Drupal Solutions for Pacific Northwest Universities & Colleges
Higher education institutions face unique web challenges: hundreds of stakeholders, complex governance, accessibility mandates, and the need to serve diverse audiences from prospective students to alumni. We bring specialized Drupal expertise to Pacific Northwest colleges and universities navigating these complexities.
Departmental Autonomy
Empower departments with branded sites and content control while maintaining institutional standards and centralized infrastructure.
Student-Focused UX
Modern, mobile-first experiences that meet the expectations of prospective and current students. Fast, accessible, and conversion-optimized.
Complex Governance
Navigate university decision-making structures with governance frameworks that balance academic freedom with brand consistency.
Accessibility Compliance
Built-in WCAG 2.1 AA compliance to meet legal requirements and serve all students, including those with disabilities.
Understanding Higher Education Web Complexity
University websites aren't just marketing; they're critical infrastructure serving students seeking course information, faculty publishing research, staff managing operations, and prospective students making life-changing decisions. Each constituency has different needs and different levels of technical capability. The CMS must accommodate all while maintaining institutional standards.
Drupal's flexibility makes it popular in higher education, but that flexibility can create chaos without proper governance and architecture. We help Pacific Northwest institutions implement Drupal solutions that balance centralized control with departmental autonomy, a model that respects academic culture while preventing brand fragmentation.
Higher Education Drupal Services
- Multisite Architecture: Centralized platform serving departmental sites, research centers, and specialized programs with shared infrastructure
- Student Recruitment: Optimized program pages, application funnels, and prospective student experiences that convert interest into enrollment
- Accessibility Standards: WCAG compliance, screen reader optimization, keyboard navigation, and inclusive design patterns
- Content Workflows: Editorial processes that work for both technical web teams and faculty with minimal CMS experience
- Calendar & Events: Robust event management for academic calendars, campus events, and department-specific programming
- Faculty & Staff Tools: Directory systems, news publishing, research profiles, and departmental communication tools
Serving Pacific Northwest Higher Education
The Pacific Northwest has a unique higher education landscape, from large research universities to specialized colleges, from urban campuses serving diverse populations to regional institutions anchoring their communities. We understand this context because we work here.
Our Drupal solutions acknowledge regional realities: budget constraints, distributed IT structures, faculty governance, and the need to compete for students while serving public good missions. We design systems that support these institutions' values rather than imposing corporate models that don't fit academic culture.
Modernizing While Respecting Tradition
Universities balance innovation with tradition. Websites must feel modern to prospective students raised on mobile apps while respecting institutional heritage and academic values. Our design and development approach honors this balance, implementing modern technology and user experience patterns while maintaining the gravitas and credibility that academic institutions require.
Ready to start your project?
Let's discuss how we can help modernize your web presence and deliver measurable results for your organization.