumbersome manual processes that delay critical touchpoints like admissions decisions, financial aid packaging, or course registration
- Lack of self-service functionality that frustrates digital-native students
- Shadow systems (think spreadsheets and third-party workarounds) that signal tech inefficiency and erode trust
- Outdated workflows that limit your ability to quickly pivot or test new enrollment approaches
These challenges aren’t just technical — they’re strategic. When systems slow you down, you lose students. When processes frustrate your staff, morale drops. When you can’t access timely, actionable data, you can’t lead with confidence.
CampusWorks: Turning the Cliff into a Catalyst
CampusWorks helps higher education institutions modernize their enterprise systems to ensure they’re ready to compete in this new era — without always requiring a full system replacement.
Depending on your needs, we offer three tailored approaches:
- ERP/SIS System Optimization
If your current ERP or SIS has untapped potential, we help you reconfigure and optimize it to meet today’s demands — from enhancing the enrollment experience to reducing administrative burden. Learn more »
- Business Process Optimization
We lead cross-functional workshops to streamline enrollment-critical workflows — like admissions, financial aid, registration, and advising — to remove friction, improve student satisfaction, and increase operational efficiency. Learn more »
- ERP/SIS Evaluation & Selection
If it’s time for a new system, we provide objective, vendor-agnostic support to help you make the right decision and prepare for implementation success.
In all cases, we bring a proven track record, deep higher ed expertise, and a people-first approach that ensures your staff and stakeholders are brought along — not left behind. Learn more »
The Time to Act Is Now
Waiting for the enrollment cliff to arrive before assessing your technology strategy is a risk most institutions can’t afford. The cracks are already forming — in your data, your processes, your user experience. What’s needed now is a strategic response that brings your systems in line with your mission.
Your future enrollment depends on more than just marketing. It depends on whether your campus is easy to apply to, enroll in, get support from, and succeed at.
Is your technology helping — or hurting — that journey?
At CampusWorks, we help you find the answer — and act on it.
Let’s make this cliff a turning point.
