Records Management
The University of Notre Dame mandates responsible handling of University Records to ensure compliance with legal and financial requirements, to meet administrative needs, and to preserve permanently valuable records. The Records Management and Archives Policy designates the University Archives as responsible for establishing records retention schedules and records management procedures so that University Records are handled appropriately from their creation to their ultimate disposition.
University Records are defined as recorded information created or received in the course of conducting University business and kept as evidence of such activity. This definition extends to all record media and formats, including paper files, electronic files, email, film and print graphics, audio and video recordings, and any other form of recorded information.
Records management is the "systematic and administrative control of records throughout their life cycle to ensure efficiency and economy in their creation, use, handling, control, maintenance, and disposition." [1] The goal of the records management program at Notre Dame is to ensure that active records are available for business use, that historical records are retained for research purposes in the University Archives, and that inactive records are disposed of in accordance with established procedures and schedules.
The University Archives works with Notre Dame offices and with the Office of General Counsel to develop and implement records retention schedules. Records retention schedules provide thorough inventories of the records series created by an office in the course of business. These schedules also indicate how long an office is required to keep records and what must be done with the records when the retention period is fulfilled. To assist offices with the implementation of sound records management practices, the Archives provides general education and training as well as private consultation on any office's records management concerns.
Records management offers several significant advantages to individual offices and to the University:
- enhancing employee productivity and efficiency with quick and reliable access to information;
- reducing costs of records creation, organization, retrieval, dissemination, storage and maintenance;
- ensuring compliance with legal requirements and protecting the University in case of litigation;
- reducing risks of fines and penalties, security breaches, information theft or loss, and reputational damage;
- providing a framework to establish and maintain control of overabundant information resources;
- facilitating informed decision-making and effective performance of business processes;
- supporting and reinforcing strong business practices and organizational governance;
- ensuring preservation of and appropriate access to records of historical significance.
Consult the RM Site Map for a detailed outline of the Records Management section of the Archives website.
This page was last updated November 16, 2021