Case Study – Tillamook Bay Community College

When Tillamook Bay Community College (TBCC) decided it was time to modernize its academic catalog, the institution needed more than a basic catalog site. It needed a solution that would be easy for staff to manage, accessible for students, and flexible enough to reflect the college's unique needs.

After struggling with a previous catalog platform that limited customization and created administrative headaches, TBCC partnered with Clean Catalog to create a catalog experience that is intuitive, accessible, and easier to maintain.

The Challenges

Before switching to Clean Catalog, TBCC's catalog software created obstacles for both staff and students. Sarah Miller, TBCC's Instructional and College Support Specialist, described the previous software as "hard to edit" and difficult to personalize. Routine updates could become bottlenecks, and staff had limited control when they needed to revise catalog content.

PDF generation was another major concern. Miller noted that producing a PDF from the catalog was "almost impossible," which created practical challenges for students, staff, and accreditation renewals with the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). TBCC needed a system that could support both a modern online catalog and reliable PDF output without creating extra manual work.

The college also wanted more flexibility in how its catalog looked and functioned. According to Rachelle Mills, TBCC's Dean of Instruction, their previous platform did not provide the level of customization the college wanted. That made it difficult to create the streamlined, student-friendly experience TBCC envisioned.

The Process

Having worked through multiple catalog software implementations throughout her career, Mills expected the transition to require a heavy lift from TBCC's staff. Instead, she found that moving to Clean Catalog was one of the smoothest catalog migrations she had experienced.

The Clean Catalog team worked closely with TBCC throughout implementation, helping customize the new catalog while minimizing disruption for staff. Miller described the transition as "probably easier than it should have been" and credited the Clean Catalog team for being helpful throughout the process.

By combining hands-on support with a collaborative implementation approach, Clean Catalog helped TBCC launch a modern academic catalog that met the college's goals without overwhelming the team responsible for maintaining it.

Our Solutions

Working alongside TBCC staff, Clean Catalog delivered a customized catalog experience designed to improve usability, accessibility, and navigation. A fully customized landing page gives users an intuitive entry point into the catalog. The page features a custom hero image and five prominent quick-link buttons directing visitors to Catalog Home, Programs, Courses, MyTBCC, and the TBCC main website.

The catalog homepage also includes an expandable policies menu, giving students and staff quick access to important institutional policies without sending them to another website. To further support accessibility and multilingual users, a dedicated footer button allows visitors to translate the catalog into Spanish.

Clean Catalog also enhanced TBCC's search experience with custom filters that help users quickly locate relevant content. In addition to academic information, the catalog includes a Faculty & Staff section with directory-style listings that display employee titles and employment classifications, making institutional contact information easier to find and navigate.

Behind the scenes, Clean Catalog's administrative tools gave TBCC staff greater control over their catalog content. Miller shared that the platform is "better" because she can "actually do some of my own problem-solving." Mills echoed that sentiment, describing the administrative experience simply: "so easy!"

Looking Forward

Today, Tillamook Bay Community College has a catalog platform that delivers the flexibility, customization, and ease of use the institution was looking for. Staff can manage catalog content more efficiently, while students benefit from a more accessible and intuitive experience that aligns with the college's goals.

The success of the project has also laid the foundation for a strong ongoing partnership between TBCC and Clean Catalog. As Miller shared, she expects the college will have "a long relationship with CC." Clean Catalog is proud to support TBCC as the institution continues to enhance and evolve its academic catalog.