IT Service Status

Leadership Communications

Echoing the VP/COO’s Thanks

March 6, 2026 | Northwestern IT Senior Leadership Team

We want to echo the sentiments from Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Luke Figora’s message earlier today. Employee Appreciation Day is a great opportunity to take a moment to reflect on the vast impact each of you has on not just our IT organization but Northwestern University as a whole. Read the full "Echoing the VP/COO’s Thanks" message.

Information Security and Compliance Training for Northwestern IT Staff

February 26, 2026 | Sean Reynolds, Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer

We provide robust technology systems and services to the University community that are reliable, secure, and at the forefront of current development and support practices. It is essential that we understand the underlying responsibilities and requirements related to these activities. Read the full "Information Security and Compliance Training for Northwestern IT Staff" message.

Leadership Communications Archive

2025

Nominate a Colleague for the 2025 Employee Excellence Award

October 27, 2025 | Steve Beck, Director, Administration and Finance

The nomination window for Northwestern IT’s annual Employee Excellence Award is now open. This award recognizes an individual staff member within our organization who has made remarkable contributions during the past calendar year and consistently demonstrated a superior performance level. Read the full "Nominate a Colleague for the 2025 Employee Excellence Award" message.

Announcing the Retirement of Kris O’Brien

September 18, 2025 | Sean Reynolds, Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer

I am writing today with bittersweet news as Kris O’Brien, our associate vice president (AVP) for Administrative Systems, has informed me she is retiring from Northwestern IT after 11 years of service to the University. Kris’s last day is October 13, 2025. Read the full "Announcing the Retirement of Kris O’Brien" message.

Connection, Resilience, and Growth in the New Fiscal/Academic Year

August 13, 2025 | Northwestern IT Senior Leadership Team

Recent University-wide changes have introduced new challenges and transitions into many individuals’ day-to-day responsibilities. Moments like these are difficult, and we continue to be available to anyone who needs assistance. However, moving forward together is essential. Read the full "Connection, Resilience, and Growth in the New Fiscal/Academic Year" message.

Organizational Update on Northwestern IT Staffing

July 29, 2025 | Sean Reynolds, Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer

Earlier this morning, senior leaders across Northwestern IT met with staff members whose positions will be eliminated. Today is a sad day, and I know the news of colleagues moving on is unsettling. Read the full "Organizational Update on Northwestern IT Staffing" message.

Follow Up to Today’s University-Wide Message

June 10, 2025 | Northwestern IT Senior Leadership Team

By now, many of you have likely read the University-wide message from the president, provost, and chief financial officer, as well as a response from Luke Figora, our chief operating officer. The first message communicated some very difficult news, and we know processing the information will take time. Read the full "Follow Up to Today’s University-Wide Message" message.

Updates to the PTEA Process

May 22, 2025 | Northwestern IT Senior Leadership Team

We are writing to share some important updates to the Northwestern IT Project Team Excellence Award (PTEA) process. These changes allow us to continue celebrating the outstanding contributions of our project teams while aligning the timing to our Employee Excellence Award. Read the full "Updates to the PTEA Process" message.

Hot-Desking Need-to-Know Information and Today’s Virtual Town Hall

January 27, 2025 | Northwestern IT Senior Leadership Team

Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 28, is our first official day of hot-desking in 1800 Sherman. There are several important details to know, and below, you will find the information needed to prepare for your days in the office. Please also remember we are hosting an optional virtual town hall this afternoon at 1:30 p.m., and all Northwestern IT staff are welcome to attend. We will cover many items and answer your questions. Read the full "Hot-Desking Need-to-Know Information and Today’s Virtual Town Hall" message.

Affirming Support for Training and Staff

January 2, 2025 | Northwestern IT Senior Leadership Team

Welcome back—we hope you had a restful winter break. We are writing today to affirm the importance of completing the University's required training on discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct in a timely manner. You should have received multiple emails—one from the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance on December 17 and another from myHR Learn on December 18. This annual training is not just a requirement but a crucial step in ensuring that we all understand and uphold the values of respect and dignity in our workplace. Read the full "Affirming Support for Training and Staff" message.

