Records Management and Archives

University System of Georgia records retention policies and procedures

USG Records Retention Schedules

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CATEGORY:  Administration     Total: 35


Accreditation Records

Number:  0472-02-001

Description:  This series documents the accreditation process for the colleges, units, and related programs. The series provides a record of materials compiled for inclusion in a report packet sent to the appropriate accreditation board for the specific program or service and usually includes statements on mission, finance, and educational programs, departments, and divisions composition. This series may include but is not limited to: self-evaluation reports; final reports sent to accreditation organization; statistical data; working papers; and accreditation organization evaluation reports.

Retention:  Self-evaluation reports, final accreditation reports, and accreditation organization evaluation reports: PERMANENT; Other accreditation records: 2 accreditation cycles.


Administrative Reports

Number:  0472-02-002

Description:  This series documents the annual activity of the institution and its subdivisions. This disposition includes reports prepared for the university by the president, vice-president, and deans of the institution. Final annual reports may be printed and bound or they may be less formal unpublished documents prepared for limited distribution. Reports may include but are not limited to periodic statistical reports; summarized statistical reports; copies of reports from other units; other working papers; and final annual reports.

Retention:  Final annual reports and periodic and summary statistical reports not reflected in the final annual report: PERMANENT; All other reports: Until superseded or obsolete.


Advisory Board Records

Number:  0472-02-003

Description:  This series documents the activities of boards and councils that function in an advisory capacity and may have as their charge highly specific or broad areas of concern. This series may include but is not limited to meeting minutes; agendas; reports; notes; working papers; audio recordings; and transcriptions.

Retention:  Minutes, agendas, reports, and correspondence: PERMANENT; All other records: 3 years.


Affirmative Action Audits, Annual Reports, and Compliance Records

Number:  0472-02-004

Description:  This series documents the institution's response to federal program reviews, state compliance audits, annual reporting requirements, and internal audits. This series may include but is not limited to: audit reports; written responses showing how compliance will be accomplished; Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO-6) Reports; Vets 100 Employment Reports; final biennial plans and policy statements; executive department printouts; Affirmative Action (AA) policies and procedures; AA mission and goals; AA office reviews; departmental reports; status reports on minority action programs; AA compliance data sheets; guidelines; specific case histories; and discrimination complaints.

Retention:  Plans: PERMANENT; All other records: 2 years.


Agency Relations Records

Number:  0472-02-005

Description:  This series documents the institutional interactions with local, state, national, and international government agencies, educational institutions, businesses, and groups to gain their assistance with the development and coordination of institution research and instructional programs. This series may include but is not limited to: reports; copies of publications; and background information.

Retention:  7 years.


Association and Organization Advisory Records

Number:  0472-02-006

Description:  This series documents the relationship and participation of institution units in professional and educational associations and other organizations. The unit's role may be one of membership on the advisory or administrative board, participation in a task force or subcommittee, or one of membership in consortia. This series may include but is not limited to: promotional information; rules and regulations; reports; proposals and planning records; workshop and conference records; surveys and questionnaires; and minutes. This series does not include individual faculty or staff membership information.

Retention:  3 years.


Author’s and Artist’s Contracts and Agreements Records

Number:  0472-02-007

Description:  This series provides documentation of the duly executed and binding contractual agreements between the institution and authors and artists concerning subjects such as royalties, pricing agreements, and copyright. Information in individual contracts or agreements may include but is not limited to: terms and conditions; provisions; amendments; exhibits and addenda; and authorizing signatures.

Retention:  Authors' and artists' contracts and agreements with university presses: 120 years; All other authors' and artists' contracts and agreements: 7 years after expiration.


Awards Records

Number:  0472-02-008

Description:  This series documents the process of selecting institutional faculty, staff, students, and alumni to receive awards, fellowships, and scholarships based on merit or achievement. The series may include but is not limited to: applications; nomination letters; eligibility terms and selection criteria; recommendations; transcripts; letters of award notification or denial; letters accepting or declining awards; summary lists of winners; biographies; demonstration of need documentation; press releases; and award history and information on funding sources.

Retention:  Eligibility terms and selection criteria, award history and information on funding sources, award notifications, summary lists of winners, biographies of winners, and press releases: PERMANENT; All other records: 1 year.


Board of Regents Relations Records

Number:  0472-02-009

Description:  This series documents the coordination and interaction between institutional administrative units and the Board of Regents. This series may include but is not limited to: dockets; notes; activity reports; and proposals.

Retention:  3 years.


Building Space Inventory and Valuation Records

Number:  0472-02-010

Description:  This series documents the buildings owned and leased by the institutions both on and off campuses. Building space inventory reports are used to project institutional space needs; to identify deferred maintenance; and to provide cost recovery support documentation.

