Governance, Ethics and General

Archives and Records Management Program

Section:	Governance, Ethics & General Policies
Policy Name:	Archives and Records Management Program
Policy Owner:	Vice President and University Secretary
Responsible University Office:	Office of the Vice President and University Secretary
Origination Date:	October 1, 1981
Revisions:	November 8, 1991; May 2016
Legacy Policy Number:	1-10

1. PURPOSETo establish general procedures for the permanent preservation of University records of enduring value and for achieving economy and efficiency in the creation, maintenance, use, and disposition of University records.
2. POLICY
   1. Records Retention Program
      1. Identifies the permanently valuable records of the University or those functions and activities for which documentation must be preserved; and,
      2. Specifies, through records retention schedules, records to be preserved as having archival value; and,
      3. Authorizes, on a continuing basis, the disposition of specified recurring series of records; and,
      4. Audits, annually, to see that retention schedules are up-to-date and followed; and,
      5. Teaches, through training sessions and workshops, procedures to be followed for the creation and implementation of records retention schedules within the University.
   2. Vital Records Protection
      1. Identifies records that contain information needed to establish or continue an office, department, or division of the University in the event of a disaster; those necessary to recreate the University’s legal and fiscal position; and those necessary to preserve the rights of the University, its Trustees, Faculty, Professionals, Staff, and Students.
      2. Selects and implements various methods of protection which are effective and economical.
   3. Files Administration
      1. Identifies, recommends, and applies revisions in filing practices and techniques to maintain records easily and to retrieve them rapidly, to ensure their completeness and to facilitate the disposition of noncurrent records.
      2. Teaches, through training sessions and workshops,various filing methods and systems for the improvement of information handling.
   4. Archives Administration (Historic Documentation)
      1. Recommends appropriate media for the capture, storage, and manipulation of University information in order to ensure the preservation of essential data; and,
      2. Manages the University’s records of enduring value and directs the archival functions of: appraisal, accession, preservation, conservation arrangement, description, reference service, exhibition, and publication.
3. NOTE
   1. Each department has its own records retention schedule, which a representative from University Archives reviews annually with the unit head or his or her designate.
   2. Records pertaining to Federal Research Grants, Funding, and Sponsored Programs will be retained until closeout, then transferred to storage and retained for a minimum of three years from closeout before review and final disposition.