Unity Environmental University’s Enterprise Digital Transformation: From CAMS to Salesforce-as-SIS with Tondro

New case study from Tondro Consulting and Unity highlights campus-wide modernization of information systems, enabling scalability and data foundation for AI.

AUSTIN, TX, UNITED STATES, December 11, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Unity Environmental University, ranked as the #1 Independent University for Social Mobility (SMI 2024), has shared key outcomes from a campus-wide digital modernization initiative: migrating its core student records from the legacy CAMS by Thesis system to a modern Salesforce-as-SIS architecture as one peg of Unity’s long-term Enterprise Model and growth strategy.

The project went live in February 2024 and is delivering strong results for students and staff.

“Our mission to democratize environmental education required us to defy the status quo of higher education,” said Dr. Melik Khoury, President and CEO of Unity Environmental University. “We could not support a modern, nationwide ‘Enterprise Model’ on legacy infrastructure. This transformation wasn't about software; it was about unlocking the ability to freeze tuition, scale access, and serve learners for decades to come.”

As Unity expanded its Enterprise Model, infrastructure originally designed for a small residential campus began to show increasing strain. To ensure its systems could keep pace with institutional ambitions, Unity engaged Tondro Consulting as a specialized Salesforce implementation partner to help migrate from CAMS to a Salesforce-based Student Information System (SIS) aligned with Unity’s Enterprise Model.

Working in close partnership with Unity’s internal leaders and subject matter experts, the initiative stabilized the University’s information systems and established an “Agile Core” capable of supporting continued enrollment growth to more than 10,000 learners nationwide.

THE PROCESS: MODERNIZING DATA FOR SCALE
As Unity pursued its Enterprise Model, the on-premise CAMS system became an operational ceiling.

“It was like putting technical bandages over technical bandages,” said Kerry Hafford, Chief Organizational Effectiveness Officer at Unity. “The system had become increasingly unstable, with frequent outages and growing complexity. I had this sense that we were getting to a point where we had to make a change.”

Unity partnered with Tondro Consulting to execute a complex data and process modernization strategy. Tondro worked alongside Unity’s subject matter experts to migrate key functions, including the Registrar and Bursar, onto the Salesforce platform and to streamline processes into a more structured, scalable model with a single source of truth.

OUTCOMES: SPEED, SCALABILITY, AND OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY
Since the February 2024 launch, the Salesforce-as-SIS environment has improved system reliability and produced measurable operational gains:

* 90% Faster Financial Aid Review
Reduced complex student loan eligibility reviews from 3 weeks to just 2 days by surfacing structured, complete data and automated workflows at the exact points where financial aid staff need them.

* 50% Efficiency Gain
The team now processes 50% more VA military certifications without increasing administrative headcount.

* Rapid Turnaround for Students
Transfer credit evaluation times dropped from 48 hours to 24 hours, accelerating admissions decisions and speed to service.

“Don’t get hung up on the glacially slow pace of higher ed because that’s where higher ed is failing,” said Dr. Erika Latty, President of the Enterprise & Chief Academic Officer at Unity. “We really wanted the ability to create a system that scaled and worked for us.”

These improvements reflect Unity’s broader strategy: using technology to operationalize an institutional vision that prioritizes access, affordability, and student success.

MODERNIZATION: THE GATEKEEPER TO AI
This modernization laid the foundation for future innovation. By structuring its data within a modern Salesforce architecture and investing in data quality, Unity became one of the first universities to implement Salesforce’s Agentforce.

“If we hadn’t done the prior work on getting our data to a point where it could be consumed by the agent, we would not have been able to do that,” said Dr. Latty. “Modernization is the gatekeeper to innovation.”

Unity’s early adoption of Agentforce is a direct extension of its Enterprise Model and long-term data strategy, positioning the University to responsibly leverage AI in service of learners.

Learn more about Unity's digital transformation in the full case story.

ABOUT UNITY ENVIRONMENTAL UNIVERSITY
Unity Environmental University is a private, nonprofit institution dedicated to delivering quality education and experiences that produce outstanding environmentally competent professionals. Ranked as the #1 Independent University for Social Mobility (SMI 2024), Unity is committed to accessibility and affordability, including a tuition freeze through 2030. Based in New Gloucester, Maine, the University serves a diverse population of more than 10,000 students through distance education and hybrid learning models. Learn more at: https://unity.edu/

ABOUT TONDRO CONSULTING
Tondro Consulting supports higher education institutions in transforming operations through smarter systems, actionable data, and sustainable change. As a specialized Salesforce implementation partner, Tondro helps mid-market institutions modernize their Student Information Systems (SIS) to reduce friction, strengthen compliance, and unlock scalable growth. Learn more at: https://www.tondroconsulting.com/

Michelle Massa
Tondro Consulting
michelle@tondroconsulting.com
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.