Comparing Campus Cafe and Ellucian Colleague
Campus Cafe and Ellucian’s PowerCampus are popular student information systems on the market, but Ellucian is sunsetting PowerCampus and replacing it with its newer platform, Ellucian Colleague.
Once PowerCampus is taken off the market, the company will not provide security patches or updates, which will leave many customers vulnerable to security risks and performance issues.
While PowerCampus was initially a good fit for many schools, moving its clients over to Colleague is a disadvantage for small to mid-sized schools when it comes to pricing, features, integrations, reporting and security. Campus Cafe is considered by many to be a more agile, affordable and user-friendly system that meets the needs of small to mid-sized institutions better than Ellucian Colleague.
While there are many options on the market, student information systems are not a one-size-fits-all solution. The most successful higher-education institutions thrive when they find a technology partner that is hands-on with implementation and supports the entire student lifecycle.
If you want to be up and running fast without sacrificing quality or spending too much on implementation, you’ve come to the right spot. This article provides a feature-by-feature comparison of Campus Cafe and Ellucian Colleague’s student information system platforms. Below are the topics we’ll cover. Click to skip ahead to different sections:
The Ultimate Guide to Higher-Education Student Information Systems
By upgrading to a new, integrated student information system, schools can organize data, improve efficiency and promote better communication.
Chart: Campus Cafe and Ellucian Colleague at a Glance
When you’re a growing school, concerns around scalability, integration, and ease of use are top priorities. So is customization, a key element of ensuring your SIS adequately serves students and staff alike.
The chart below provides a quick breakdown of what you can expect from both systems and vendors.
Campus Cafe | Ellucian Colleague | |
|---|---|---|
Pricing | Affordable for budget-conscious small and mid-sized schools. | Designed for large institutions with sizable budgets. |
Implementation and Customization | Quick and efficient implementation process with dedicated project manager. | Complex implementation requires heavy reliance on consultants and substantial IT involvement. |
User Experience and Ease of Use | Easy-to-navigate system requires minimal training and encourages early adoption. | Unintuitive design, outdated interface and difficult to navigate. |
Cloud-Based Functionality | Cloud-native system does not require costly onsite hardware and maintenance. | The cloud integration can be complex and isn’t as seamless. |
Integrations and Third-Party Solutions | Easy integration with third-party apps and APIs. | Accommodates integrations, but complexities often require additional costs and outside consultants. |
Customer Support | As a smaller company, Campus Cafe is nimble and quickly responds to clients’ needs. | Due to the company’s large size, customer service can be slow and bureaucratic. |
Scalability and Flexibility | Scalable to meet a school’s growing population or increased programs and degrees. | Abundance of modules can feel overwhelming and confusing for smaller teams. |
Core Features | Easy to navigate, with all modules fully integrated and customizable to the institution’s needs. | Advanced features may overwhelm smaller schools with more limited needs and fewer staff members to operate the system. |
Mobile Access and Usability | Remote users enjoy a smooth, seamless experience, which encourages broader adoption and more efficiency. | Mobile access is available, but users may need to go through a separate portal or app, which can disrupt the user experience.
|
Self-Service Portals | Convenient, intuitive self-service portals that reduce departmental workload and expedites student record access.
| Self-service portals are available, but must go through several steps to find desired functions, frustrating some users and creating roadblocks for adoption.
|
Reporting and Analytics | Access a library of pre-built reports and customize templates for specific needs, such as student records, institutional records and government filings. | Powerful reporting capabilities, but may need extensive training to create and manage reports, limiting access to data and deterring adoption. |
Financial Aid Management | Staff can easily build and submit federally mandated reports and seamlessly utilize third-party apps. Students can track their aid through the self-service portal. | Extensive financial aid management module, but challenging to navigate and customize. May require additional training from consultants and premium support from the tech vendor. |
CRM and Communications | Built-in CRM is tailored for higher-ed to manage interactions throughout the student lifecycle, from admissions to alumni engagement. | May have to purchase a separate CRM system, such as Ellucian Recruit, to utilize communications and organizational tools. |
LMS Integration | Seamlessly integrates with popular third-party LMS platforms. Campus Cafe’s team configures the LMS integration during the implementation. | System supports an LMS but may require additional configuration or third-party tools to exchange data. The process is complex and expensive, particularly for small and mid-sized schools. |
Advising and Career Planning Tools | Intuitive advising tools with real-time degree audit and progress tracking. | Advising and planning tools exist but have a steep learning curve. |
Key Factors: Campus Cafe and Ellucian Colleague Software
Pricing
Pricing is a primary concern and SIS differentiator for many institutions. Small and mid-sized schools may want a robust system that scales with their growth, but may not have the budget for an expensive solution that requires outside consultants or additional fees.
