Academics Stand Against Poverty
Academic journal and WordPress rebuild after three years without core updates.
Ian Wickens
Posted on 15 Jan 2026
Live ASAP homepage captured in April 2026 after the redesign and CMS migration.
Conflicting plugins and an outdated theme had blocked core updates for three years.
Challenge
ASAP approached Velvet Dinosaur to resolve technical issues with its academic journal and a WordPress installation that had become difficult to manage. Conflicting plugins and an outdated theme had blocked core updates for three years. The site was insecure. The mobile performance score was 32.
The first phase focused on stabilization. Velvet Dinosaur audited the existing architecture and optimized asset delivery. The mobile performance score rose to 67. The team had a working platform while the transition was planned.
Approach
The site was rebuilt on a Next.js stack to move away from the limits of the previous setup. The new platform covered four functions. It provided a news editor with a word-processing interface. It included a version of Sauro CMS for page management. It added a newsletter system with double opt-in and a media library for asset organization.
The work focused on reducing technical friction for the academic team. Legacy data was migrated to the new system, including user profiles, newsletter subscribers, and archival content. Administrators and the public could keep using the site on the new platform.
Result
The new site launched with a new interface. The administrative workflow was simplified. Non-technical staff could publish articles and manage communications without external support.
Velvet Dinosaur continues to host and maintain the platform for ASAP. Sauro CMS provides ongoing platform updates. ASAP can keep the platform updated through the same setup.
Live Performance Proof
Live desktop Lighthouse report for academicsstand.org, verified on April 6, 2026.
Captured on April 6, 2026 · View full report
