2026

Northwestern students, faculty, and staff now have access to a group of Zoom AI Companion features, which are an opt-in set of AI-powered tools designed to integrate directly into the Zoom meeting experience. These tools can help summarize discussions, answer questions in real time, and enhance recordings—while keeping data privacy front and center.

Beginning April 1, Northwestern IT is moving up the NetID password reset process for members of the Northwestern community, with the goal of having all NetID passwords updated by June 1, 2026.

Cognos Analytics will undergo scheduled maintenance to apply a required application update on March 21, from 7 a.m. to approximately 3 p.m. Cognos Analytics, the Research Portal, and Data Management and Analytics APIs will be unavailable during the maintenance window.

The Quest HPC cluster will undergo maintenance to improve the security and reliability of the storage system, beginning at 8 a.m. on Monday, March 23, and continuing through 5 p.m. on Friday, March 27. Users can submit and run jobs during the maintenance period; however, storage response times may be slowed during 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. each day.

Artificial intelligence has quickly become part of the everyday work of our campus community, and Northwestern IT is committed to helping students, faculty, staff, and researchers use these tools thoughtfully, effectively, and securely. From drafting and summarizing content to analyzing data and streamlining routine tasks, AI tools are available for use at Northwestern.

Cyberthreats targeting higher education are a constant reality. Attempts to gain access to University accounts happen around the clock, and they continue to grow in scale and sophistication. To stay ahead of these threats, Northwestern IT recently implemented several enhancements to strengthen our overall security posture and better protect University systems, data, and our community.

The next phase of the project to improve network authentication security and efficiency is underway. All devices connecting to Northwestern’s eduroam wireless network will need to use the new certificate-based, device-specific authentication process to continue accessing the network after June 24.

Spring is just around the corner, and a natural time to clear out clutter—and not just closets. It’s a great time to tidy up digital files, too. Between classes, research, meetings, and projects, it’s easy for documents, recordings, and data to end up scattered across platforms. Save time and improve collaboration by storing information in the right place.

Three enterprise systems will be unavailable for maintenance during the following dates and times: CAESAR—Saturday, February 28, from 5 a.m. to approximately Noon; myHR (Including Self Service and Careers)—Saturday, March 7, from 7 a.m. to approximately 3 p.m.; and NUFinancials—Friday, March 13, from 5 p.m. to approximately 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 14. Users are reminded to clear their cache after each update.

Microsoft’s Copilot Chat, available at no cost to all Northwestern students, faculty, and staff, offers a secure and intuitive AI assistant that can support learning, research, and administrative work across campus. Copilot Chat can assist directly with summarizing articles, drafting emails, exploring frameworks and methodologies, and much more. Explore Northwestern‑specific examples and quick video resources to help you work more efficiently with AI.

Three enterprise systems will undergo maintenance and will be unavailable on Saturday, February 7, during the following times: NUFinancials and myHR from 7 a.m. to approximately 3 p.m., and CAESAR from 4 a.m. to approximately 10 a.m. Users will need to clear their cache before logging into each system after the updates.

Electronic devices are sensitive to environmental conditions, and exposure to harsh temperatures may lead to reduced battery life, malfunctioning screens, and even permanent hardware failure. The Northwestern Knowledge Base offers guidance and best practices to help you keep your cell phone, tablet, and laptop computer safe and functional.

Acquire new skills, upgrade your existing skill set, and learn how to maximize your research efforts at one of our Research Computing and Data Services winter sessions. Choose from a variety of workshops, virtually or in person.