You’ve accepted a position elsewhere and are preparing to leave the University of Utah.
Your supervisor knows your departure date, and you’re already making arrangements to hand over your responsibilities.
But leaving the university involves more than notifying your department.
There are employee records to review, university property to return, and work-related information that must be transferred appropriately.
Utah CIS can help you review certain personal information, but the complete offboarding process involves your supervisor, department, and Human Resources.
Confirm Your Departure Date
Before organizing your final tasks, make sure your supervisor has the correct departure date.
The University of Utah’s staff separation policy recommends advance notice when possible.
For covered staff positions, the policy identifies four weeks for exempt employees and two weeks for non-exempt employees.
These are recommendations under the applicable policy, not a universal requirement for every university position.
Your supervisor should also provide written acknowledgment of an accepted resignation.
If the date changes, communicate the correction promptly.
Review Your Mailing Address in Utah CIS
One of the simplest offboarding tasks is also one of the easiest to overlook.
The university’s Employee Separation or Transfer Checklist specifically instructs departments to ask departing employees to verify their mailing address in CIS.
Open the relevant personal information section and confirm that your address is accurate.
If you’re relocating for your next position, consider whether the university will still be able to reach you at the address on file.
Don’t assume your department automatically knows where you’re moving.
Don’t Confuse Personal Records With Department Records
Updating your address in Utah CIS doesn’t complete the department’s separation paperwork.
The university uses an administrative process to record employment changes.
Your department is responsible for initiating the appropriate separation action.
If you’ve submitted your resignation but haven’t received confirmation of the next steps, ask your supervisor or HR representative.
Don’t attempt to change unrelated employee records to indicate that you’re leaving.
Return Your University UCard
Your UCard may provide access to buildings and university services.
The University of Utah’s offboarding checklist includes collecting the employee’s university identification card.
Don’t assume you should keep using the card until it stops functioning.
Ask where and when the card should be returned.
If you have a separate continuing relationship with the university, such as student enrollment, clarify the applicable identification arrangements.
Return Keys and Department Equipment
University property should be accounted for before departure.
The official checklist identifies items such as:
- Building and office keys
- University-owned computers and laptops
- Tablets and mobile devices
- Department tools and other assigned equipment
- University identification cards
Your department may have additional requirements.
A laptop issued by central IT may need to be returned through a different procedure from equipment maintained directly by your department.
Confirm the appropriate return location rather than leaving items unattended.
Transfer Work Files Before Your Last Day
A major offboarding responsibility involves work-related information.
The university’s IT guidance emphasizes removing departing employees’ access to job-specific files, folders, databases, and collaboration systems.
Before leaving, coordinate with your supervisor about the files your team still needs.
That may include shared documents, project materials, departmental records, and ongoing work.
Transfer university information only through approved channels.
Don’t copy confidential or restricted university materials to a personal account for convenience.
Review University Data on Personal Devices
The university’s separation checklist also addresses university-licensed software and university data stored on personally owned devices.
Employees may be required to uninstall university software and ensure that work-related information is properly transferred and removed from personal storage.
This should be coordinated with the appropriate department or IT support resource.
Don’t delete institutional records that your department still needs.
And don’t retain copies of restricted information after your employment ends.
Plan for Changes to Work-Related Resources
Departing employees may lose access to department-specific resources after separation.
These can include shared folders, internal applications, building permissions, and collaboration spaces.
The university’s IT department identifies systems such as UBox, shared email resources, Microsoft Teams, and departmental file shares as examples requiring access review.
Don’t assume all permissions remain available after your final day.
Complete necessary handoffs while you’re still authorized to use the relevant systems.
If You’re a Supervisor, Your Departure Requires Extra Coordination
A departing supervisor has responsibilities that may affect other employees.
For example, your direct reports may need to be reassigned to a new supervisor in the university’s administrative records.
The university’s offboarding procedures identify this as a departmental responsibility.
Before leaving, clarify who will approve outstanding work, oversee ongoing projects, and handle time-sensitive departmental decisions.
An informal announcement about your replacement doesn’t necessarily complete the administrative changes.
Review Outstanding Training and Department Tasks
If you’re responsible for unfinished training assignments, performance documentation, or project approvals, discuss them with your supervisor.
Not every outstanding task needs to be completed in the same way before separation.
Some may need to be finished.
Others may need reassignment or formal closure.
Don’t mark an incomplete activity as completed merely to clear it from your list.
The appropriate approach depends on the task and your department’s instructions.
Parking and Transportation Need Attention
The university’s separation checklist instructs departments to ensure employees return applicable parking passes to Commuter Services.
If you use a university parking permit or transportation benefit, check whether any separate cancellation or return procedure applies.
Don’t assume returning your UCard automatically handles every parking-related arrangement.
Ask About an Exit Interview
The University of Utah encourages supervisors to conduct a brief, informal exit interview as part of its separation checklist.
This can provide an opportunity to discuss the transition, outstanding responsibilities, and workplace feedback.
Some departments may have additional exit procedures.
If you haven’t received instructions, ask your supervisor whether an exit meeting or other departmental clearance is expected.
Don’t Assume Every Employee Follows the Same Checklist
Offboarding can differ by employment classification and department.
Faculty, staff, student workers, and Hospitals & Clinics employees may have different administrative requirements.
Someone leaving a research laboratory may need to transfer specialized equipment or research responsibilities.
An administrative employee may need to hand over shared documents and departmental workflows.
Use the applicable university guidance together with your department’s instructions.
A Practical Final-Day Review
Before your departure, verify the important details.
Personal information: Current mailing address recorded in Utah CIS.
University property: UCard, keys, and assigned equipment returned as instructed.
Work materials: Required documents and project responsibilities transferred appropriately.
University data: Personal devices and storage reviewed according to IT requirements.
Departmental responsibilities: Outstanding assignments and approvals handed over.
Administrative process: Departure date and required departmental steps confirmed.
This isn’t a substitute for your department’s official checklist, but it helps identify issues that could otherwise be overlooked.
When Something Remains Unresolved
If you’re unsure whether a task has been completed, contact the appropriate department before your final day.
For example:
University portal: Utah CIS
Process: Employee separation
Departure date: October 30
Issue: Department equipment returned, but no confirmation of clearance
Question: Is another departmental action required before separation is finalized?
A specific question is easier to resolve than a general request to check whether everything is finished.
Leaving the University Is a Coordinated Process
Utah CIS provides useful employee self-service information, but it doesn’t replace the university’s formal separation procedures.
Your supervisor and department remain responsible for important administrative actions.
IT may need to coordinate the transfer of institutional information.
And you need to make sure personal details and assigned property are properly addressed.
The most useful preparation is to review your Utah CIS information, confirm your department’s offboarding requirements, and complete the necessary handoffs before your final day. A resignation notice starts the departure process; it doesn’t finish every responsibility associated with leaving the university.