Records Retention
Applicants Who Do Not Enter, Whether Accepted or Rejected
| Record Category | Retention Schedule |
|---|---|
| Acceptance Letters | 3 years after application term |
| Advanced placement records | 3 years after application term |
| Application for Admission | 3 years after application term |
| Entrance examination reports (ACT, SAT, GMAT, GRE, etc.) | |
| Placement scores | 3 years after application term |
| Readmission Forms | 3 years after application term |
| Test Scores | 3 years after application term |
| Transcripts – other colleges | 3 years after application term |
| Transcripts – high school | 3 years after application term |
- Although the retention period recommended for documents listed above is one year, IRS requires that for tax-exempt status for private institutions, the records of applicants who apply and do not enter be retained for three years. Also, VA regulations require that all recruitment materials be retained for three years.
- Some documents from institutions in other countries may be originals and therefore difficult or impossible for the applicant to replace. The records custodian may want to return these documents to the applicant rather than destroy them.
- Records for applicants who do not enter are not covered by FERPA.
Applicants Who Enter
| Record Category | Retention Schedule |
|---|---|
| Acceptance letters | 5 years after graduation or last date of attendance |
| Advanced placement records | 5 years after graduation or last date of attendance |
| Applications for Admission/Readmission | 5 years after graduation or last date of attendance |
| Entrance examination reports (ACT, SAT, GMAT, GRE, etc.) | 5 years after graduation or last date of attendance |
| Placement scores | 5 years after graduation or last date of attendance |
| Transcripts – other colleges | 5 years after graduation or last date of attendance |
Retention periods recommended above are based on:
- The forms are maintained in individual student folders kept in the Registrar’s office and are retained no longer than five years after graduation or date, term, or semester and year of last attendance.
- Uniform retention periods allow for the destruction of the entire folder which will save considerable sorting.
- Essential data will be recorded on Permanent Transcript Academic Records.
Financial Records
| Record Category | Retention Schedule |
|---|---|
| ACCOUNTING, FINANCE AND PAYROLL | |
| Accounts payable and receivable records | 7 years |
| Books of accounts | 7 years |
| Banking records | 7 years |
| Financial statements; annual reports to government agencies | Permanent |
| Budgets | Permanent |
| Payroll records | 7 years |
| Employee benefit plans | 1 year after term of plan |
| Tax returns and supporting records | 7 years |
Development
| Record Category | Retention Schedule |
|---|---|
| DEVELOPMENT | |
| Fundraising | 5 years after end of registration period |
| Endowment | Permanent |
| Scholarship Fund Agreements | Permanent |
Last updated 12/07/16
Employment Records
| Record Category | Retention Schedule |
|---|---|
| Records relating to taking of leave under Family Medical Leave Act | 3 years |
| EEOC reports | 5 years |
| EEO-1 | 7 years |
| Personnel files | 7 years from termination |
| Training records | 4 years |
| In-Service records | 4 years |
| Educational programs | 4 years |
| Records of workers employed under special certificates | 3 years |
| Wage-hour administrator certificates and notices | 5 years |
| Immigration records | 3 years after hire or 1 year after termination, whichever is later |
| Attendance records | 3 years |
| Other employment records | 3 years |
Occupational Safety and Health Records
| Record Category | Retention Schedule |
|---|---|
| Medical tests and screening required by law | 30 years after employee termination |
| Records of personal or environmental monitoring of exposure to hazardous substances | 30 years after employee termination |
| Employee records of significant adverse effect to health or environmental hazards | 30 years after employee termination |
| Employee records of allegations concerning exposure to environmental hazards against employer | 30 years after employee termination |
| Other employee health records | 7 years after employee termination |
Benefit Plan
| Record Category | Retention Schedule |
|---|---|
| Description of benefit plans, seniority or merit pay systems | 1 year after term of plan |
| Benefit plan descriptions and ERISA benefits | 6 years |
Last updated 12/07/16
Registrar Records
| Record Category | Retention Schedule |
|---|---|
| Add/drop request | 3 years after request |
| Application to major | 5 years after graduation or last date of attendance |
| Application for graduation | 1 year after graduation or last date of attendance |
| Academic disciplinary action records | 5 years after graduation or last date of attendance |
| Class rosters | Permanent |
| Class schedules | Permanent |
| Correspondence regarding academics | 5 years after graduation or last date of attendance |
| Degree audit records | 5 years after graduation or last date of attendance |
| FERPA, requests for formal hearings | Life of the affected record |
| FERPA, requests for disclosures of personally identifiable information | Life of the affected record |
| FERPA, requests for nondisclosure of directory information | 1 year after date submitted |
| FERPA, student’s written consent for records disclosure | Until terminated by student or life of the affected record |