Campus Cafe
Built specifically to serve small and mid-sized institutions, Campus Cafe offers a value-first approach with flexible and affordable pricing. The pricing is based on the institution’s size with lower upfront costs.
- Affordable for budget-conscious small and mid-sized schools
- Clear, upfront pricing without hidden costs
- Scalable to expand as needs grow
- Customized systems mean no pricey add-ons
Ellucian Colleague
More is not necessarily better when it comes to a student information system. Colleague is typically more expensive with complex licensing agreements. The additional modules, features and training hours results in higher costs, which makes Colleague better suited for larger institutions. Additionally, some features may require third-party support.
- Higher overall cost with potential for added fees for modules, features, training and support
- Designed for large institutions with sizable budgets
- May require additional expense on outside consultants
Implementation and Customization
Getting a new system up and running as fast as possible with minimal downtime is a chief concern for any school. Selecting a technology partner with a reputation for fast implementation, deployment and familiarity with your school’s unique needs is important for a successful implementation.
Campus Cafe
Campus Cafe is known for its quick and efficient implementation services, especially for small to mid-sized institutions. We work closely with your team to understand your school’s unique requirements such as credit programs or hybrid courses that require both credits and clock-hour tracking. Schools can tailor many features, such as reports, to their needs.
- Rapid implementation with robust training and support
- Dedicated project manager
- Flexible and secure cloud-based system
- Flexible and secure cloud-based system
Ellucian Colleague
Brace yourself for a complex process. Implementation is time-consuming and may necessitate extra IT consultants and training partners, adding to the overall implementation costs. Customizations will also cost extra and may take additional time to launch, lengthening the implementation timeline.
- Complex implementation requires heavy reliance on consultants
- Customizations requires substantial IT involvement
- Length and complicated processes slow adoption timeline
User Experience and Ease of Use
A student information system is only valuable if the staff and students can easily use it. Ideally, users should receive relevant training and be able to navigate the system with ease. A clean, intuitive design ensures minimal friction and encourages engagement and adoption.
Campus Cafe
Campus Cafe’s student information system is designed with simplicity in mind. It offers a streamlined, user-friendly experience accessible to faculty, administrators, students, alumni and parents. Its intuitive design and clear workflows make adoption straightforward.
- Easy-to-navigate system requires minimal training
- Mobile-friendly with a consistent appearance on any device (e.g., smartphone, tablet, desktop)
Ellucian Colleague
The system offers a wide range of features, but its complexity requires significant training, which can increase costs. Due to its unintuitive design, some users may find the interface outdated and difficult to navigate.
- Expansive training and reliance on third-party trainers may be necessary
- Outdated design with confusing interfaces
- Steeper learning curve may hinder adoption
“Campus Cafe is very user-friendly, intuitive and logic-based.”
Cloud-Based Functionality
Student information systems that are hosted onsite with local servers are expensive and resource-intensive. Integrated, cloud-based systems relieve the stress on IT teams and are more cost-effective to operate while offering better security and support.
Campus Cafe
The cloud-based system includes fully integrated modules and permission-based access to features from any device. The cloud-first approach allows for real-time updates and ensures institutions always have the latest features without disruption.
- Cloud-native system does not require costly onsite hardware and maintenance
- Easy to access and operate
- Enhanced security and efficient updates
Ellucian Colleague
Ellucian offers both an onsite and a cloud-based option, but the integration is complex and may require additional support and expenses.
- Onsite systems could have increased costs from long-term maintenance and operations
- The complex cloud-based system is difficult to navigate
“We needed a system that could manage the entire student experience from applicant to new student, registration, billing and transcripts, not a crazy patchwork solution.”
