Case Study: University of Tennessee achieves higher registrations and a 670% surge in compliance completions with Cornerstone OnDemand

Optimizing learning through collaborative technology implementation for internal and external users

Founded in 1794, the University of Tennessee serves about 50,000 students across five campuses and maintains a statewide presence through its Institute of Agriculture and Institute for Public Service. Three UT units — IPS, UTIA, and System Administration HR — were hampered by outdated, fragmented learning systems: a cumbersome LMS disliked by customers and staff, UTIA’s use of three platforms that complicated registration and payments for its required Better Process Control School, and HR’s manual enrollment and reporting that made compliance training slow and resource-intensive.

The units jointly implemented Cornerstone OnDemand, sharing a single, highly configurable platform with customized portals for different audiences. The rollout streamlined registration and payments, increased paid-class registrations and overall usage, automated SAP integrations, and freed administrators for strategic work. Outcomes included a 670% increase in completions for one compliance course, expanded LMS adoption across units, revenue growth from easier registration, and industry recognition with a Brandon Hall Group Gold award.

University of Tennessee

John Toman

Extension Specialist