2024

Action Needed: Second Floor Opens; New Plan to Vacate Six by December 18

December 4, 2024 | Sean Reynolds, Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer

After passing the necessary inspections this week in 1800 Sherman, we are pleased to share that our space developments are advancing. Please see below for several important announcements and critical dates that impact everyone in Northwestern IT, specifically those on the sixth floor, as we are asking all staff in that area to finish their clean-up effort and vacate the floor by the end of the day on Wednesday, December 18. Read the full "Action Needed: Second Floor Opens; New Plan to Vacate Six by December 18" message.

Joe Paris Appointed Associate Vice President of IT Services and Support

October 28, 2024 | Sean Reynolds, Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer

I am pleased to announce that Joe Paris has been appointed Northwestern IT’s new Associate Vice President of IT Services and Support. Those who know Joe know his commitment to Northwestern IT, as he has spent nearly 20 years here engaging in strategy development, operational leadership, and delivering technology services and user support to researchers, students, faculty, staff, and our many technology partners. Read the full "Joe Paris Appointed Associate Vice President of IT Services and Support" message.

Nominate a Colleague for the 2024 Employee Excellence Award

October 23, 2024 | Steve Beck, Director, Administration and Finance

Flexibility to Vote on Election Day

October 14, 2024 | Northwestern IT Senior Leadership Team

Election Day is Tuesday, November 5, and as we did four years ago, we are writing about the importance of providing time and flexibility so that you can visit your polling place and cast your ballot. On Election Day, Northwestern provides all staff members two hours of paid time off to support the time needed to vote. Additionally, we do not plan to schedule non-essential meetings and encourage all Northwestern IT staff to follow this guidance. Read the full "Flexibility to Vote on Election Day" message.

Register for Effective Communicator Trainings

September 10, 2024 | Northwestern IT Senior Leadership Team

Northwestern IT is formalizing a program to deliver Unconscious Bias, Effective Communicator, and Building Inclusive Teams trainings across our organization over the next two years. The goal is to ensure every member of Northwestern IT participates in Unconscious Bias and Effective Communicator sessions and that all individuals responsible for leading teams participate in the Building Inclusive Teams training. Read the full "Register for Effective Communicator Trainings" message.

Organizational Update: Amy Engstler Departure and Interim Administrative Systems Reorganization

August 23, 2024 | Kris O’Brien, Associate Vice President, Administrative Systems

On Wednesday, August 28, Amy Engstler will be moving on to the next chapter of her career journey, leaving Northwestern. Please join me in thanking her for all her contributions and wishing her well in her next opportunity. Read the full "Organizational Update: Amy Engstler Departure and Interim Administrative Systems Reorganization" message.

Follow Up to University Message on the DNC

August 14, 2024 | Northwestern IT Senior Leadership Team

We are writing to follow up on the University’s message regarding the impact of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) during the week of August 19. It notes that offering remote work accommodations is at the discretion of the individual schools and units. Within Northwestern IT, if your role allows for remote work and the DNC events impact your ability to commute to campus—both Evanston and Chicago—please connect with your manager and teammates to share your plans for next week. Read the full "Follow Up to University Message on the DNC" message.

1800 Sherman Exterior Improvements

August 13, 2024 | Steve Beck, Director, Administration and Finance

We received notice from Facilities that there will be exterior construction at 1800 Sherman from Monday, August 19, to Friday, September 13. This work is unrelated to interior space renovations being planned for floors one and two. This exterior work will not impact our daily operations at 1800 Sherman. Read the full "1800 Sherman Exterior Improvements" message.

1800 Sherman Evacuation Exercise

July 15, 2024 | Steve Beck, Director, Administration and Finance

We received advance notice that Facilities will soon be conducting an evacuation exercise (aka, fire drill) at 1800 Sherman. This is a routine safety measure to ensure our preparedness. While they did not disclose the exact date, we expect it to happen sometime during the latter half of July. Read the full "1800 Sherman Evacuation Exercise" message.

Space Planning Update

June 5, 2024 | Sean Reynolds, Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback following our initial note in May regarding ongoing efforts to improve our current workplace environment while optimizing our space use on campus and further formalizing our hybrid work environment. I am writing to update you on recent planning ahead of next week’s Extended Staff Meeting, during which we will further outline our work. Read the full "Space Planning Update" message.

