Canvas LMS Transition
🔎 Project Overview
Portland State University made the strategic decision to migrate from its aging D2L learning management system (LMS) to Canvas. This was a high-stakes project: thousands of courses and tens of thousands of students relied on a smooth transition. Faculty were concerned about data loss, compliance, and the steep learning curve of a new system.
🛠️ My Role
Directed the institution-wide transition from D2L to Canvas.
Organized daily Zoom office hours to provide real-time support to faculty.
Hired and managed an external data migration vendor to ensure no course or student data was lost.
Coordinated with PSU’s Registrar and CIO to maintain FERPA and ADA compliance.
Built faculty advisory committees to shape communication, training, and rollout.
📘 Deep-Dive Narrative
The LMS transition represented more than just a technical migration — it was about trust, equity, and usability. Faculty feared losing years of carefully curated course content, and students depended on reliable access to coursework.
To address these challenges, I established a support-first culture:
Faculty could join daily office hours on Zoom for just-in-time coaching.
Our external migration partner was carefully vetted, with clear safeguards to protect every byte of data.
Faculty advisory groups gave instructors a voice in the process, building trust and reducing resistance.
Compliance checks ensured that Canvas was not just modern, but fully accessible and FERPA-compliant.
The result was not only a smooth transition, but also a renewed sense of partnership between the Office of Academic Innovation and PSU faculty.
Hand holds a mobile phone showing the Portland State University student Canvas Learning Landing page.
“Example of faculty support communications during PSU’s LMS transition — daily Zoom office hours ensured just-in-time coaching and reduced adoption resistance.”
Optional Resource Link:
Canvas Comes to PSU →
👥 Leadership in Action
This project was a test of diplomacy under pressure. Faculty had strong and sometimes conflicting concerns, and the scale of the migration meant small mistakes could have big consequences.
My role was to:
Listen carefully, acknowledge concerns, and respond with transparency.
Work with unionized faculty partners to ensure fairness and inclusion.
Model calm, steady leadership when “the fan blades were spinning.”
As one faculty colleague noted:
“We need at least one more Molly. She has more on her plate than a food platter at a Las Vegas 24-hour buffet. I appreciate her diplomacy and ability to keep it all together… She understands and fosters the big picture on how the impact of her team will ultimately affect our students’ learning.”
✨ Key Outcomes
Zero data loss across thousands of courses.
Daily office hours supported hundreds of faculty through adoption.
Compliance with FERPA and ADA standards ensured accessibility and privacy.
PSU successfully launched Canvas as its new enterprise LMS with strong faculty trust.
