When Vendor Fails, Bates College Turns to CourseLeaf

After a series of disappointments with another higher ed software provider, Bates partners with CourseLeaf to make its catalog shine

When Bates College decided to upgrade its online catalog several years ago, administrators contracted with a smart-talking academic operations vendor that promised optimal digital performance. However, as the project progressed, many of those dealing directly with the vendor realized they had been misled.

When even emergency meetings with the vendor’s top leaders failed to deliver solutions, many on the Bates team felt cheated. 

“The vendor promised the new software would integrate seamlessly with Banner, automate workflows, and save staff time,” says Alex Myhre, Associate Registrar for Reporting and Data Systems and Interim Registrar at Bates, who was hired at the tail-end of the catalog fallout. “Everything sounded great during the sales pitch, but the reality was completely different.”

Promises broken, patience tested

One of the biggest problems, according to Alex, who was briefed on the history of the catalog project, was that the startup company was never able to deliver a functioning bridge between the catalog and Bates' existing student information system, Banner.

“The bridge was a major selling point for the college,” says Alex. “It was supposed to sync information both ways, so we could update in one place and have it flow automatically everywhere. Instead, obsolete data would overwrite current data, and before long, our catalog was a mess.”

The vendor’s response to this issue and others was slow and inconsistent. Customizing even small elements of the catalog—such as adding a field or adjusting the layout—required the help of a web designer. The process was cumbersome, the interface was clunky, and every fix seemed to introduce new problems.

To launch the catalog, Bates had to hire a temporary employee for a full year to create every course record and manually set up every form. At one point, Bates had to turn off the bridge to its Banner site because the new software couldn’t differentiate between active and inactive courses.

“It was really messy,” says Alex. “We had multiple meetings with the vendor, and they even sent in the bigwigs to reassure us. It was a really weird experience. It was clear they had sold a premium product without knowing how they would deliver it. They were clearly trying to figure things out as they went along.”

Holding the line or letting go

As problems piled up, tensions rose.

“There were definitely people who felt that if we just got better at using it, it would eventually work for us,” Alex admits. “But the truth was, we were already doing more work than we should have been, and the return just wasn’t there.”

That turning point came when a new registrar arrived on campus. She quickly realized that continuing with the old vendor would actually require adding at least one new staff position to keep things functioning.

Faced with that reality, Bates made the bold decision to walk away from its existing vendor and search for a new solution—one that would truly deliver on its promises and reduce, not increase, administrative burden.

A trusted partner, not just a platform

When the vendor search began, the team examined all the major players in the higher education space, carefully weighing their options.

After assessing the market and consulting with peer institutions, Bates selected CourseLeaf, citing the company’s reputation for reliability, flexibility, and customer partnership.

“I was skeptical at first,” Alex admits. “CourseLeaf has a reputation as a premium product, and we wanted to be sure we were making the right move. However, the more we spoke with other schools that were using it, the more confident we became. Everyone said the same thing—CourseLeaf is the established leader, and their support team really knows higher ed.”

The difference was immediately apparent. From the start of implementation, the CourseLeaf team worked closely with Bates staff to design a catalog that felt like a natural extension of the college’s own website.

“With CourseLeaf, we gave them our branding guide, and their team took care of the rest,” says Alex. “That level of service and expertise was such a contrast to what we’d experienced before. We didn’t have to fight to get things done.”

When the new catalog went live, everyone took pride in the final result.

Accuracy, ease, and efficiency for everyone

Improvements to the Bates online catalog have been immediate and noticeable. For the first time, staff, faculty, and students can easily locate accurate, up-to-date academic information all in one place.

Departments that previously relied on internal documents or outdated departmental webpages are now directing everyone—students, staff, and even Student Affairs teams—to the catalog as the definitive source of information. That shift alone has made communication cleaner and advising more consistent.

“It’s been really encouraging,” says Allison Kisel, Associate Registrar for Catalog and Curriculum Management, the same staff member who created the PDF catalog stopgap. “We’re seeing areas of the college that never used the catalog before now using it regularly. Faculty members are now using it as a trusted, go-to resource.”

A smoother workflow, a lighter load

From an administrative perspective, CourseLeaf has streamlined nearly every aspect of catalog management. Making changes throughout the academic year now takes a fraction of the time it used to.

“We can make additive changes to the catalog without having to chase down information from multiple places,” Allison explains. “Navigation is intuitive, updates are fast, and we can be confident that what’s published is accurate.”

And because CourseLeaf CAT integrates seamlessly with Banner, the dreaded bridge problems are a thing of the past. The college no longer worries about obsolete data overwriting current records or wasting staff time on redundant data entry.

The team is equally excited about the ongoing CourseLeaf CIM implementation, which will bring even more automation and structure to the curriculum management process. “It’s going to save us time and allow us to use our people more strategically,” Alex says. “We’ll spend less time chasing data and more time using it.”

A modern catalog for a modern campus

The transition to CourseLeaf didn’t just improve technology; it improved morale. The frustration that once surrounded catalog updates has been replaced with enthusiasm and trust.

“Some of us were skeptical at first,” Alex admits. “We’d been burned before, and there were voices saying we should just stick it out with what we had. But now that CourseLeaf is live, those arguments are clearly moot. We were paying the same money for a system that delivered far less value. Seeing what we get now for that investment—it’s been eye-opening.”

Bates’ catalog now reflects not just the college’s academic rigor but its character—flexible, student-focused, and forward-looking. The design is sleek, the navigation is simple, and the structure accommodates the college’s unique curricular features, such as General Education Concentrations, which function like smaller, theme-based minors.

“We have a lot of one-off courses and unique curricular structures,” Alex says. “CourseLeaf handled that complexity beautifully. We needed a catalog that could capture the nuances of our curriculum while staying easy to use, and we got exactly that.”

The result is a catalog that feels like Bates—distinctive, thoughtful, and built on integrity. And because it’s powered by CourseLeaf, the staff behind it can focus less on putting out fires and more on improving processes and serving students.

Advice to other institutions

Alex’s advice to peers considering a change is simple: do your homework, talk to real users, and don’t settle.

“Anyone considering a catalog or curriculum management system should absolutely explore the major players and talk to institutions that use them,” Alex says. “Ask tough questions. Don’t just listen to sales pitches—find out what day-to-day users actually experience. That’s what convinced us.”

And when it comes to evaluating value, Alex adds, “You really do get what you pay for. CourseLeaf charges appropriately for the quality and expertise they provide. It’s a true partnership, not just a product.”