SIS transitions are accelerating across higher education, but speed does not have to mean loss of control. In fact, moments of market consolidation often create the best opportunity for institutions to pause, reassess, and realign their technology with their mission.
The recent acquisition of the Anthology Student SIS by Ellucian is one visible signal of a broader shift underway. Vendor consolidation, changing product roadmaps, and shrinking choice are reshaping the higher-ed technology landscape. And these shifts particularly impact small and midsize institutions. While these changes can feel disruptive, they also place institutional leaders in a position of renewed agency.
For many campuses, the Student Information System is more than software. It is the operational backbone that supports enrollment, academics, finance, compliance, and the student experience itself. That’s why institutions should not feel compelled to simply accept a default outcome just because the market is changing around them.
The first and most important step leaders can take right now is conducting an immediate SIS landscape assessment.
This isn’t about reacting to a single acquisition or anticipating vendor decisions. It’s about asking a more fundamental question: Does our current SIS truly support who we are, what we value, and where we are going?
A thoughtful assessment shifts the narrative from “What will happen to us?” to “What do we want to build next?”
As institutions evaluate their current SIS environment, leadership teams must consider:
- Where long-standing pain points and workarounds have quietly accumulated
- How well the SIS supports integrations across enrollment, finance, learning systems, CRM, and reporting
- Which customizations are in place — and whether they drive meaningful outcomes or unnecessary complexity
- Where gaps exist between current functionality and evolving institutional strategy
- What risks are associated with maintaining the status quo over the next 2, 5, or 10 years
This work is not a critique of past decisions. It is the foundation for making confident, future-oriented ones. Institutions deserve technology that fits their size, mission, and ambition, and clarity is the starting point.
Talk with our team about what institutions like yours are assessing right now.