Employee Device Return and Reissuance Policy

When an employee leaves St. Mary's University, their university-owned device (laptop, desktop, or All-in-One) and any accessories go back to HR — not to the next person who happens to be sitting in that role. IS holds and secures the device, but doesn't set it up for anyone new until a replacement has actually been hired for the position.

Approver(s):

Information Services

Authorizes Release:

Information Services

Responsible Area:

Information Services

Review Cycle:

Annually or as required

Last Review:

September 2026

Related Policies and Additional References:

None

This policy establishes the standard process for returning university-owned devices to the Office of Information Services (IS) when a faculty or staff member separates from St. Mary's University and for holding that equipment until a replacement employee is hired for the vacated position. This policy protects university data, controls equipment inventory, and ensures devices issued to new hires are configured for the role they are filling.

This policy applies to all university-owned devices and their associated accessories (chargers, docking stations, bags, etc.) issued to faculty and staff. It applies to all separations, including resignations, retirements, terminations, and end of contract, regardless of department.

• Device Assignment. Devices are assigned to a position, not to an individual employee.
• Return Requirement. When an employee separates from the university, they must return their assigned laptop to Human Resources (HR) as part of the standard offboarding process. If the employee was assigned a Desktop or All-in-One, the Technical Support Center (TSC) will retrieve the device.
• Hold Before Reissuance. IS will not configure or deliver a device to a new user until a replacement is hired for the vacated position. Instead, IS reimages the device to a secure base state and stores it, ready to be configured for whoever is hired into that position next.

1. Return to HR. The employee returns the university-owned laptop to HR on or before their last day of employment, or notifies HR about the Desktop or All-in-One. The employee also returns any accessories to HR. HR logs the equipment as received.
2. Retrieval. HR notifies the Technical Support Center (TSC) that equipment is ready, and the TSC retrieves the laptop and accessories from HR or retrieves the Desktop/All-in-One from the office.
3. Documentation. IS records the device in the IS asset inventory (make, model, asset tag/serial number, vacated position, and date received), linking it to the position rather than to the departed individual.
4. Data Verification. IS contacts the Department Point-of-Contact (POC) for the vacated position to confirm whether any data needs to be backed up or migrated before wiping the device.
5. Reimaging. Once the Department POC confirms that any needed data has been saved, IS reimages the device to a secure base state in accordance with standard security policy and removes the former employee's profile, accounts, and data.
6. Storage. IS places the reimaged device in inventory in a holding status. IS does not configure, assign, or deliver it to anyone until a hiring manager confirms a replacement has been hired for the position.

• Request Submission. When the hiring manager confirms a replacement has been hired, the manager or HR submits a device request to IS identifying the new employee, department, role, and start date.
• Configuration. IS retrieves the stored device and configures it according to the role's software and access requirements.
• Delivery. IS delivers and sets up the device for the new employee when possible, following standard new-hire setup procedures.

• Exception Approval. Departments with an urgent, documented business need for earlier reissuance may request an exception from IS leadership. IS leadership must approve exceptions in writing and document them in the asset record for the affected equipment.

• Information Services (IS): The university department responsible for documenting, verifying data on, reimaging, storing, and reissuing employee devices under this policy.
• Technical Support Center (TSC): The IS team responsible for retrieving Desktop and All-in-One computers directly from an employee's office space.
• Department Point-of-Contact (POC): The individual designated by a department to confirm whether data on a departing employee's device needs to be preserved before the device is reimaged.