The Observer

Notre Dame has housed a fleet of food-delivery robots since February 2023, when an initial batch of 30 began to whir around campus. The fleet rose to 50 despite mixed reactions from students. Now, their presence on University streets and sidewalks is coming to an end.

“We’ve made the decision to wind down our U.S. campus operations as we shift our strategic focus to retail grocery chains and hot food delivery in cities across Europe and the United States,” Ahti Heinla, co-founder and CEO of robot-operator Starship Technologies, wrote in a message shared via a spokesperson to The Observer.

According to the company’s press release, 1,200 robots across U.S. college campuses will now be redeployed elsewhere.

Story by Observer News Staff

https://www.ndsmcobserver.com/article/2026/06/notre-dame-food-delivery-robots-join-mass-exodus-from-college-campuses

A Year in Photos: the photography department’s best photos of the year.

Photos by: Keira Jones, Jonathan Karr, Gabriella Martin, Mariella Taddonio, India Doerr, Gray Nocjar, Declan Lee, Abraham Medina, and Kevin Sanchez

University President Fr. Robert Dowd has announced the reappointment of John McGreevy as provost for a second five-year term. Dowd had issued a “highly enthusiastic recommendation” for McGreevy’s reappointment to the University’s Board of Trustees. Faculty were notified of the decision in an email on May 5.

“I am truly delighted that John has agreed to serve a second five-year term as Provost. John is an invaluable and deeply trusted partner to me as we seek to achieve our aspirations as the premier Catholic research university in the world. I ask you to join me in congratulating and thanking John for his exceptional leadership, his tireless efforts on behalf of the University, and his extraordinary dedication to our distinctive mission,” Dowd said in the email to faculty.

McGreevy was unanimously re-elected by the Board of Trustees and unanimously endorsed by the Board of Fellows, which consists of six Holy Cross clergy and six lay people and is responsible for ensuring the University “maintains its essential character as a Catholic institution of higher learning.”

Story by Observer News Staff

https://www.ndsmcobserver.com/article/2026/05/mcgreevy-reappointed-as-provost-for-a-second-5-year-term