Integrations and Third-Party Solutions
Your student information systems should allow for seamless integration between modules and many popular third-party apps. Certain integrations are essential for departments, including admissions, finance or financial aid, and a well-organized system encourages greater adoption.
Campus Cafe
Built with the needs of today’s institutions in mind, Campus Cafe offers numerous third-party API integrations, including learning management systems, accounting and financial aid software. The open API makes it easy to work with third-party partners without incurring additional expenses.
- Easy integration with third-party apps and APIs
- Flexible approach to partnering with other solutions and willingness to innovate
Ellucian Colleague
Colleague accommodates third-party integrations, but often requires additional cost due to the complexity of connecting third-party systems. Integrations may also require the purchase of additional modules or support from external consultants.
- Complicated process with possibility of additional costs
- Emphasis on using Ellucian’s proprietary system
Customer Support
Every student information system requires user training and technical support. The best technology partners are there when you need them, including nights, weekends and during school breaks. Robust tech support and a responsive help desk are essential to smooth operations and keeping a system online.
Campus Cafe
Customer service is one of Campus Cafe’s superpowers. It is personalized and responsive, a good match for small and mid-sized schools. As a smaller company, Campus Cafe can be nimble and quickly respond to clients’ needs.
- Personalized support tailored to each school
- Extensive online knowledge base
- Easy access to high-level specialists
- Rapid response, including evenings and weekends
- Hands-on assistance capable of working within the system with clients to resolve issues
Ellucian Colleague
Due to the company’s large size, customer service can be slow and bureaucratic. Larger schools may receive preferential service, leaving small and mid-size schools to wait for responses, resulting in disruptions and frustration.
- Slow response times due to a large number of clients
- Preferential response for large schools that pay higher fees
- Access to premium support may require a surcharge
“The service side of Campus Cafe is something that I think cannot possibly be sold enough. Not all companies are as responsive as Campus Cafe.”
Scalability and Flexibility
Higher-education institutions don’t have a crystal ball, but they need their technology to be nimble enough to accommodate changes in features, programs and enrollment.
Campus Cafe
The system is highly scalable and adaptable, ensuring small and midsize schools can bring new features online. If a school’s needs expand, there’s no need for rebuilding or additional costs. Campus Cafe accommodates non-profit colleges, universities, and career and trade schools.
- Flexibility to add modules, features, reconfigure the system or increase data
- Scalable to meet a school’s growing population or increased programs and degrees
- Options for many types of schools, including non-profit and career institutions
Ellucian Colleague
Designed for large institutions with complex and expansive needs, Colleague may not be flexible enough to scale down for smaller schools. Doing so could cost extra and may result in decreased functionality.
- Built for larger schools and may not be compatible with smaller institutions’ unique needs
- Scaling can be time-consuming and labor-intensive
- Abundance of modules can feel overwhelming and confusing for smaller teams
Deep Dive into Campus Cafe and Ellucian Colleague’s Functionality
Finding the right student information system is a bit like perfecting a recipe: it requires the right ingredients and correct proportions. Higher education institutions need a software platform that meets their needs, but not with so many features that overcomplicate operations or add unnecessary costs.
Core Features
Higher-education institutions don’t have a crystal ball, but they need their technology to be nimble enough to accommodate changes in features, programs and enrollment.
Campus Cafe
Offers a comprehensive range of core SIS features, including a CRM, student records, grading, course registration, attendance tracking, and degree audits. These features are easy to navigate, with all modules fully integrated and customizable to the institution’s needs.
- User-friendly interface for admissions and registrar
- Integrated modules support collaboration across departments
- Centralized information allows users to publish once and update everywhere
- Real-time access to course offerings, academic records and student performance
Ellucian Colleague
Provides robust SIS functionality with similar features but is designed with more complex processes that may be overkill for smaller institutions. While powerful, its heavy focus on large university workflows can make certain tasks cumbersome.
- Slower navigation for simple tasks like student records management.
