NDSU RECORDS MANAGEMENT INITIATIVE 2007

WHY Law Policy Security and Liability Space Management Federal and State Policy NDSU Policy 713: Records Retention Security and Liability Data Privacy Retention Disposal Space Free up space in your office Management File management (access/storage)

Definition of a Record NDCC 54-46-02 defines a record as: “A document, book, paper, photograph, sound recording or other material, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received pursuant to law in connection with the transaction of official business.”

What is a Record? A record is anything that: Your office created Your office acted on Your office receives for action Your office is designated as the custodian of (record-holder) Your office needs to document its decisions

Value of Record Memory of the business Values Administrative Fiscal Usefulness for conduct of current and future administrative business Fiscal The worth for conduct of current or future financial or fiscal business and/or as evidence thereof Legal The worth for conduct of current or future legal business and/or as legal evidence thereof Archival Those values which justify the preservation of Records/Archives

Sample Types of Records Annual reports Correspondence (includes email) Departmental files (used to make a decision) Newsletters/publications (prepared by department) Grant proposals Information requests Staff personnel files Accounts Payable Vouchers Meeting minutes

Record Forms and Media Paper files (loose and bound) Computer databases and other computer files PDA/ smart phones, USB memory sticks, removable disk drives, CDs, DVDs, magnetic tapes, etc. Records contained in e-mail messages and attachments Microfiche or microfilm Other imaged records

Records Management Process Getting Started: Records Coordinators Inventorying Records Each department assigns one or more Records Coordinators for their area. An inventory of records in the area is completed and the appropriate forms are filled out. Some record types already have predefined records series, descriptions and disposal methods. Others may need to be defined by the departments. Recommend retention schedules and destruction methods for new records series.

Records Management Process Next Step: Records Management Task Force Prepare Records Retention Schedule Prepare a Records Retention Schedule for the University based on the inventory of records submitted by departments. This will be submitted to the Division of Records Management of the Information Technology Department (ITD) in Bismarck.

Records Management Process Annual Review: NDSU Records Manager and Records Coordinators Retention/Disposal Process Records Coordinators will be notified by Records Manager of records that need to be destroyed based on their inventory (anticipated Fall Semester 2008) Records Coordinators fill out online form and submit to NDSU Records Manager Records Coordinators follow disposal process (shred, retain, recycle, archive)

Projected Timeline December 31, 2007 February 15, 2008 Initial records inventories due February 15, 2008 Task Force to submit University Records Retention Schedule to Information Technology Department in Bismarck October-December 2008 Initial records purge scheduled for NDSU

Upcoming Training Files Management seminar to be presented by ITD Records Management to discuss best practices, classification systems, electronic records, etc. Thursday, November 15, 1:30-3:00 p.m. - Reimers Room, Alumni Center

Resources NDSU Records Management Website www.ndsu.edu/recordsmanagement Audit & Advisory Services 701-231-9413 or ndsu.recordsmanagement@ndsu.edu