Retention:  Summary space inventory reports and building valuation reports: PERMANENT; Lease records: 7 years after expiration of lease; All other records: 10 years.


Classroom and Laboratory Utilization Reports

Number:  0472-02-011

Description:  This series provides information about the utilization of classroom and laboratory space. This series includes preliminary and final reports, which contain class number, time of the class, and the number of students in the class.

Retention:  Final utilization reports: 5 years; Preliminary utilization reports: 2 years.


Committee Reports

Number:  0472-02-012

Description:  This series documents the activities of standing and ad hoc committees and councils made up of members from a variety of units. The committees are charged with formulating and recommending institutional policies and procedures, establishing standards and requirements, performing an advisory function, or reviewing petitions, appeals, and deviations from policy. Types of committees include administrative committees (those appointed by an administrator) and faculty senate committees (those created by the faculty senate's executive committee). They may function as steering committees, activities committees, standards committees, planning committees, academic committees, awards committees, councils, etc. Committees may be chaired by the director of a specific unit or rotate to different chairs on a regular basis. This series may include but is not limited to: agendas; meeting minutes; reports; notes; and working papers.

Retention:  Agendas, minutes, and reports of meetings where any official business, policy, or public matter is formulated, presented, discussed, or voted upon and final reports of Ad Hoc Committees: PERMANENT; All other records: 3 years.


Cooperative Program Reports

Number:  0472-02-013

Description:  This series documents the institution's participation in cooperative and shared educational or research programs. Such programs may share research facilities and resources or instructional programs such as programs permitting student matriculation at member institutions. This series may include but is not limited to: information on requirements and application procedures; applications and eligibility certificates; committee minutes; meeting agendas; working papers; memoranda of interpretation and understanding; and fiscal records.

Retention:  Requirements and application procedures, committee minutes, meeting agendas, and memos of interpretation and understanding: PERMANENT; All other records: 7 years after expiration.


Crisis or Disaster Recovery Records

Number:  0472-02-014

Description:  This series is the highest level documentation of the events and damages to institutional property due to storms, riots, fires, droughts, floods, and other events affecting citizens and facilities within the jurisdiction of the institution. This series may include but is not limited to: diaries; logs; reports; photographs; and notes that document what happened.

Retention:  Records with historical value documenting lasting change to the institution's activities or property: PERMANENT; All other records: 5 years.


Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Plans

Number:  0472-02-015

Description:  This series consists of records related to the protection and reestablishment of data processing services and equipment in case of a disaster or emergency. This series may include disaster recovery manuals, business continuity plans, inventories, procedure plans, step-by-step procedures, unit and institutional emergency response plans, and contact lists.

Retention:  5 years after superseded.


Events Administration Records

Number:  0472-02-016

Description:  This series documents facilities, services, and other accommodations provided by the institution for events on campus. Records may include: facilities reservation agreements; room reservation lists; customer and room occupancy lists; customer evaluations; and summary reports.

Retention:  Written agreements: 7 years after expiration; All other records: 3 years.


Films, Videotapes, Photographs, and Sound Recordings

Number:  0472-02-017

Description:  This series provides visual and/or aural documentation of institutional activities and events including intercollegiate athletics, students, faculty, and staff with significant relevance to both the institution's or individual unit's function and mission.

Retention:  Final Product: PERMANENT; All other records: Useful life.


Financial Donor Records

Number:  0472-02-018

Description:  This series documents award guidelines; letters and agreements of gifts; copies of bequest instruments and wills from individuals or estates; donors who provide donations; recognition of donors; and the use of donated funds. Information in this series may include: donor and donation information; contribution notices; lists of donors; award lists; invoices; purchase orders; and receipts. This series does not include records, artifacts, or other materials donated to libraries, archives, or museums.

Retention:  Letters and agreements of gift and copies of bequest instruments: PERMANENT; Other donor records: 7 years after discontinuation of donations; Fiscal records: 7 years.


Friends and Affiliated Groups Records

Number:  0472-02-019

Description:  This series documents the efforts of special interest support groups to establish relationships with community agencies, individuals, businesses, and groups to gain their assistance with the development and coordination of institutional programs. This series may include but is not limited to: founding documents; bylaws; reports; brochures; meeting agendas; and minutes.

Retention:  Founding documentation, bylaws, and meeting minutes and agendas: PERMANENT; All other records: 5 years.


Fundraising Event Records

Number:  0472-02-020

Description:  This series documents the fundraising activities of the institution, support groups, and committees. This series may include but is not limited to: requests for fund-raising; event planning and arrangement records; background on previous donations; pledges; posters; banners; and other fundraising and marketing materials.

Retention:  Posters, brochures, and banners: PERMANENT. Financial Records: 7 years. Marketing records: 5 years. License plates: Retain one sample as PERMANENT.


