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Records Retention

Applicants Who Do Not Enter, Whether Accepted or Rejected

Record CategoryRetention Schedule
Acceptance Letters3 years after application term
Advanced placement records3 years after application term
Application for Admission3 years after application term
Entrance examination reports
(ACT, SAT, GMAT, GRE, etc.)
Placement scores3 years after application term
Readmission Forms3 years after application term
Test Scores3 years after application term
Transcripts – other colleges3 years after application term
Transcripts – high school3 years after application term
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Records for applicants who do not enter are not covered by FERPA.

Applicants Who Enter

Record CategoryRetention Schedule
Acceptance letters5 years after graduation or
last date of attendance
Advanced placement records5 years after graduation or
last date of attendance
Applications for Admission/Readmission5 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 scores5 years after graduation or
last date of attendance
Transcripts – other colleges5 years after graduation or
last date of attendance

Retention periods recommended above are based on:

  1. 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.
  2. Uniform retention periods allow for the destruction of the entire folder which will save considerable sorting.
  3. Essential data will be recorded on Permanent Transcript Academic Records.

Financial Records

Record CategoryRetention Schedule
ACCOUNTING, FINANCE AND PAYROLL
Accounts payable and receivable records7 years
Books of accounts7 years
Banking records7 years
Financial statements; annual
reports to government agencies
Permanent
BudgetsPermanent
Payroll records7 years
Employee benefit plans1 year after term of plan
Tax returns and supporting records7 years

Development

Record CategoryRetention Schedule
DEVELOPMENT
Fundraising5 years after end of registration period
EndowmentPermanent
Scholarship Fund AgreementsPermanent

Last updated 12/07/16

Employment Records

Record CategoryRetention Schedule
Records relating to taking of leave under Family Medical Leave Act3 years
EEOC reports5 years
EEO-17 years
Personnel files7 years from termination
Training records4 years
In-Service records4 years
Educational programs4 years
Records of workers employed under
special certificates
3 years
Wage-hour administrator certificates
and notices
5 years
Immigration records3 years after hire or 1 year after termination, whichever is later
Attendance records3 years
Other employment records3 years

Occupational Safety and Health Records

Record CategoryRetention Schedule
Medical tests and screening required by law30 years after employee termination
Records of personal or environmental monitoring of exposure to hazardous substances30 years after employee termination
Employee records of significant adverse effect to health or environmental hazards30 years after employee termination
Employee records of allegations concerning
exposure to environmental hazards against employer
30 years after employee termination
Other employee health records7 years after employee termination

Benefit Plan

Record CategoryRetention Schedule
Description of benefit plans, seniority or merit pay systems1 year after term of plan
Benefit plan descriptions and ERISA benefits6 years

Last updated 12/07/16

Registrar Records

Record CategoryRetention Schedule
Add/drop request3 years after request
Application to major5 years after graduation or
last date of attendance
Application for graduation1 year after graduation or
last date of attendance
Academic disciplinary action records5 years after graduation or
last date of attendance
Class rosters Permanent
Class schedulesPermanent
Correspondence regarding academics5 years after graduation or
last date of attendance
Degree audit records5 years after graduation or
last date of attendance
FERPA, requests for formal hearingsLife of the affected record
FERPA, requests for disclosures of personally identifiable informationLife of the affected record
FERPA, requests for nondisclosure of directory information1 year after date submitted
FERPA, student’s written consent for records disclosureUntil terminated by student or
life of the affected record
FERPA, waivers for rights of accessUntil terminated by student or
life of the affected record
FERPA, written decisions of hearing panelsLife of the affected record
General education/degree requirement waivers5 years after graduation or
last date of attendance
Grade records (transcripts),
including change of grade
Permanent
Name and address changes1 year after change
Program evaluation for graduates5 years after graduation or
last date of attendance
Transcript requests1 year after request
Transfer credit evaluations5 years after graduation or
last date of attendance
Veteran’s certification3 years after graduation or
last date of attendance

Other Academic and Student Records

Record CategoryRetention Schedule
University catalogPermanent
Enrollment statisticsPermanent
Financial aid records5 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 records3 years after graduation or last date of attendance
Tuition fees and schedulesPermanent

Last updated 12/07/16

Board of Trustees and Other Governance, Committees and Meetings

Record CategoryRetention Schedule
Minutes of the Board of Trustees and Committees, Academic Committees, and Administrative reportsPermanent
Minutes of other committees and meetings5 years

Contracts/Legal

Record CategoryRetention Schedule
Design and Construction contractsLife of building
Other contracts 10 years after termination
Insurance policiesPermanent
Equipment warrantiesLife of equipment
Patent, trademark and other intellectual property recordsPermanent
Litigation, claims, risk management, incident reports7 years
Authorizations for release of records, subpoenas, court orders7 years
Real property recordsPermanent
Policies and procedures10 years after withdrawal/revision

Regulatory Records

Record CategoryRetention Schedule
Accreditation recordsPermanent
Licensure recordsPermanent

Faculty Records

Record CategoryRetention Schedule
Faculty meeting minutes10 years
Faculty promotion and tenure records, and tenure review recordsPermanent
Conflict of interest disclosuresPermanent

Search Records

Record CategoryRetention Schedule
Presidential search recordsPermanent
Academic search records2 years from date search is completed

Public Safety Records

Record CategoryRetention Schedule
Public Safety Records5 years

Miscellaneous

Record CategoryRetention Schedule
Annual ReportsPermanent
Commencement listsPermanent

Last updated 12/20/16

Physical Plant and Equipment Records

Record CategoryRetention Schedule
CONSTRUCTION
Building plans and specificationsLife of building; transfer to storage after building destruction
FACILITIES
Operational manualsLife of building
Records of fire, internal disaster and evacuation plan drills4 years (or until the matter is fully resolved)
Records of fire department inspection4 years
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Records of inventory, use and control of radioactive materials30 years
Records of disposal or abatement of toxic
and hazardous waste
30 years
Records of hazardous waste generating30 years
Records of employee exposure to hazardous substances30 years
Records of asbestos exposure30 years
EQUIPMENT
Records of required testing of fire protection equipment4 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 records4 years
Records of inspection, performance,
exercising period and repairs of emergency
power equipment
4 years
Evidence of required hydrostatic testing or portable fire extinguishersUntil hydrostatically retested at stated intervals or until taken out of service
Mechanical and electrical equipment checks4 years
Written report and evaluation of all external disaster plans4 years

Student Life Records

Record CategoryRetention Schedule
Athletic contest scores and statisticsPermanent
Athletic Training – athlete injury files7 years
Career Services Intern files5 years after graduation or last date of attendance
University and local publications (news releases, newsletters, etc.)Permanent
Health Services files7 years after the file is closed
Media guidesPermanent
NCAA/NAIA case files/infraction files7 years from date of last incident
Student counseling files7 years after case is closed
Student disciplinary files5 years after the date of last attendance
Student handbooksPermanent
Team rostersPermanent

Alumni Records

Record CategoryRetention Schedule
Alumni Board recordsPermanent
Alumni contact recordsPermanent
Credential files, students and alumniPermanent
Reunion class filesPermanent
Alumni Athletes by sportPermanent

Last updated 12/07/16