admin
Mon, 02/16/2026 - 19:25
Edited Text
CLARION UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
POLICY ON RECORDS RETENTION AND DISPOSITION
I.
PURPOSE
Clarion University is committed to effective records retention to preserve its
history, meet legal standards, optimize the use of space, minimize the cost of
records retention, and ensure that outdated and unneeded transitory records
are destroyed. This policy addresses the university’s records management
practices. The university requires that different types of records be retained
for specific periods of time and has designated offices of record for their
maintenance. These records must be managed according to procedures that
are outlined in this document.
II.
DEFINITIONS
A.
Active Record: A record with current administrative use for the unit that
generated it. Records remain active for varying numbers of years,
depending on the purpose for which they were created.
B.
Archival Record: A record that is inactive, not required to be retained in
the office in which it originated or was received, and has permanent or
historic value. Archival records are retained and preserved indefinitely
in the University Archives.
C.
Office of Record: The unit designated as having responsibility for
retention and timely destruction of particular types of official
university records. Such responsibility is assigned to the unit’s
administrative manager or a designee.
D.
Transitory Record: A working document of short-term interest that
has no lasting business value.
E.
University Archives: This includes permanent retention of official
records and reports of the university, its officers and component parts;
maps and architectural records; audiovisual materials including still
photographs and negatives, motion picture film, oral history
interviews, audio and video tapes; and artifacts and ephemera
documenting the university’s history.
F.
University Archivist: The individual responsible for 1) designating which
official university records are archival; and 2) effecting the transfer of
archival records from the office in which they originated or were
received to the University Archives at such times and in the manner
and form prescribed by the Archives and subject to the appropriate
retention and disposition schedules that are outlined in this document.
University Record: The original copy of any record. Offices of Record for
G.
these records are identified in Appendices A-D of this document.
1
H.
III.
University Records Manager: The appointee of the University President
who may also serve as the university’s Open Records Officer.
POLICY
A.
Overview
Clarion University requires consistent treatment of records.
Maintenance, retention, and disposal procedures for university records
must be followed systematically by staff in designated Offices of
Record.
In addition, duplicate or multiple copies of these records retained in
locations other than Offices of Record must also be disposed of when
they are outdated and no longer useful.
B.
Procedures
1.
Responsibilities for Managing Official University Records
Departments and units that maintain university records are
called “Offices of Record.” These administrative units are
responsible for establishing appropriate record retention
management practices. Each unit’s administrative manager or
a designee must:
a.
implement the unit’s and/or office’s record management
practices;
b.
ensure that these management practices are consistent
with this policy;
c.
educate staff within the administrative unit in
understanding sound record management practices;
d.
preserve inactive records of historic value, and transfer
those records to the University Archives;
e.
ensure that access to confidential files is restricted.
Long-term restrictions on access to selected archival
records should be negotiated at the time of their transfer
to the University Archives;
f.
destroy inactive records that have no archival value
upon passage of the applicable retention period.
Questions about responsibilities should be directed to the
University Records Manager.
2.
Preserving or Disposing of Official University Records
When the prescribed retention period (See Appendices A-D) for
official university records has passed, a determination of
whether to preserve or dispose of the documents must be
2
made. To decide if the record is of historic value to the
university, consult the University Archivist.
a.
Archival Records
Records that have been determined to be archival may
be transferred to University Archives. Contact the
University Archivist to:
b.
i.
Review records to be sent to University Archives.
ii.
Schedule appointment with University Archivist
for the boxing/packaging of records.
iii.
Request a transfer form.
iv.
Schedule transfer of records to the Archives with
the Receiving Office.
Non-archival Records
Records that have been deemed appropriate for
disposal may be destroyed in one of the following ways:
c.
i.
Recycle non–confidential paper records.
ii.
Shred or otherwise render unreadable
confidential records.
iii.
Erase or destroy electronically stored data.
Electronic Records
Records generated and maintained in university
information systems or equipment (including mainframe,
mini, and micro computing/storage systems).
All records, including those generated and maintained in
university information systems or equipment, should be
annually reviewed to ensure that the requirements of the
university’s Policy on Records Retention and Disposition
are met. The University Records Manager will notify
responsible persons within Offices of Record of the
annual records review to occur in July each year.
3.
Records Location and Duration
Appendices A-D of this document list the Offices of Record for
official university records as well as how long these records
must be retained.
Colleges and departments may also retain records to support
their internal operations that will be destroyed when
outdated or no longer needed. These records are deemed to
be Transitory Records.
3
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. Suspension of record destruction required by any of
these reasons will be accomplished by a notice sent out to
affected units by the University President or his/her designee or
PASSHE Legal Counsel.
Questions regarding the retention period for any specific
document or class of documents not included in Appendices AD should be addressed to the University Records Manager.
IV.
CONTACTS
Direct any questions about this policy to the appropriate departmental
administrative manager. Questions about specific issues should be directed to
the following offices:
Electronic Media Storage
Center for Computing
Services
814-393-2280
Permanent Storage of
Inactive Records
University Archivist
814-393-1805
Policy Clarification or
Exceptions
University Records Mgr.
814-393-1984
Records Management
University Records Mgr.
