Records Retention Schedule

The university has adopted the UA Records Retention Schedule as its guideline for records retention and disposition using the Inter-University Council of Ohio (IUC) Records Retention Manual as a model.

The schedule is grouped by record series, defined as “a group of similar records that are arranged according to a filing system and that are related as the result of being created, received, or used in the same activity.” (The Society of American Archivists Dictionary of Archives Terminology).

Retention schedules cover records in any format, including paper, microfilm/fiche and electronic. The retention column indicates how long the record must be legally retained until final disposition.

Abbreviations used for retention periods in the schedule are defined below:

  • ACT = While Active
  • ACT+# = While Active + # of years
  • CR = Creation Date
  • CR+# = Creation Date + # of years
  • CY = Current Year
  • CY+# = Current Year + # of years
  • IND = Indefinite Retention (aka Permanent)
  • LOB = Life of Building
  • LOB+# = Life of Building + # of years
  • SUP = Until Superseded
  • Transient = Retention is not a fixed period of time and is event-driven; dispose after record is no longer needed
  • VAREV = Various Events: Retention is event-driven; follow disposition instructions in schedule
  • 3 Cycles = Pertains to the retention of electronic back-up files

Please refer to the FAQ page for more information regarding the above terms.

Please note:
Some record series titles in the schedule may be accompanied by notes in red text that are important instructions regarding those records series. Please pay special attention to notes that say “Review for continuing administrative and historical value and potential transfer to institutional archives” or any variation of this wording. Records identified in this manner are possibly archival and may need transferred to University Archives for permanent preservation and retention. If your department has any records that are designated in the schedule in this fashion and they are no longer active please contact the University Archivist and Head of Archives and Special Collections at 330-972-6253 or svfleis@uakron.edu.