- Complicated workflows could slow down tasks and hinder collaboration
Mobile Access and Usability
Everyone expects instant access to their information on any device and from any location. A mobile-friendly system allows all users to log in from a smartphone, tablet or personal computer without compromising on features or accessibility. Off-site access and usability are also critical if the campus shuts down for a natural disaster or emergency.
Campus Cafe
As a fully mobile-responsive system, Campus Cafe enables students, faculty and staff to operate the system and access records from any device or location. Remote users enjoy a smooth, seamless experience, which encourages broader adoption and more efficiency.
- Fully functional across devices with a clean, intuitive design
- Mobile access to billing, online payments, registration and records is convenient for students
Ellucian Colleague
Mobile access is available, but users may need to go through a separate portal or app, which adds an additional hurdle and can disrupt the user experience. Some features may not be well-integrated.
- Accessing the system may require extra steps
- Some functions might be difficult to navigate on mobile devices
Self-Service Portals for Students, Faculty, Parents and Alumni
A robust student information system allows stakeholders to access information and make convenient transactions easily, while reducing the administrative burden on staff. Students, alumni and parents (when necessary) can make online payments, view student records, communicate with school staff and request transcripts. A portal lets faculty view attendance, manage content, communicate with students, and post grades.
Campus Cafe
The platform features convenient, intuitive self-service portals for external users. Students can view schedules, register for classes, request records and make payments. Faculty and staff can manage their courses and contacts with students.
- Self-service portals facilitate access to essential records and functions
- Reduces workload for departmental staff and expedites student record access
Ellucian Colleague
Self-service portals are available, but they are not user-friendly. Stakeholders often have to navigate through several steps to find desired functions, frustrating some users and creating roadblocks for adoption.
- Complex design may discourage users from accessing portals
- Faculty and students may require additional training to operate the system effectively
Reporting and Analytics
One of a student information system’s primary functions is analyzing institutional data and processing reports. Schools must produce reports to meet federal guidelines, including administering Title IV federal financial aid, and reports also inform internal decision-making.
An integrated system helps stakeholders easily access and organize data, build templates, work with colleagues, and generate reports without lengthy training or technical abilities.
Campus Cafe
The system offers robust reporting and analytics tools that are easy to operate, regardless of technical skill level. Users can access a library of pre-built reports and customize templates for their specific needs, such as student records, institutional records and government filings.
- Extensive library of pre-built reports to fast-track common reporting requirements
- Customizable reports with easy-to-use analytics dashboards
- Users can build and share reports with minimal training
- Real-time access to information and data on performance, revenue, enrollment, course availability, financial aid and student progress
Ellucian Colleague
Ellucian touts the system’s powerful reporting capabilities as a selling point, but this may be too much for small and midsize schools. Users may need extensive training to create and manage reports, limiting access to data and deterring adoption.
- Advanced capabilities, but extensive training and IT support may be necessary
- Extensive options could overwhelm smaller schools
Financial Aid Management
Higher education institutions that offer institutional aid and administer Title IV federal financial aid benefit from a system with a comprehensive financial aid module for reporting, packaging, processing, disbursement and communication with students.
Campus Cafe
The system features an integrated financial aid management feature to streamline the financial aid process, including processing applications, awards packaging and disbursement. Staff can easily build and submit federal-mandated reports and seamlessly utilize third-party apps. Students can track their aid through the self-service portal.
- Trigger notifications, keep applications moving and capture digital signatures with workflows
- Students and parents can track progress and status of aid through a self-service portal
- Integrates with the CRM and other modules so everyone can have access to updated information
- Offers ability to integrate with third-party service providers
Ellucian Colleague
Colleague features an extensive financial aid management module, but it can be challenging to navigate and customize. Staff may require additional training from third-party consultants and premium support from the tech vendor.
- Expansive features may be more than smaller schools need
- Users may need extra training and support
- Customization could require additional modules and increase costs
“Campus Cafe has just the right amount of functionality that you need to properly run a good financial aid operation.”
CRM and Communications
A CRM, or Customer Relationship Management system, helps schools manage and organize interactions with prospective students, current students, alumni and other stakeholders. Colleges and universities can track contact with interested students from their first inquiry through the application process and beyond graduation.
A CRM tracks communication with students, alumni, and other contacts and can pull information from various departments, facilitating better collaboration and accuracy.