Space Planning Initiative in Northwestern IT

May 1, 2024 | Sean Reynolds, Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer

I am writing to introduce an initiative that will further define our hybrid work environment, increase meaningful interaction in person, and optimize our space on campus by consolidating Northwestern IT’s office space footprint. Read the full "Space Planning Initiative in Northwestern IT" message.

New Year, Renewed Commitment to Continuous Collaboration and Change

January 31, 2024 | Northwestern IT Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Steering Committee

The Northwestern IT DEI Committee is pleased to share that 2024 will usher in exciting changes. In the coming year, we are continuing the monthly dialogue series and adding events alternating between Wednesday and Thursday lunch hours to accommodate more schedules. We are collaborating with IT Communications to expand the DEI presence on the IT website and bring more information together in a centralized location. Read the full "New Year, Renewed Commitment to Continuous Collaboration and Change" message.

2023

This Year, Next Year, and the Future of DEI Programming is Yours

December 19, 2023 | Northwestern IT Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Steering Committee

As 2023 comes to a close, we want to acknowledge and celebrate the tremendous strides this year and drum up some excitement for the year ahead. This year, we made significant progress toward fulfilling goals established in 2022, following an examination of responses to the 2021 climate survey. We made space to gather for open, frank, inclusive conversations and came together to learn about and celebrate special holidays. Read the full "This Year, Next Year, and the Future of DEI Programming is Yours" message.

Organizational Update: Allison Porterfield-Woods Departure and Interim Administrative Systems Reorganization

November 1, 2023 | Kris O’Brien, Associate Vice President, Administrative Systems

On Friday, November 17, Allison Porterfield-Woods will leave Northwestern for a new role as Chief Information Officer at the College of Lake County. Please join me in congratulating Allison on this new leadership opportunity. Read the full "Organizational Update: Allison Porterfield-Woods Departure and Interim Administrative Systems Reorganization" message.

Continuing to Give Our Best, Together

October 26, 2023 | Northwestern IT Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Steering Committee

Northwestern IT is neither immune to nor unaware of the turmoil and conflict happening across the globe. As a committee, we are dedicated to serving as a conduit for staff to acknowledge the ways in which our identities impact every aspect of our lives. We all continue to contribute our best efforts at work while grappling with grief, fear, outrage, and a host of other intense emotions. Please know that we see you, we hear you, and we are here for you. Read the full "Continuing to Give Our Best, Together" message.

Nominate a Colleague for the 2023 Employee Excellence Award

October 19, 2023 | Steve Beck, Director, Administration and Finance

RSVP for October and November DEI Dialogue Series Sessions

October 4, 2023 | Northwestern IT Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Steering Committee

Welcome to the new fall semester! We hope you are doing well and looking forward to the exciting challenges (not too challenging) and opportunities ahead. Read the full "RSVP for October and November DEI Dialogue Series Sessions" message.

RSVP for the Upcoming DEI Dialogue Series

September 5, 2023 | Northwestern IT Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Steering Committee

We hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend and feel refreshed and energized. We are writing to invite you to join us for a DEI conversation next Wednesday, September 13, from noon to 1 p.m. Read the full "RSVP for the Upcoming DEI Dialogue Series" message.

Staff Responses to DEI Poll and Requested Initiatives

July 31, 2023 | Northwestern IT Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Steering Committee

Thank you to everyone who participated in our poll during and after the Extended Staff Meeting. Each person responded anonymously, yet the similarity of responses was pretty remarkable. Read the full "Staff Responses to DEI Poll and Requested Initiatives" message.

Announcing the Retirement of Suzanne Auburn

July 21, 2023 | Sean Reynolds, Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer

As I shared at the recent Extended Staff Meeting, Suzanne Auburn, executive assistant to the CIO, is retiring on September 1, 2023, after more than 21 years of service to Northwestern. Read the full "Announcing the Retirement of Suzanne Auburn" message.