Institutional Cooperation and Relations Records

Number:  0472-02-021

Description:  This series documents the coordination and interaction between units for the cooperative administration of programs within the institution. This series may include but is not limited to: copies of budget reports; activity reports; proposals; planning documents; agreements and memoranda of understanding; publicity and newspaper clippings; policy statements; and working papers.

Retention:  Proposals, planning documents, activity reports, policy statements, and publicity: PERMANENT; All other records: 7 years after expiration.


Institutional Planning Records

Number:  0472-02-022

Description:  This series documents the college or unit's role in the development of short-term or long-term plans for the institution. This series may include but is not limited to: instructions; internal planning committee materials; proposals; strategic planning reports; surveys; activity reports; informational materials; and working papers.

Retention:  Final planning reports, goal and objective statements, and instructions: PERMANENT; All other records: 10 years.


Institutional Speeches and Statements

Number:  0472-02-023

Description:  This series documents speeches and statements written and delivered by institutional faculty and staff in connection with institutional business. This series may include but is not limited to: final copies; audio or video recordings; drafts; and source materials.

Retention:  Final speeches, statements, and recordings: PERMANENT; Drafts and source materials: 2 years.


Legislative Relations Records

Number:  0472-02-024

Description:  The series may be used to review and plan institutional positions on legislative actions. This series may include but is not limited to: final reports; bill review and tracking records; copies of legislation; and working papers.

Retention:  Final reports: PERMANENT; All other records: Useful life.


Lobbyist Records

Number:  0472-02-025

Description:  This series documents the activities of university employees who engage in lobbying the state government. Records may include: lobbyist registration statement forms; lobbyist termination forms; lobbyist expenditure report forms; lobbyist listings; and salary information.

Retention:  5 years after last activity.


Meeting Records

Number:  0472-02-026

Description:  This series documents the meetings of the faculty and/or staff of a department or office that sets policy and procedures for the unit. Specialized and task oriented sub-committees composed of unit personnel are also documented as part of this record series. These meetings may concern routine matters of procedure and topics such as program development, planning, administrative and personnel management, and assessments of future needs.

Retention:  Minutes, agendas, and reports: PERMANENT; All other record: 5 years.


News Release Records

Number:  0472-02-027

Description:  This series documents newsworthy events of the institution. This series may include but is not limited to news releases issued by institution news and communications units arranged by topic and/or date of issue and brief descriptions of scholarship awards offered by institution.

Retention:  Releases pertaining to significant events and policy matters: PERMANENT; Routine releases: 10 years.


Official Calendar of Events

Number:  0472-02-028

Description:  This series documents when and where institution events take place.

Retention:  PERMANENT.


Policies and Procedures

Number:  0472-02-029

Description:  This series includes the approved policies and procedures of the institution.

Retention:  PERMANENT.


Professional Membership Records

Number:  0472-02-030

Description:  This series documents institutional-paid memberships and activities in professional organizations. These records may include but are not limited to: applications for membership; certifications of membership; and documentation of activities.

Retention:  5 years.


Radio and Television License Records

Number:  0472-02-031

Description:  This series provides a record of licensing of university campus radio stations and television channels (including distance education) with the Federal Communications Commission. Records may include: FCC applications, licenses, and contracts.

Retention:  10 years after expiration of license.


Records of the Individual Regents

Number:  0472-02-032

Description:  This series documents the activities of the individual regents.

Retention:  PERMANENT.


Signature Authorizations

Number:  0472-02-033

Description:  This series documents the certification of the institution's employees who are authorized to sign fiscal and contractual documents. These documents serve as an aid for management control over expenditures. This series may include but is not limited to: authorization date; name; sample signature; position data; remarks; and conditions.

Retention:  7 years after authorization expires.


Student Organization Records

Number:  0472-02-034

Description:  This series documents the history, development, and policies of student organizations. Records may include but are not limited to: annual review forms; minutes; constitutions and bylaws; committee, subcommittee, and task-force records; student government bill and resolution files; budgets; handbooks; officer and member rosters; scrapbooks; newspaper clippings; published and unpublished historical sketches; publications; organizational charts; and photographs.

Retention:  Charters; minutes; by-laws; student government bill and resolution files; budgets; handbooks; rosters; scrapbooks; photographs; publications; historical sketches; organizational charts; and other historic records: PERMANENT; All other records: 10 years.


Vehicle Use Authorization and Request Records

Number:  0472-02-035

Description:  This series documents permission for employees to use their private automobiles for official use and authorization of non-employees and students to use state-owned cars. Records may include but are not limited to: private vehicle safety certification forms; private vehicle certificate lists; and driver authorizations for students and non-employees.

Retention:  5 years after superseded or obsolete.


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