How innovative universities unlock hidden value in retired technology

Why old technology matters to your whole campus

Imagine if the old computers, printers and lab devices stuck in your basements and storage rooms could save money, help the planet and strengthen your school’s reputation. With a smart plan for retiring technology, they can.

It’s not just about clearing space. End-of-life technology touches your whole institution. Whether you work in IT, compliance or procurement, you help make sure your school keeps data safe, follows privacy law, spends wisely and lives up to campus values like sustainability and digital equity.

Without a plan, the problems stack up:

• Sensitive data sitting on drives nobody has wiped
• Privacy rules you still have to meet
• Rooms full of unused equipment
• Budget left on the table

With the right partner, what looks like a problem becomes an opportunity.

Reveal the hidden value in aging devices

Many people think an old computer or projector is junk. That’s a myth. Retired devices may look outdated, but many still have value, and plenty still have years of use left in them.

What decides it? Age, condition, brand, specs like memory and storage, and what the market wants. Laptops and desktops that are only a few years old often hold value. With Regadget, each device is tested on its own, pass or fail.

You have two paths for every device:

• A second life. A majority of working devices are refurbished and sold on, and devices that still carry value can earn money back, as a credit or a check.
• Responsible recycling. What can’t be saved goes to U.S.‑based recyclers.

Instead of letting devices sit unused, or paying to store them, put them back to work for your mission. Leaders who think value-first show fiscal responsibility to students, faculty and donors. How buyback works

Protect campus data and follow the rules

When you retire old devices, you have to protect what’s on them: student records, health information from campus clinics, financial aid files and more. FERPA, HIPAA and GLBA make it clear that your school is responsible for that data, even after the devices leave campus.

Getting it right earns trust from students, families and the wider community. Here’s what we provide:

• Windows and Apple drives wiped in-house at our Florence, Kentucky facility, following NIST SP 800‑88
• Damaged drives are crushed or shredded instead
• Chromebooks Powerwashed: the ChromeOS factory reset that securely erases all user data
• A Certificate of Destruction for each batch of Windows and Apple devices, available on request

What your security reviewer gets

Cut costs and clutter

Unused technology in storage isn’t just a waste of space. Schools pay for the rooms, and cluttered spaces slow IT teams down and let valuable equipment get forgotten, lost or stolen.

A smarter approach starts with an inventory audit:

• Know what you own.
• Know where it’s located.
• Know what shape it’s in.

Good tracking lets you decide quickly what to redeploy and what to retire. Taking devices out of service as soon as they’re no longer needed saves time and money.

You can run removal in-house or hand it to a partner. In-house can eat up staff time, especially on big projects. A partner handles the logistics: with Regadget, pickup starts with a signed bill of lading and a pallet count, covering the shipment from your dock to our facility, and you get a summary report of the devices processed.

Bring IT, procurement, compliance and communications together so everyone knows their role. Clear records of what retired and where it went help you plan the next refresh.

Deliver on your sustainability goals

Students, faculty and the community expect schools to handle electronic waste responsibly. The strongest step is reuse: most of a computer’s environmental cost comes from making it, so every laptop that finds a new home counts toward your green goals.

Refurbished first. Recycled responsibly only when it can’t be saved.

Some campuses tie this to campus life. Host a tech takeback day for staff and students, or link it to service projects that teach sustainability. Then talk about your results: share your reuse numbers and show your school’s leadership.

Increase equity with surplus technology

Many students, families and whole communities don’t have reliable technology. Your surplus can help close the digital divide, and live out your school’s social responsibility mission.

Working devices we refurbish are delivered to nonprofit partners and schools. In 2025, we delivered 35,000+ refurbished devices to nonprofit partners, who put them to work in underserved communities.

Link your end-of-life plan to that mission and everyone wins: students elsewhere get tools to succeed, your institution strengthens its community ties, and donors notice. Where devices go

Share the story

What happens to your campus technology doesn’t have to stay behind the scenes. When retired devices help the planet and the community, that’s worth sharing.

• Bring in communications early. Tell them about your wins: money back, sustainability milestones and community impact.
• Make it real. Use leadership quotes, before-and-after photos, and stories from students or partners.
• Have templates ready. Press releases, website updates and board reports make it easy to share.
• Apply for recognition. Many organizations honor schools for sustainability, technology and community programs.

Don’t just say what you did. Show how it made a difference.

Your 3-step action plan

Retiring campus technology can be much more than a chore. With the right partner, your school can recover value, keep data secure, model sustainability and promote equity.

1. 1

   Step 1: Assemble a cross-functional team

   Bring together IT, compliance, procurement and communications to audit how you retire devices today and set clear goals.

2. 2

   Step 2: Vet your ITAD partners

   Look closely at their data security process, what happens to working devices, and how they handle what can’t be saved.

3. 3

   Step 3: Launch a pilot

   Start with one department or one refresh, set metrics you can track, and share the results with leadership and your campus community.

For your calendar: plan on 30 to 45 days from when your devices arrive at our facility.