Records Retention Information & Resources

Record: The Administrative Rules of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 13 § 6.1 defines a state record as any written, photographic, machine-readable, or other recorded information created or received by or on behalf of a state agency or an elected official that documents activities in the conduct of state business or use of public resources.

Record management: The application of management techniques to the creation, use, maintenance, retention, preservation, and disposal of records for the purposes of reducing the costs and improving the efficiency of record keeping. The term includes the development of records control schedules, the management of filing and information retrieval systems, the protection of essential and permanent records, the economical and space-effective storage of inactive records, control over the creation and distribution of forms, reports, and correspondence, and the management of micrographic and electronic and other records storage systems.

• Allows needed documents and information to be easily accessible (assists in audits).
• Reduces the need of excessive equipment for storing records. 
• Increases productivity and reduces time spent searching for needed documents.
• Allows for accurate trail of the record's life cycle, from creation or receipt, through use and maintenance, to final disposition 

[Texas State Library Records Management Publications Policy Model 2 SUGGESTED POLICY MODEL FOR ESTABLISHING A RECORDS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM BY ORDINANCE, ORDER, OR RESOLUTION § 2 -11.]

1. Department head (the officer who by ordinance, order, or administrative policy is in charge of an 
   office that creates or receives records)
   • Cooperate with the Records Management Officer in carrying out the policies and procedures established for the efficient and economical management of records 
     Designate a member of his or her staff to serve as Records Liaison Officer for the implementation of the records management program in the department 
     In the event of the resignation, retirement, dismissal, or removal by action of the department head of a person designated as a Records Liaison Officer, the department head shall promptly designate another person to fill the vacancy.
   • A department head may serve as Records Liaison Officer for his or her department.
2. Records Liaison Officer (usually the administrative assistant or office manager) 
   
   • Shall be thoroughly familiar with all the records created and maintained by the department Conduct or supervise inventories of the records of the department in preparation for the development of records retention schedules In cooperation with the Records Management Officer coordinate and implement the policies and procedures of the records management program in their departments
   • Disseminate information to department staff concerning the records management program
3. Records Management Coordinator/ Officer
   • Acts as liaison between the agency and the State and Local Records Management Division Conduct or oversee the inventory of all agency records Direct Records Liaison Officers or other personnel in the conduct of records inventories in preparation for the development of records control schedules as required by state law Conduct or oversee the preparation, maintenance, and implementation of the agency records retention schedule. Monitor records retention schedules and administrative rules issued by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission to determine if the records management program and the records control schedules are in compliance with state regulations Instruct Records Liaison Officers and other personnel in policies and procedures of the records management plan and their duties in the records management program Assist in assuring that the maintenance, preservation, destruction, or other disposition of the records is carried out in accordance with the policies and procedures of the records management program and the requirements of state law
   • Attend training and information classes offered by the State and Local Records Management Division and coordinate records management training for agency staff, as needed   

• It is not a document-by-document inventory, but a descriptor of the function, use, or content of the records (i.e. correspondences, reports, raw data). 
  Each item is categorized based on a records series, which is a group of similar records that are normally filed in close proximity or used in conjunction with one another.
• The record inventory should be completed on a records inventory worksheet (the worksheet lists a description of the records, the manner in which they are categorized, the location and retention period of the record, as well as the record's medium, i.e. paper, tape, electronic).        

• Each records liaison officer should conduct an inventory on an annual basis (this may vary, based on the completion of the retention schedule). 
  The records management coordinator should act as a guide and source of reference for the records liaison officer. 
  Each inventory that is completed supersedes the previous inventory.
• Each time a record is transferred to another location.

• It makes future inventories effortless. 
  Faster retrieval of needed documents by all office personnel. 
  States the specific location of record and the medium of which the record is composed. 
  Assists in the disposition of outdated records. 
  It is a foundation for the records retention schedule. 
  Assists in audits.
• Reflects the type of equipment used for housing records.

• Determine the best plan for surveying records, confer with colleagues. 
  Begin moderately as to not become overwhelmed. 
  Develop a schedule and implement deadlines for completion.
• Work together as a unit within the department, obtain support from all records management role players.                         

[Texas Government Code § 441.185]Records Retention Schedule: The records retention schedule is the required document that lists the agency's records and establishes the retention period for each records series title including the length of time the records will be maintained in agency offices and inactive storage before final disposition. The document also shows the security status of the records, designates records that have archival value, verifies the record medium, and identifies vital records.

• It is maintained on a biannual basis (based on timeliness of approval and recertification by Texas State Library & The State Auditors Office).

• It allows the university to comply with legal obligations concerning retention and disposition of records. 
  It lists an accurate inventory of the location, retention period and types of record available. 
  It is a concise reference guide for audit purposes. 
  It is based on the university's inventory.
• It is the basis by which records may be legally disposed.