July 14, 2025 | 4 minute read
Summer is the Perfect Time for Degree Works Housekeeping
By Nicole Parker, Degree Works Consultant, David Kent Consulting
Summer is here – and for higher education institutions, that often means a welcome lull in day-to-day activities. While students and faculty enjoy a much-deserved break, it’s the ideal season to turn your attention to something equally important: housekeeping in Degree Works.
At David Kent Consulting, we recommend institutions use this time to clean up, tune up, and prepare their Degree Works system for the busy terms ahead. Whether you’re planning a full upgrade with support, making curriculum updates with consulting, or just doing some scribe maintenance, here are some productive ways to make the most of the summer months.
🔷 1️⃣ Update Your Curriculum Changes
Curriculum changes approved during the academic year often pile up, waiting to be implemented. Summer is a great opportunity to:
- Review and scribe new degree programs, minors, and certificates.
- Modify existing programs to reflect catalog updates.
- Retire obsolete programs and hide them from audits.
By updating your scribe blocks and rules now, you’ll avoid errors and confusion when students begin registering in the fall – and if you need help addressing common pitfalls, be sure to check out our blog on the Top Four Degree Works Challenges.
🔷 2️⃣ Upgrade to the Latest Version
Ellucian regularly releases new versions of Degree Works with critical patches, new features, and security updates. Summer offers the perfect window to:
- Upgrade your Degree Works environment to the latest version.
- Test new functionality in a lower-risk period.
- Train staff on any changes before the rush of fall.
Learn more about how our Degree Works consulting services can help guide you through a seamless upgrade process.
🔷 3️⃣ Clean Up Scribe and Exceptions
Scribe blocks tend to accumulate over time – sometimes with redundancies, outdated rules, or hard-to-follow logic. Use summer to:
- Audit your scribe for clarity and accuracy.
- Remove or hide outdated blocks.
- Review and clear unnecessary student exceptions.
A clean, well-maintained scribe improves audit accuracy and advising confidence. And if you discover issues, our troubleshooting and maintenance services can help resolve them quickly.
🔷 4️⃣ Optimize for the Future
Summer is also a good time to:
- Run health checks on Degree Works and Banner integration.
- Evaluate opportunities for automation and improved processes.
- Schedule staff training or refreshers.
🤝 Need a Hand? David Kent Consulting is Here to Help
Whether you need a quick consultation to answer a few questions, assistance with a full implementation, or even ongoing Degree Works management, David Kent Consulting offers flexible services tailored to your needs. Our team has extensive experience with audit errors fixes, block setup, exceptions setup, and curriculum updates consulting – and more.
We’re here to help – on your terms – whether it’s just a few hours of guidance or a larger project.
📩 Let’s Make Your Summer Productive
Use the summer months to strengthen your Degree Works environment and set your institution up for success in the year ahead. If you’d like support, contact us at David Kent Consulting to discuss how we can help.
David Kent Consulting – Your Higher Education Partner in Degree Works Success.
