3-45 Record Management Policy
About CMU's "Institutional document and information management, storage and access policy"
This policy outlines the definitions, roles and responsibilities for record management, retention and accessibility, as well as the destruction of, documents and information related to CMU. This policy ensures CMU remains compliant with federal and state laws related to document retention, as well as with university regulations related to information storage and access.
NOTE ABOUT PDF VERSION: The PDF is the official text of the policy. If there are any incongruities between the text of the HTML version and the text within the PDF file, the PDF will be considered accurate and overriding.
- Effective date of this revision: July 1, 2017
- Contact for more information: Office of Information Technology
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE
Central Michigan University (“CMU”) has adopted the following Records Management Policy (“Policy”) as a measure to preserve the University’s history, meet regulatory and legal requirements, minimize risk, optimize the use of space, and minimize cost. This policy applies broadly to all Institutional Records regardless of their form (electronic – in an IT system – or physical – on paper), and applies to all faculty, staff, and students as well as any other CMU affiliate who creates and/or manages records. This policy and its accompanying Record Retention Schedule replace and supersede any existing retention authorizations and guidance that University officials may have adopted for specific records.
DEFINITIONS
- Archives – Official repository for preservation and public access of inactive and non-current Permanent Records documenting the history of the University.
- Individual Responsible Operating Unit (IROU)-The CMU Unit responsible for any record(s).
- Permanent Record-A record that must be kept in perpetuity.
- Record-A product of University work that is kept for any period of time whether in physical or digital format.
- Records Retention Schedule-A document defining the retention period and disposition of the record(s) created by an IROU based on the content and functions of the record.
- Records Management Team-The Records Management Team consists of the Director of the Clarke Historical Library, the University Archivist and Manager of Digital Records, the VP of IT and CIO, the CISO, and the Assistant General Counsel.
POLICY
There are many federal and state laws, university regulations, and ordinances that pertain to the management, retention, and accessibility of university records. Because of these laws, regulations, and ordinances as well as the costs and risks associated with retaining all forms of Records beyond their useful or mandated lives, the University encourages secure, responsible destruction of Records at various times as prescribed in the Records Retention Schedule. This function and responsibility has been decentralized to the Individual Responsible Operation Units with the understanding that Records retention and disposal will be implemented according to this policy. Any Records that may have significant historical value should be referred to Clarke Historical Library for evaluation and possible addition to the Archives.
RESPONSIBILITIES
| Task | President's Cabinet | Record Management Team | OIT / Libraries Staff | Faculty | Staff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maintenance of Policy | A | R | I | I | I |
| Maintenance of Record Retention Schedule | R, A | I | I | I | |
| Training and Awareness | R, A | C, I | I | I | |
| Design of Management Practices | R, A | C | C | C | |
| Implementation of Management Practices | A | R | R | R | |
| Monitor and Audit Management Practices | R, A | R | R | R |
R=Responsible, A=Accountable, C=Consulted, I=Informed
EXCEPTIONS
Exceptions to this Policy must be approved by the Records Management Team (or Officer under the guidance of the Records Management Team) and formally documented. Policy exceptions will be reviewed by the Records Management team (or Officer under the guidance of the Records Management Team) on a periodic basis for appropriateness.
MAINTENANCE
This Policy will be reviewed by the Records Management Team (or Officer under the guidance of the Records Management Team) every 5 years or as deemed appropriate based on changes in technology or legal or regulatory requirements.
RELATED POLICIES
Central Michigan University reserves the right to make exceptions to, modify or eliminate this policy and or its content. This document supersedes all previous policies, procedures or guidelines relative to this subject.