Case Study – Reinhardt University

Reinhardt University, an SACSCOC-accredited institution in Waleska, Georgia, was facing significant challenges with its outdated course catalog that impacted their students and staff alike. Relying on a manually produced PDF catalog, the university struggled with accessibility issues, inconsistent information, and a cumbersome editing process that created bottlenecks for staff. To modernize and streamline their approach, Reinhardt partnered with Clean Catalog to implement a fully digital, customizable course catalog. Check out the challenges Reinhardt faced, the solutions we collaborated on, and the positive outcomes Reinhardt has enjoyed as a result of the transition.

The Challenges

Reinhardt University previously relied on a PDF course catalog to distribute program information to students and staff. While functional, the PDF format presented several limitations. The catalog lacked accessibility features, making it difficult for users with disabilities to navigate. Moreover, the catalog allowed for inconsistencies across versions, with updates and edits flowing through a single administrator, creating a bottleneck for the entire system. Staff members struggled to edit the catalog without proper workflows, templates or user permissions, further complicating catalog management. This manual process limited how Reinhardt University could publish program information, making it hard to ensure accuracy, consistency and access for everyone.

The Process

Recognizing the need for a more streamlined and accessible solution, Reinhardt University partnered with Clean Catalog to move its course catalog PDF to a digital version. From the outset, the Clean Catalog team worked closely with Reinhardt staff to identify key pain points and opportunities for improvement. Reinhardt’s staff enjoyed the collaboration process, providing critical feedback and clear objectives for the new system. We built several custom features based on specific requests by their staff, particularly around the organization of site content. Ariana Neighbors, Reinhardt’s Records Coordinator, commented on the support throughout the process, saying, “It has been very easy, and when I've had questions, the Clean Catalog team has been quick to answer. The training videos they've supplied have been especially helpful!”

Our Solutions

In response to Reinhardt’s needs, we provided highly-tailored solutions that transformed how the university manages its catalog. One of the key improvements was the implementation of a personnel tab, offering quick access to staff members, their departments, and their email addresses. This new feature streamlined the navigation process, giving students and staff a more organized and user-friendly directory that is easily accessible from their catalog.

We also introduced custom expandable sidebar menus. Now, when a user clicks on "Programs," they can easily narrow down their search by selecting options such as graduate, undergraduate, or professional studies. This custom menu structure ensures that users find the relevant information quickly and intuitively, while keeping the design of their catalog site clean and parsable.

Another request from Reinhardt was to avoid opening new web pages when a user clicks on a program. As an alternative, we designed pop-up pages for individual programs, making it easier for users to peruse offerings without navigating away from the catalog. According to Neighbors, the customization of separating programs by type significantly enhanced user experience: "They helped us separate our undergraduate, graduate, and professional studies programs so that they are more easily accessible to those who need them."

In addition, the robust search functionality Clean Catalog implemented allows users to search the entire catalog using keywords, program names, credit hours, or even by school division. This search feature provides a faster, more accessible way for users to find exactly what they need without sifting through long PDFs.

Looking Forward

Reinhardt University has seen a marked improvement in how they publish their course catalog, both on the frontend and the backend. The switch to Clean Catalog has not only streamlined administrative workflows but has also significantly increased accessibility for users. The digital format ensures that all students, including those with disabilities or limitations, can easily navigate the catalog and find the information they need.

The process of transitioning from a static PDF to an interactive, dynamic online catalog has been a rewarding one for Reinhardt. Neighbors reflected positively on the collaboration, stating, “this whole process was amazing! I would definitely recommend Clean Catalog. Everyone has been super helpful and easy to work with. They respond quickly to questions, suggestions, etc., and have made the whole process very smooth."

As Reinhardt University continues to grow their offerings and accessibility to students, the Clean Catalog platform provides a scalable solution that will evolve with the institution's needs. This digital transformation marks a significant leap forward in ensuring that students, faculty, and staff have quick and reliable access to the institution’s most important publication: their course catalog.