814-393-1984
4
POLICY ON RECORDS RETENTION AND DISPOSITION
I.
PURPOSE
Clarion University is committed to effective records retention to preserve its
history, meet legal standards, optimize the use of space, minimize the cost of
records retention, and ensure that outdated and unneeded transitory records
are destroyed. This policy addresses the university’s records management
practices. The university requires that different types of records be retained
for specific periods of time and has designated offices of record for their
maintenance. These records must be managed according to procedures that
are outlined in this document.
II.
DEFINITIONS
A.
Active Record: A record with current administrative use for the unit that
generated it. Records remain active for varying numbers of years,
depending on the purpose for which they were created.
B.
Archival Record: A record that is inactive, not required to be retained in
the office in which it originated or was received, and has permanent or
historic value. Archival records are retained and preserved indefinitely
in the University Archives.
C.
Office of Record: The unit designated as having responsibility for
retention and timely destruction of particular types of official
university records. Such responsibility is assigned to the unit’s
administrative manager or a designee.
D.
Transitory Record: A working document of short-term interest that
has no lasting business value.
E.
University Archives: This includes permanent retention of official
records and reports of the university, its officers and component parts;
maps and architectural records; audiovisual materials including still
photographs and negatives, motion picture film, oral history
interviews, audio and video tapes; and artifacts and ephemera
documenting the university’s history.
F.
University Archivist: The individual responsible for 1) designating which
official university records are archival; and 2) effecting the transfer of
archival records from the office in which they originated or were
received to the University Archives at such times and in the manner
and form prescribed by the Archives and subject to the appropriate
retention and disposition schedules that are outlined in this document.
University Record: The original copy of any record. Offices of Record for
G.
these records are identified in Appendices A-D of this document.
1
H.
III.
University Records Manager: The appointee of the University President
who may also serve as the university’s Open Records Officer.
POLICY
A.
Overview
Clarion University requires consistent treatment of records.
Maintenance, retention, and disposal procedures for university records
must be followed systematically by staff in designated Offices of
Record.
In addition, duplicate or multiple copies of these records retained in
locations other than Offices of Record must also be disposed of when
they are outdated and no longer useful.
B.
Procedures
1.
Responsibilities for Managing Official University Records
Departments and units that maintain university records are
called “Offices of Record.” These administrative units are
responsible for establishing appropriate record retention
management practices. Each unit’s administrative manager or
a designee must:
a.
implement the unit’s and/or office’s record management
practices;
b.
ensure that these management practices are consistent
with this policy;
c.
educate staff within the administrative unit in
understanding sound record management practices;
d.
preserve inactive records of historic value, and transfer
those records to the University Archives;
e.
ensure that access to confidential files is restricted.
Long-term restrictions on access to selected archival
records should be negotiated at the time of their transfer
to the University Archives;
f.
destroy inactive records that have no archival value
upon passage of the applicable retention period.
Questions about responsibilities should be directed to the
University Records Manager.
2.
Preserving or Disposing of Official University Records
When the prescribed retention period (See Appendices A-D) for
official university records has passed, a determination of
whether to preserve or dispose of the documents must be
2
made. To decide if the record is of historic value to the
university, consult the University Archivist.
a.
Archival Records
Records that have been determined to be archival may
be transferred to University Archives. Contact the
University Archivist to:
b.
i.
Review records to be sent to University Archives.
ii.
Schedule appointment with University Archivist
for the boxing/packaging of records.
iii.
Request a transfer form.
iv.
Schedule transfer of records to the Archives with
the Receiving Office.
Non-archival Records
Records that have been deemed appropriate for
disposal may be destroyed in one of the following ways:
c.
i.
Recycle non–confidential paper records.
ii.
Shred or otherwise render unreadable
confidential records.
iii.
Erase or destroy electronically stored data.
Electronic Records
Records generated and maintained in university
information systems or equipment (including mainframe,
mini, and micro computing/storage systems).
All records, including those generated and maintained in
university information systems or equipment, should be
annually reviewed to ensure that the requirements of the
university’s Policy on Records Retention and Disposition
are met. The University Records Manager will notify
responsible persons within Offices of Record of the
annual records review to occur in July each year.
3.
Records Location and Duration
Appendices A-D of this document list the Offices of Record for
official university records as well as how long these records
must be retained.
Colleges and departments may also retain records to support
their internal operations that will be destroyed when
outdated or no longer needed. These records are deemed to
be Transitory Records.
3
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. Suspension of record destruction required by any of
these reasons will be accomplished by a notice sent out to
affected units by the University President or his/her designee or
PASSHE Legal Counsel.
Questions regarding the retention period for any specific
document or class of documents not included in Appendices AD should be addressed to the University Records Manager.
IV.
CONTACTS
Direct any questions about this policy to the appropriate departmental
administrative manager. Questions about specific issues should be directed to
the following offices:
Electronic Media Storage
Center for Computing
Services
814-393-2280
Permanent Storage of
Inactive Records
University Archivist
814-393-1805
Policy Clarification or
Exceptions
University Records Mgr.
814-393-1984
Records Management
University Records Mgr.
814-393-1984
4
Media of