Campus Cafe
Campus Cafe’s integrated CRM is tailored for higher education and manages interactions throughout the student lifecycle, from admissions to alumni engagement. The system integrates with Campus Cafe’s other modules, allowing up-to-date information to flow between departments and communication via email, text or phone.
- Native CRM automates communications workflows
- Built-in communication tools (email, text, phone) for prospects, students and alumni
Ellucian Colleague
Colleague clients may have to purchase a separate CRM system, such as Ellucian Recruit, to utilize communications and organizational tools. This adds to costs and increases the need for training, which could deter usage.
- Secondary CRM add-on may be required
- External communication tools may not be well-integrated with other modules
- May add costs and training
Integration with Learning Management Systems
Higher-ed institutions rely on third-party Learning Management Systems (LMS) to create, manage and distribute learning content, track student progress and evaluate their performance.
Campus Cafe
The system seamlessly integrates with popular third-party LMS platforms, including Canvas, Moodle, Blackboard and others. The student information system automatically organizes LMS data in real-time, including grade syncing, course updates, attendance and student data.
- Integrates with real-time data exchanges
- Supports most current LMS systems without additional cost
- Campus Cafe’s team configures the LMS integration during the implementation, so users can train on the SIS and learn to access the LMS simultaneously
Ellucian Colleague
The system can support an LMS but may require additional configuration or third-party tools to exchange data. That process could be complex and expensive, particularly for small and mid-sized schools.
- LMS integration is available but may require complicated installation and ongoing support
- Third-party tools could be necessary for full functionality, adding cost and training
Advising and Career Planning Tools
Higher-education students need extensive, ongoing support for their academic career and professional future. A robust student information offers students, faculty and advisors tools to track academic progress, course requirements and the path to graduation. It also supports career services and advisors managing career opportunities and alumni contacts for job fairs and networking.
Campus Cafe
The system boasts advanced features that allow users to easily chart a plan of study, register for classes, and monitor degree and graduation requirements. Real-time tracking allows advisors and students to monitor progress, and the mobile-friendly system is conveniently accessible from any device, including smartphones.
Advanced features such as a plan of study and degree audits keep students organized and on track.
- Intuitive advising tools with real-time degree audit and progress tracking
- Students can easily plan their academic path and adjust schedules
Ellucian Colleague
Colleague offers degree planning and advising modules, but the features may be challenging to navigate. Students and advisors may need extra training, which discourages adoption, slows down the academic process, and possibly hinders degree and graduation progress.
- Advising and planning tools exist but are less user-friendly
- Advisors could be frustrated by the steep learning curve
- Extra training increases costs and slows adoption
What to Consider When Choosing a Student Information System
When it comes to choosing the right system for your college, university, career or trade school, you need to consider such things as your internal resources to manage the system, IT capabilities and complexities. For small and mid-sized institutions, simplicity and ease of use are key.
If you don’t take your time to map out your school’s data “needs,” “wants,” and “nice-to-haves,” then you could be setting your team up to be plagued by the following issues:
- Poor User Adoption: If the new system is difficult to use or the training is insufficient and ineffective, your staff may be reluctant to use it. This will slow operations and put your investment at risk.
- Bad Fit: Some technology vendors are better suited to large colleges and universities with deep pockets and a wealth of resources. You may not get the necessary service and support if your school is small or midsize.
- Negative ROI: Student information systems can be overly complicated, with an overwhelming number of modules and functions. You might be paying for features you don’t need.
- Extra Fees: If the system is complicated or overwhelming, you could pay extra for additional support and training.
- Inaccessible: A large company may not be responsive to your school’s needs and concerns.
The Bottom Line: Campus Cafe Outperforms Ellucian Colleague Across Categories
When you delve into the details of these popular student information systems, Campus Cafe clearly outperforms Ellucian Colleague in key areas, including price, features, integrations, support, training and customer service.
Campus Cafe is designed specifically for small to mid-sized institutions. It offers essential tools and features to support smooth operations without the complexity and added costs of systems built for larger university clients.
Get a personalized demo to see how Campus Cafe can transform your student data management and help you scale campus operations.
