Retention & Disposal Schedule

Retention and Disposal Schedule for University Records

This Retention and Disposal Schedule has been drawn up under the auspices of the Advisory Group on Archives and Records Management, and, subject to approval by Senate and Council, is intended to be adopted for the use throughout the University.

The aims of the Schedule are:

to ensure the systematic transfer of records to the University Archive; · to provide advice to University staff on the length of time records should be kept in Departments or Faculties; · to provide guidance on the legislation applying to particular classes of record; · to ensure that the University can comply with the appropriate legislation, in particular the Freedom of Information Act.

The Schedule has been developed following the model retention schedule for Higher Education Institutions developed by JISC, which can be found at http://www.jisc.ac.uk/pub1/records_lifecycle/records_retention_schedule.

The Schedule groups records under the following functions, identified by JISC, which are common to all Higher Education Institutions:

1. Strategy Development and Implementation 2. External Relations 3. Teaching and Learning 4. Research and Development 5. Student Administration and Support 6. Resource Management

Notes:

When the Schedule has been accepted it will be important that the originating departments retain all records which they need for their own operational purposes for as long as they need them. Records should only be transferred to the Archives when they cease to be current.

Where it has been noted that records should be retained permanently by the Archives Service, such records may eventually be deposited in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) in accordance with any future strategy agreed between the University and PRONI. Any such strategy will be reviewed and approved by the Advisory Group on Archives and Records Management, and passed for adoption by the University.

In the event of any developments requiring a change of retention period, e.g. changes in legislation, the Archivist will have the discretion to make such a change, consulting as appropriate the Departments/Faculties concerned.

For the purposes of this document the term "Archives" is used to embrace the functions of records management and archives.