Gosh, Barb, I would hope not...
The only thing that comes to mind is this: does the college contract with a claims management group? If so, is it still the same one?
I don't know how your employer does things, but I used to be under a self-funded plan some years ago. My employer contracted with a company to manage our insurance.
Anyway, if this is true with your plan, a different management group could explain the difference in service. But if all factors are the same, I would certainly wonder.