Campus Spotlight: Rhodes College

Institutional Moment

Navigating Implementation: Approaching Go-Live

Institution Snapshot

Institution: Rhodes College

Institution Type: Private Liberal Arts College

Location: Memphis, Tennessee

Enrollment: Approximately 2,000 Students

Technology Initiative: Workday Student

Engagement Style: Embedded Institution-Side Support and Operational Readiness Partnership

Engagement Length: Late-Stage Implementation Through Go-Live and Post-Go-Live Stabilization

Going Live Is One Thing. Going Live Well Is Another.

As Rhodes College approached the final stages of its Workday Student implementation, the project appeared to be in a strong position.

The private liberal arts college in Memphis had already completed significant design and configuration work and was preparing for go-live. Milestones were being met, decisions had been made, and the finish line was in sight.

Yet the Registrar's Office recognized an important reality.

There was still critical work to do before the institution could feel confident that Workday Student would support the way Rhodes actually operates.

The challenge was no longer simply implementing a system. The challenge was making sure the college was ready to use it well.

You Might Be Here If...

• Go-live is approaching, but important operational work still remains.

• Staff are balancing implementation responsibilities alongside their day-to-day jobs.

• You want confidence in registration, transcripts, academic records, and reporting before launch.

• The system is configured, but you're still validating whether it reflects institutional reality.

• Leadership is asking whether the institution is truly ready, not just the technology.

• Your team is wondering what happens after implementation support winds down.

  
  

The Challenge

Rhodes had reached a phase that many institutions recognize.

The technical build was progressing, but operational readiness required a different kind of attention.

The Registrar's Office saw that significant hands-on work remained. Academic records needed validation. Reporting outputs needed review. Registration processes needed testing. Documentation and training materials needed refinement. Staff needed confidence that the system would function as expected when students, faculty, and advisors began relying on it every day.

At the same time, the institution wanted to avoid placing additional strain on teams already carrying substantial implementation responsibilities.

Rhodes wasn't looking for someone to take over the project.

They needed a partner who understood both Workday Student and higher education operations and could help bridge the gap between configuration decisions and day-to-day campus reality.

The Turning Point

The defining realization was simple.

A successful implementation is not the same thing as a successful go-live experience. Rhodes understood that a system could technically meet implementation requirements and still leave staff uncertain about reporting, registration, academic records, or ongoing operations.

The college wanted more than confidence that Workday Student would go live. They wanted confidence that it would work well.

That shift in perspective changed the focus of the final phase of the project. Instead of concentrating solely on technical completion, the institution focused on validating the processes, data, and experiences that would matter most after launch.

The Partnership

Legato joined the effort as an extension of the Rhodes team.

Working alongside the Registrar's Office and other stakeholders, the partnership focused on helping the institution translate implementation work into sustainable operations.

Together, the teams validated academic records, GPA calculations, credits, transcripts, and reporting outputs. Testing shifted toward real student experiences, including registration processes and day-to-day operational scenarios. Documentation, dashboards, job aids, and training materials were updated to better support the people who would ultimately use and maintain the system.

The work was collaborative and practical.

While implementation partners focused on delivering the system itself, Legato worked from the institution side, helping Rhodes prepare for how the system would be operated, supported, and sustained after go-live.

That support continued beyond launch.

As Rhodes moved into stabilization, Legato remained available to assist with release testing, National Student Clearinghouse reporting, governance improvements, transcript accuracy, historical academic record cleanup, and other operational priorities that emerged as the institution settled into its new environment.

The Outcome

Rhodes successfully launched Workday Student with greater confidence, stronger operational readiness, and clearer ownership of the system.

Core student processes, including registration, functioned as intended. Staff had stronger documentation, improved reporting confidence, and better-defined processes to support ongoing operations.

The engagement helped reduce institutional risk while protecting staff capacity during a demanding period of change.

Perhaps most importantly, Rhodes strengthened its ability to sustain Workday Student over the long term. The college was not simply handed a new system. It built the knowledge, processes, and confidence needed to make that system work within its unique campus environment.

Why This Story Matters

Many institutions assume the hardest part of implementation is reaching go-live.

In reality, some of the most important work happens as institutions prepare to move from implementation into operations.

And long-term success depends on whether the institution can translate those efforts into processes, reporting, governance, documentation, and user experiences that work in the real world.

Rhodes College's experience demonstrates the value of focusing on operational readiness alongside implementation. By investing in the work that happens between configuration and daily operations, the college entered go-live with greater confidence and a stronger foundation for long-term success.

"Implementation consultants are very knowledgeable, but their job is to get billable hours and meet the objective of going live. But meeting the objective of going live doesn't necessarily meet the school's objective of going live well."

— Stacy Pennington, Director of Infrastructure and Enterprise Applications, Rhodes College