This is the third article in a series on retiring services.
If you’ve ever lost a favorite system, or retired a tool that once felt indispensable, you know that change can feel a bit like grief. That’s not hyperbole. Endings are real. And when we talk about service retirement, we’re not just unplugging a server or closing a login screen. We’re closing a chapter that people depended on. It’s okay to name that.
At Notre Dame, this means acknowledging that we are still carrying the weight of the past while building the future of our digital campus. That tension is real. It’s not easy to maintain legacy systems while preparing to support next-generation needs like AI, automation, and advanced data architecture. But this is the work in front of us.
That’s why I sometimes think of change management as helping people manage the end of a system as we introduce something new. We’re here to help the campus community let go of systems with care, clarity, and compassion. We help make room for innovation, efficiency, and what’s up next.
No one likes losing a familiar tool. We’ve all had that moment of frustration or disbelief when something we relied on is no longer available. But if we’re never causing a little discomfort, we’re probably not leading the change the University needs from us. The goal isn’t to upset, it’s to make space for new technology and evolve.
Every system we retire is a chance to reclaim something valuable: time, focus, resources, attention. Those recoveries matter. They allow us to tackle the hard stuff like strengthening cybersecurity, supporting teaching and research, and preparing for a future where technology amplifies every mission we serve.
Still, grief or not, the work continues. Some systems simply have to go, and sentiment can’t outweigh strategy. These are not arbitrary decisions; they’re necessary ones. Sometimes leadership means saying goodbye before everyone is ready.
So yes, some doors will close. Some logins will vanish. Some comfort zones will shrink. And that’s okay. Because what comes next will be stronger, smarter, and better aligned with who we are becoming as a university.
Not every ending needs to be mourned. Some deserve a standing ovation.
Yours in ND,
Jane Livingston
Vice President for Information Technology and CIO