Downsides to Drupal CMS for Community Colleges

Choosing the right Content Management System (CMS) for your community college isn’t just about functionality; it’s about being as inclusive, efficient, and friendly as you are to your students, faculty, and staff. The selection of a CMS solution should prioritize ease of use, support for non-technical users, cost-effectiveness, security, scalability, and compatibility with existing systems. 

Downsides to Drupal as CMS

In a sea of options, you may see Drupal as a robust contender, promoted for its enterprise-level scalability and extensive features. However, Drupal has its pitfalls–especially for organizations without a dedicated team of developers. And with the commonly-used Drupal 7 nearing end of life, now could be a good time to make a friendlier CMS choice for your college.

From the outset, Drupal’s promise of customization and power can be incredibly appealing. Yet, beneath this shiny exterior lie challenges that can significantly hamper the user experience and overall satisfaction. For instance, the steep learning curve associated with mastering Drupal’s intricate system can be a significant barrier for educators and administrative staff who may not possess advanced technical skills.

Additionally, ongoing maintenance and updates require a level of expertise that could impose a considerable financial burden on institutions already operating with tight budgets. And if you’re on an older system like Drupal 7, you may find that updates will no longer be supported, calling for a complete rebuild. 

As we delve deeper, we’ll unpack these downsides to Drupal as a community college CMS solution, shedding light on the often-overlooked aspects that can make or break the digital experience for educational institutions.

Complexity of Drupal’s System

One of the major downsides to using Drupal as a CMS solution for community colleges is the complexity of its system. While Drupal offers a high level of customization and flexibility, it also comes with a steep learning curve. This can be particularly challenging for educators and staff members who don’t have extensive technical backgrounds. We love this cartoon that one of our Drupal-to-WordPress clients shared with us:

Drupal’s system is built on a modular architecture, which means that users need to understand how different modules interact with each other in order to effectively manage and customize their websites. This level of complexity can be overwhelming for administrators who aren’t familiar with coding or web development.

Furthermore, the extensive range of features and options available in Drupal can make it difficult for users to navigate and find the specific functionalities they need. This can lead to frustration and inefficiency, especially for community colleges where time is often limited.

Overall, while Drupal’s complexity offers great potential for customization, it can also pose significant challenges for site administrators. 

Time to Learn for Educators and Staff

Some colleges have their own technical team exclusively devoted to making all website changes and updates. However, usually–and increasingly–educators and staff are empowered and encouraged to administer their own webpages and sections. Since Drupal’s intricate system requires additional technical training, administrators must find time to learn and practice. With time being precious already for people already juggling multiple responsibilities, this can hurt productivity and create frustration.

In addition, turnover within educational institutions means that new staff members may need to quickly learn how to use Drupal alongside their other onboarding responsibilities. The steep learning curve can make this process even more challenging, leading to delays and potential errors in website management. 

Financial Burden of Maintenance and Updates

All Content Management Systems require ongoing maintenance and updates to ensure that they remain secure and working well. It’s not uncommon for colleges to engage third parties–developers or agencies–to take care of maintenance and updates. However, Drupal’s complexity often requires more extensive and expensive technical expertise and custom development skills. Finding these may be no small task, and even internal technical teams may not have time to keep up with Drupal’s constant changes.  

As such, the financial burden of maintenance and updates associated with Drupal can strain already limited resources within community colleges, potentially impacting other areas of operation.

Limited Support for Non-Technical Users

Drupal’s focus on customization by developers means that it may not provide sufficient support for non-technical users within community colleges. While there are resources available such as documentation, forums, and online communities, these may not always cater specifically to the needs of educators or staff members who are less technically inclined.

This lack of tailored support can make it challenging for non-technical users to troubleshoot issues or seek guidance when encountering difficulties. In an educational setting where time is often limited, having easy-to-understand understand support is crucial for a smooth and efficient digital experience.

Scalability Constraints for Growing Institutions

Lastly, scalability can be a concern when using Drupal as a CMS solution for community colleges. As educational institutions grow and expand their digital presence, the CMS needs to be able to accommodate increasing website traffic and content.

While Drupal is known for its scalability, managing large volumes of content or high levels of website traffic can require additional development approaches or optimization efforts. This can pose challenges for community colleges that may not have the necessary infrastructure or technical expertise to handle rapid growth.