University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Drupal Modernization

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga modernized its Drupal platform by streamlining the release process, simplifying the codebase, and adding real-time error monitoring.

Deployment time dropped from hours to minutes.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga relies on its Drupal platform as a central digital channel for prospective students, current students, faculty, staff, and campus departments. UTC identified an opportunity to make the platform easier to maintain, more consistent to operate, and better positioned to support evolving communications needs.

• Create a more purposeful design foundation. Refine the design and theme approach so it better supports UTC’s current communications priorities, provides a more consistent experience for campus audiences, and avoids carrying forward features that no longer serve a clear purpose. 
• Simplify the platform architecture. Reduce unnecessary layers and interdependencies to make the codebase easier to understand, maintain, and evolve. A simpler foundation also helps the team assess future enhancements with greater clarity.
• Support sustainable releases. Establish a more consistent, maintainable workflow for routine web updates. The goal is to reduce avoidable manual effort, improve predictability for standard releases, and better support time-sensitive communications when they are needed.
• Modernize build and CI/CD tooling. Update the tooling that supports building, testing, and releasing website changes so it is current, maintainable, and aligned with UTC’s operational needs. A stronger CI/CD foundation helps create more consistent release practices, supports quality checks, and gives the web team a clearer process for ongoing platform stewardship.
• Build internal capability and repeatable practices. Equip UTC’s web team with shared processes, practical knowledge, and standards that can be applied beyond the immediate project. This helps support continuity, stronger governance, and a more scalable approach to future web platform work.

After identifying the much-needed modernization opportunities, UTC decided to engage an experienced external partner to provide specialized Drupal expertise. 

The university established a clear set of evaluation criteria and interviewed several qualified Drupal firms and consultancies.

Vardot was selected through this competitive vetting process based on its technical experience, proposed approach, alignment with UTC’s goals, and overall value for the investment.

Design System & Themes

• Before: Abandoned PatternLab design system and off-the-shelf themes with unused features
• After: A leaner, more purposeful design foundation

Theme Architecture

• Before: Ten interdependent themes with a lot of unwanted features.
• After: Flattened to a three themed structure with unnecessary layers removed

Release tooling

• Before: Acquia BLT, retired and unsupported
• After: Modern release workflow using GitHub Actions

CI/CD Platform

• Before: Existing CI/CD, had not updated in seven years and more expensive to operate
• After: GitHub and GitHub Actions

Workflow Standards

• Before: Patterns limited to the initial release process
• After: Repeatable standards UTC can extend to other workflows

Error Detection

• Before: User-reported
• After: Real-time alerts

External Dependency for Releases

• Before: Required
• After: Eliminated

Time to Publish Updates

• Before: 2-3 hours (manual)
• After: Approximately 15 minutes (automated)

• More timely publishing. The web team has a clearer and more efficient path for routine updates and time-sensitive communications.
• More focus on the web experience. Streamlined practices give the UTC Web Team more time to improve content and user experience.
• A more maintainable foundation. The platform is better positioned to support ongoing stewardship and future development.
• Greater consistency as UTC grows. Clearer standards support a more cohesive web presence across the institution.

A university website is one of its most important communication tools. It is where prospective students form first impressions, where current students find critical information, and where departments represent themselves to the world. When the platform is easier to update, maintain, and monitor, everyone who depends on it benefits. 

UTC's modernization is a practical example of how higher-education teams can improve a mature Drupal platform without changing hosting providers or disrupting day-to-day publishing. The work created a stronger operating foundation while keeping the focus on the people and communications the website serves.

• CMS: Drupal
• Hosting: Acquia
• CI/CD: GitHub Actions
• Error Monitoring: Sentry
• Version Control: GitHub

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