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Records Retention Schedule
This schedule documents the minimum retention periods for Keele University records. It has been written following consultation with representatives of the relevant functional areas and in line with JISC Guidance on University retention.
The retention schedule is an important element in the ‘whole life’ management of University Records. Defining the length of time a record should be retained, assists in the process of determining the most efficient and appropriate methods of creating, storing and disseminating them.
The Records Retention schedule is owned and maintained by The Governance team. If you have any questions regarding the schedule and its contents, please contact The Governance team in the first instance.
It covers:
A Retention Schedule documents the length of time records should be retained in order to comply with legal and regulatory requirements, balanced with the operational requirements of the University. The Schedule describes:
- The record
- Examples or descriptions of what makes the record
- The minimum retention period
- The recommended disposal action
- The supporting justification
This information is presented in the following format:
|
Description |
Minimum Retention Period |
Action |
Citation |
|
Examples or descriptions |
The minimum retention period |
The recommended disposal action |
The supporting justificatio |
Retention periods are independent of format and therefore can be applied to any medium whether paper or electronic.
Retention periods in this document are defined as the minimum, which means that files may be retained for a longer period, should they be required locally, but must not be disposed of prior to the end of the retention period.
Retention periods are formulated based on a number of factors:
- The Data Protection Act 1998 – which regulates how the University uses and stored personal information, protects individuals from the misuse of this information and provides individuals the right to access this information. Additionally, this Act ensures that information is not held for longer than necessary.
- The Limitation Act 1980 – sets out time limits for former students (after their departure from the University) in which they are entitled to take civil action against the University and for which the University may use the files as evidence.
- Professional, Statutory and regulatory bodies – Courses accredited by professional, statutory or regulatory bodies are required to comply with any specific requirements made by these bodies
- Cost – the cost of storage and maintenance of records (both paper and electronic)
- Freedom of Information Act 2000 – The Freedom of Information Act provides a general right of access to the University’s records: the public have the right to be told whether information exists and to receive that information (subject to certain exemptions) within 20 working days of making a request. It is an offence to deliberately withhold or destroy information to prevent disclosure, so the University must demonstrate that any destruction takes place within documented retention periods.
- JISC Guidance – Where no legal or regulatory requirement is available to define retention periods, the JISC ‘best practice recommendation’ is used.
Long-Term Storage of Paper Records
The retention schedule may identify some records that are required to be retained for several years although they may no longer be referenced on a regular basis. These records are to be stored in a safe environment and would normally be stored in the Campus Library building. Questions regarding long-term storage of records should be directed to the Secretariat in the first instance.
At the end of a designated retention period, appropriate action should be taken against the record as outlined in the retention schedule. These will be:
- Dispose – The record can be disposed of using an appropriate method. This may be ‘delete’ for electronic records, or disposed of in the appropriate waste-bin for non-confidential records. All confidential records, including those containing personal or financial information should be disposed of by shredding where possible and through the confidential waste system in all cases. A record should be kept of the disposal. (please see guidance on the records management web-pages)
- Review – Documents marked for review at the end of their retention period may be required for a longer period. Therefore, their status should be checked before any action is taken.
Implementation should be at a local level within Schools/Research Institutes/Departments. A nominated individual, in conjunction with the Records Manager should ensure that suitable methods are in place to store records in an appropriate manner (electronic or hard copy), enabling the identification of records as they reach the end of their defined retention period as well as overseeing their disposal.
Inaccuracies
This retention schedule is subject to review and revisions periodically. Notification will be made to all staff when amendments to the Retention Schedule have been made. If you notice any inaccuracies within the schedule, any records that are not covered within the schedule or any points of clarification, you should contact Jen Paddison to discuss.
The Schedule is split into categories as indexed below. To seek further information on the retention periods for these categories, please select that appropriate link from the list below.
1 Teaching
2 Research
B Student Administration & Support
3 Student Administration
4 Student Support
5 Related Companies Management
6 Commercial Services Management
7 Retail Trading
8 Public Relations Management
9 Media Relations Management
10 HE Sector Relations Management
11 Community Relations Management
12 Alumni Relations Management
13 Fundraising
14 Publishing
15 Strategic Planning & Performance Management (including Statutory Returns)
16 Governance
17 Risk Management
18 Quality Management
19 Audit
20 Legal Affairs Management
21 Government Relations Management
22 HE Regulator Relations Management
23 Students’ Union and Postgraduate Association Relations Management
24 Organisational Development
25 Health and Safety Management
26 Environmental Management
27 Estate Management
28 Finance Management
29 Human Resources
30 Information Resources Management
31 Intellectual Property Management
32 Information & Communications Technology (ICT) Systems Management
33 Equipment and Consumables
34 Insurance Management
35 Procurement
36 Internal Services Management
G Students’ Union and Postgraduate Association
37 Keele University Students’ Union
38 Keele Postgraduate Association
