Records Management
What to Keep and What to Toss
What is Records Management?
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Management of the life
cycle of a record
Creation
Storage
Retrieval
Retention
Protection
Disposition
Ensures that authentic
and accurate information
can be retrieved quickly,
easily and costeffectively
Life Cycle of a Record
Record
Creation
Records Active
Use
Records
Center
Record
Inactive
Destruction
Archives
Records Exist in Many Formats
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The medium used to
document an official
activity or function is
irrelevant
The content of the record
determines if it is evidence
of an official government
transaction, action, or
activity
Records can be stored as
paper, photographs, maps,
drawings, microfilm,
databases, digital images,
spreadsheets, e-mail,
tweets, etc.
Records Management is Risk Management
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Understand the risk of
loss--loss is not just
inadvertent destruction…
Intentional and illegal
destruction or alteration
Security breech (theft,
misuse or fraud)
System backup process
failed
Human error
Technology obsolescence
Deterioration
Pests (rodents, insects,
etc.)
What is the Negative Impact?
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Financial loss
Lost opportunity
Litigation/audit/
investigation
System repair/recovery
costs
Customer inconvenience
Lost time/productivity
Public embarrassment or
scrutiny
How to Mitigate Risk?
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Select appropriate
recordkeeping systems (efficient
and effective retrieval)
Policies, procedures,
documentation
Security (inappropriate use or
alteration, protect private
information)
System backup
Redundancy
Disaster plan
Implement retention routinely
in accordance with an approved
schedule
Maintain proper storage
conditions
NMU Records Management
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Policy and Statutory Requirements
University Records Center
University Archives
Records Retention and Disposition Scheduling
New Records Management Web Site
Policy and Statutory Requirements
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Michigan Public Act 431
(1984)
Michigan Public Act 116
(1992)
Michigan Optical Imaging
Rules
NMU Board of Control Policy
Statement (1991)
Records Retention Scheduling
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Assists offices in the management of their files
Provides for the efficient and legal disposition
of official University Records
Records Inventory
Records Analysis
Approval Process
Legal document
Why Follow a Retention Schedule?
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Risks of keeping records too
long
Wastes space
Harder to find records you need
Records must be reviewed for
FOIA and litigation
Risks of destroying records too
soon
Violation of Michigan law
Exposes agency to liability if the
records are requested via FOIA
or litigation
Avoid random record purging
by establishing a routine within
the normal course of business
Determining Retention Periods
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Operational/
Administrative Value
Fiscal Value
Legal Value
Historical/Archival
Value
Destroy records when
their value ceases to
exist
New Records Management Web Site
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Access to general and
office specific records
retention schedules
Records Transfer
Procedures
Online Retrieval
Request Form
Online Records
Transfer Form
University Records Center
GSB 205
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4,000 square foot,
climate control, secure
Comprehensive storage
and retrieval service
Records Destruction
Service
Access restricted but
available by
appointment