Augusta University requires that University records be retained for specific periods of time, and has designated official repositories for their maintenance. These records must be managed according to procedures that are outlined in this document.
Augusta University is committed to effective records retention to preserve its history, ensure that critical records are available to meet business needs, comply with legal requirements, optimize the use of space, minimize the cost of record retention, and ensure that outdated and useless records are destroyed.
Any University staff responsible for the maintenance of records in any format, as well as all Augusta University faculty and staff who create, store, or use University records in any format.
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Active Record |
An original University Record currently used by the office, department or other area of the University that generated it. Active Records remain active for varying numbers of years, depending on the purpose for which they were created and regulatory requirements. Active Records may be retained in the originating office or at an offsite storage company. Active Records include records in all formats, including but not limited to: paper, fiche, digitized or scanned documents, electronic documents, and all other formats. |
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Archival Record |
An original University Record that has permanent or historic value, is inactive, and is not required to be retained in the office in which it originated or was received. Archival Records are retained and preserved indefinitely in the University Archives. The University’s Records Administrator will make all final decisions concerning whether records will be preserved in the University Archives. |
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Electronic Record |
A University Record kept in a non-tangible electronic format. Electronic Records include but are not limited to: word processor documents, spreadsheets, databases, HTML documents, scanned or imaged documents, and any other type of file warehoused online, on a mainframe, on a computer hard drive, or on any external storage medium (including disks and thumb drives). The same retention standards that apply to tangible University Records also apply to Electronic Records, and the retention periods outlined in the Record Retention Table apply equally to University Records in all formats. |
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Fiche |
A type of record format consisting of a flat sheet of microfilm, typically used for the purpose of maximizing space efficiency. University records kept on fiche are bound by the same standards and retention periods as records kept in paper or electronic formats. |
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Inactive University Records |
An original University Record that is not an Active Record but still must be maintained pursuant to the Record Retention Table set forth below. Inactive University Records are typically maintained at the University’s preferred Offsite Storage vendor or at other locations on campus; however, Inactive University Records of historical significance are maintained by the University Archives as directed by the Records Administrator or its designee. |
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Official Repository |
The office or department designated as having responsibility for retention and timely destruction of particular types of official University Records. The University’s Records Administrator, or designee, will make the final determination concerning the Official Repository for University Records. There is no need for offices and departments that are not the Official Repository for a University Record to retain copies of those records. |
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Offsite Storage |
University Records that are in any format and are no longer actively needed may be
stored with the University’s preferred vendor for Data Storage. The Data Storage vendor
provides a fee based service for picking up and maintaining inactive records, and
also delivering those records if they are needed again on campus. |
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Personal Information |
Records that include an individual’s name together with that individual’s Social Security Number; drivers’ license number or Massachusetts state identification card number; financial account number, or credit or debit card number, with or without any required security code, access code, personal identification number or password that would permit access to an individual’s financial account; or biometric indicator. Personal Information is highly sensitive, and must be safeguarded and secured at all times. |
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Records Administrator |
The University’s Records Administrator shall be the University Registrar. In consultation with the University Provost, the Registrar may designate certain policy implementation functions to other offices. |
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Records Committee |
The University’s Records Administrator shall convene a Records Committee to develop procedures for the implementation of this Policy and to help ensure compliance. |
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University Record |
The original or official copy of any record/document, including Electronic Records, in any format. Formats include but are not limited to: paper, fiche, and electronic. The University’s Records Administrator or its designee will make the final determination concerning the Official Repository for University Records and the Official Repositories for these records are identified in the table at the end of this document. There is no need for offices and departments that are not the Official Repository for a University Record to retain copies of those records. |
The University Records Administrator is responsible for the implementation of this Policy across all departments and units that maintain University Records in any format. The University Records Administrator shall oversee, with the assistance of the Records Committee, the implementation of this Policy, including by developing procedures concerning the review, oversight and governance of this Policy, and including any necessary training. Each unit manager or department head is responsible for implementing this Policy within his or her unit or department consistent with the procedures developed by the Records Administrator and the Records Committee.
In consultation with and under the direction of the University Records Administrator or its designee, each unit manager or department head, or a designee, must:
When the prescribed retention period for University Records has passed, the unit’s administrative manager should ensure that the records are properly disposed of unless the records are of historic value to the University. The administrative manager should consult the University Records Administrator to designate those records that are archival.
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Option A: Inactive University Records |
If you have determined that Active Records are no longer needed for business reasons but the applicable retention period has not yet expired, the Inactive University Records may be transferred to one of the University’s preferred Offsite Storage vendors. Contact the University Records Administrator or its designee to:
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Option B: Archival Records |
If you, in consultation with the University Records Administrator or its designee, have determined that you are in possession of Archival Records and the applicable retention period has expired, please forward those records to the University Archives. |
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Option C: Non-Archival Records |
If you have determined that Active Records are not Archival Records and the applicable retention period has expired, you should destroy those records in one of the following ways:
Periodically review records generated and maintained in university information systems or equipment (including mainframe, mini, and micro computing/storage systems) to ensure that these requirements are met. Record retention periods may be increased by government regulation; judicial or administrative consent order, private or governmental contract, pending litigation or audit requirements. Such modifications supersede the requirements listed in this policy. No document list can be exhaustive. Questions regarding the retention period for any specific document or class of documents not included in these tables should be addressed to the University Records Administrator, its designee. Departments and units that are not Official Repositories and that retain duplicate or multiple copies of these university records should dispose of them when the records are no longer useful (no later than the duration noted in this policy). |