| FERPA, waivers for rights of access | Until terminated by student or life of the affected record |
| FERPA, written decisions of hearing panels | Life of the affected record |
| General education/degree requirement waivers | 5 years after graduation or last date of attendance |
| Grade records (transcripts), including change of grade | Permanent |
| Name and address changes | 1 year after change |
| Program evaluation for graduates | 5 years after graduation or last date of attendance |
| Transcript requests | 1 year after request |
| Transfer credit evaluations | 5 years after graduation or last date of attendance |
| Veteran’s certification | 3 years after graduation or last date of attendance |
Other Academic and Student Records
| Record Category | Retention Schedule |
|---|---|
| University catalog | Permanent |
| Enrollment statistics | Permanent |
| Financial aid records | 5 years after annual audit has been accepted |
| Foreign student forms (I-20) | 5 years after graduation or last date of attendance |
| 5 years after graduation or last date of attendance Student academic files (departmental) | 10 years after graduation or last date of attendance |
| Student specific financial aid assistance records | 3 years after graduation or last date of attendance |
| Tuition fees and schedules | Permanent |
Last updated 12/07/16
Board of Trustees and Other Governance, Committees and Meetings
| Record Category | Retention Schedule |
|---|---|
| Minutes of the Board of Trustees and Committees, Academic Committees, and Administrative reports | Permanent |
| Minutes of other committees and meetings | 5 years |
Contracts/Legal
| Record Category | Retention Schedule |
|---|---|
| Design and Construction contracts | Life of building |
| Other contracts | 10 years after termination |
| Insurance policies | Permanent |
| Equipment warranties | Life of equipment |
| Patent, trademark and other intellectual property records | Permanent |
| Litigation, claims, risk management, incident reports | 7 years |
| Authorizations for release of records, subpoenas, court orders | 7 years |
| Real property records | Permanent |
| Policies and procedures | 10 years after withdrawal/revision |
Regulatory Records
| Record Category | Retention Schedule |
|---|---|
| Accreditation records | Permanent |
| Licensure records | Permanent |
Faculty Records
| Record Category | Retention Schedule |
|---|---|
| Faculty meeting minutes | 10 years |
| Faculty promotion and tenure records, and tenure review records | Permanent |
| Conflict of interest disclosures | Permanent |
Search Records
| Record Category | Retention Schedule |
|---|---|
| Presidential search records | Permanent |
| Academic search records | 2 years from date search is completed |
Public Safety Records
| Record Category | Retention Schedule |
|---|---|
| Public Safety Records | 5 years |
Miscellaneous
| Record Category | Retention Schedule |
|---|---|
| Annual Reports | Permanent |
| Commencement lists | Permanent |
Last updated 12/20/16
Physical Plant and Equipment Records
| Record Category | Retention Schedule |
|---|---|
| CONSTRUCTION | |
| Building plans and specifications | Life of building; transfer to storage after building destruction |
| FACILITIES | |
| Operational manuals | Life of building |
| Records of fire, internal disaster and evacuation plan drills | 4 years (or until the matter is fully resolved) |
| Records of fire department inspection | 4 years |
| HEALTH AND SAFETY | |
| Records of inventory, use and control of radioactive materials | 30 years |
| Records of disposal or abatement of toxic and hazardous waste | 30 years |
| Records of hazardous waste generating | 30 years |
| Records of employee exposure to hazardous substances | 30 years |
| Records of asbestos exposure | 30 years |
| EQUIPMENT | |
| Records of required testing of fire protection equipment | 4 years |
| Records of periodic inspections of extinguishing systems | Until the container is reinspected or its life |
| Material hoists, personnel hoists and elevator standards and certification records | 4 years |
| Records of inspection, performance, exercising period and repairs of emergency power equipment | 4 years |
| Evidence of required hydrostatic testing or portable fire extinguishers | Until hydrostatically retested at stated intervals or until taken out of service |
| Mechanical and electrical equipment checks | 4 years |
| Written report and evaluation of all external disaster plans | 4 years |
Student Life Records
| Record Category | Retention Schedule |
|---|---|
| Athletic contest scores and statistics | Permanent |
| Athletic Training – athlete injury files | 7 years |
| Career Services Intern files | 5 years after graduation or last date of attendance |
| University and local publications (news releases, newsletters, etc.) | Permanent |
| Health Services files | 7 years after the file is closed |
| Media guides | Permanent |
| NCAA/NAIA case files/infraction files | 7 years from date of last incident |
| Student counseling files | 7 years after case is closed |
| Student disciplinary files | 5 years after the date of last attendance |
| Student handbooks | Permanent |
| Team rosters | Permanent |
Alumni Records
| Record Category | Retention Schedule |
|---|---|
| Alumni Board records | Permanent |
| Alumni contact records | Permanent |
| Credential files, students and alumni | Permanent |
| Reunion class files | Permanent |
| Alumni Athletes by sport | Permanent |
Last updated 12/07/16