DEI Committee Invites More of Your Ideas and Participation

June 30, 2023 | Northwestern IT Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Steering Committee

Thank you to all who participated in our poll during and after the Extended Staff Meeting. Every person who responded shared thoughtful and authentic replies to the questions about what you would like to learn and what you have to share. We will continue to review responses and will share them with Northwestern IT leadership. Read the full "DEI Committee Invites More of Your Ideas and Participation" message.

Northwestern’s Investment in Data Science

June 7, 2023 | Sean Reynolds, Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer

The University’s ambitions for maintaining and enhancing its position as a global leader in research necessitate a robust research enterprise and essential campus partners to support the effort. Today’s research support includes data science and visualization, computing, and data management expertise. The continued expansion of data science methods in research across all disciplines requires increased capacity beyond what has existed to date. Read the full "Northwestern’s Investment in Data Science" message.

Renewed Call for Participation and Making DEI Meaningful to You

May 31, 2023 | Northwestern IT Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Steering Committee

What matters to you in your workplace experience? What makes you feel like you belong? Each of us deserves to be able to answer these questions and know the answers are heard, valued, and respected. Our committee exists to actualize that reality. The work is intended to benefit everyone, and success takes collective participation. Read the full "Renewed Call for Participation and Making DEI Meaningful to You" message.

New DEI Co-Chair and Upcoming Programming

April 28, 2023 | Northwestern IT Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Steering Committee

In addition to sharing programming updates, we are excited to announce that Serena Simpson, communications specialist in IT Communications, will join Ken Panko, director of Media and Technology Innovation, as co-chair of the Northwestern IT DEI Steering Committee, effective May 1. Read the full "New DEI Co-Chair and Upcoming Programming" message.

Update on Pay Ranges in Northwestern IT

April 27, 2023 | Steve Beck, Director, Administration and Finance

Each year the University completes a benchmarking and market analysis as part of its annual salary planning process. The outcome of this year’s analysis is that an adjustment to pay ranges is needed to maintain alignment with the market. Read the full "Update on Pay Ranges in Northwestern IT" message.

Participation in Inauguration Activities

April 18, 2023 | Northwestern IT Senior Leadership Team

The inauguration of Michael H. Schill, Northwestern’s 17th president, is Friday, June 2, on the Evanston campus. This University-wide celebration is an opportunity to gather with students, faculty, and staff across Northwestern. There are numerous ways to engage with the community, and we are writing to encourage you and your teams to participate in the festivities. Read the full "Participation in Inauguration Activities" message.

Announcing the Retirement of Harry Samuels

March 31, 2023 | Sean Reynolds, Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer

With mixed emotions, I announce the retirement of Harry Samuels, director for IT special projects, after 18 years of service to Northwestern IT and 24 years overall to Northwestern University. Harry’s last day is June 2, 2023. Read the full "Announcing the Retirement of Harry Samuels" message.

RSVP for April Dialogue Session, Working Group Recruitment, and More

March 24, 2023 | Northwestern IT Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Steering Committee

At the February Extended Staff meeting, you heard an update from Betsy Watkins on behalf of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee. We hope you took away from that update that there is a lot in motion following the climate survey, specifically the ongoing efforts of the working groups focused on hiring, performance excellence, programming, and communications. Read the full "RSVP for April Dialogue Session, Working Group Recruitment, and More" message.

Guidance on Digital Accessibility of Purchased Software

March 13, 2023 | Steve Beck, Director, Administration and Finance

In recent years, the University has made an effort to improve its digital accessibility so that all users can benefit from all aspects of Northwestern’s digital community. Despite this effort, digital accessibility of purchased software and other digital content remains an area that needs more attention. With the IT Senior Leadership Team’s support, we are writing to offer guidance on this important topic with regard to software purchases managed and paid for by Northwestern IT. Read the full "Guidance on Digital Accessibility of Purchased Software" message.

Invitation: Participate in a DEI Training Pilot

February 21, 2023 | Northwestern IT Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Steering Committee

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee and Northwestern IT leadership invite you to participate in a pilot of a new training program, Active Inclusion, intended to build upon the topics covered in the University’s Unconscious Bias training. The training will extend from a baseline of learning into a deeper understanding and engaged application of intentional practices with respect to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Read the full "Invitation: Participate in a DEI Training Pilot" message.