PRP 2200 - Records Management Policy for Historic University Records

  1. About
  2. University Senate and Governance
  3. Policies, Procedures, Standards and Guidelines
  4. PRP 2200 - Records Management Policy for Historic University Records

PRP 2200 - Records Management Policy for Historic University Records

Issued by: James Mackin, Ph.D., Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Notes: Issued by Wilson Bradshaw, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Effective date: May 29, 1996. Reviewed/endorsed by President's Cabinet February 22, 1996. Revised and endorsed by Forum April 25, 2007.

I. Purpose

To establish general procedures for the permanent preservation of University records of enduring and historic value and to authorize the work of the University Archivist and University Archives for the maintenance of these records.

II. Definition

University records are those produced or received by any agency, affiliated organization, or employee of the University in the official transaction of university business. Records, as defined in this policy, include information recorded in the conduct of the University's mission and bearing directly upon the activities and functions of the University or its officers and employees, regardless of medium or characteristics. The University's records include, but are not limited to, traditional paper documents such as printed forms, reports, correspondence, directives and publications; drawings; engineering diagrams; photographs; films; photographic images of paper records stored as micro-print; and any information produced by computers or other electronic media and stored as discs, tapes, or other machine readable media and data.

III. Policy

A. University Archives Administration of Historic Records

It is the responsibility of the University Archivist to oversee the operations of the University Archives and to work with the managers of all units to identify the permanently valuable records of the University. These managers, in consultation with the Archivist, will also work to identify those records not appropriate for long-term retention. The final decision regarding records that are appropriate for the University Archives resides with the manager of the relevant area. The University Archives, a division of the Harvey A. Andruss Library, is the official repository for the permanent retention of University records having enduring, research and historical values. The University Archives also includes professional and personal manuscript collections donated by members of the academic and administrative staffs and the records of faculty and student organizations. In the execution of the duties of this position, the University Archivist directs the established archival functions of: appraisal, accessioning, preservation, arrangement, description, reference service, exhibition and publication.

B. Types of University Records of Historic Value

The following list of University records of historical value is suggestive. Documentation need not be restricted to these types of records, and it is the responsibility of the University managers, in cooperation with the Archivist, to appraise any additional records that could be considered as having historical value to Bloomsburg University, and revise this list accordingly. As part of their normal duties in maintaining the records of their office, departmental and committee secretaries will work with the Archivist to see that those records determined to be historical are transferred to the Archives on a schedule to be determined by each office. The Archives should also be included on all campus mail and email lists for approved minutes, reports, publications and other University records as defined in this policy. Exceptions or restrictions on access to records can be worked out with the Archivist.

2. Reports of:

  • self-studies, including 5-year reviews, and accreditation visits;
  • annual budgets and audits;
  • offices of admissions, institutional research, university relations-public relations both on- and off-campus and development (fundraising);
  • research projects.

3. Historically significant records of:

  • departments, e.g., subject files, approved minutes, syllabi and course materials, reports, course and program proposals, manuals;
  • offices, e.g., subject files, minutes, reports, budgets;
  • current, retired, resigned, terminated, or deceased personnel the school employed, e.g. vitae, biographical materials, publications;
  • the registrar, e.g., calendars, course descriptions and schedules, graduation rosters, and other reports issued on a regular basis.

4. All University publications produced both on- and off-campus, including newsletters, posters, brochures, flyers, booklets and all promotional materials about or distributed in the name of the institution. These include but are not limited to posters, magazines, catalogs, special bulletins, yearbooks, student handbooks and newspapers, university directories and faculty/staff rosters, alumni magazines, and ephemeral materials [See Glossary]. At least one copy of all publications formerly in print and currently produced solely in electronic form will be made available to the Archives by the originating office. This is to be done in either format (or preferably both) on an ongoing basis whenever a new version is made available.

5. Special format materials documenting the operation and development of the institution, such as:

  • audio, audiovisual and multi-media productions - still photographs, slides, and negatives, films, CDs and DVDs, audio and video cassettes;
  • maps, blueprints, and plot plans of the campus and its buildings.

6. Masters and Honors theses, and student and departmental papers presented in lieu of a thesis.

7. Digital and other electronic records and databases or lists of where such items are maintained and finding aids for accessing them.

8. Artifacts related to the institution as space permits.

9. Records and papers produced and donated by University-related individuals, e.g., faculty, staff, and students while actively connected with the University, and alumni; records of academic, honorary, service, and social organizations of students, faculty, administrators, and staff on campus; manuscript collections related to Bloomsburg University.

Glossary of Terms

Ephemeral Materials - Items, usually printed documents (e.g. advertisements, tickets, and brochures) created for a specific, limited purpose, collected by a repository as examples for use in exhibits. Individuals often collect ephemera as mementos or souvenirs because of their association with some person, event, or subject.

Report - A document containing the results of an investigation or research, with a narrative, summary, or record of events, decisions, and understandings. Reports can be routine, issued at regular intervals to provide information on normal operations; or periodic, being special reports which analyze a specific problem, opportunity, idea, or physical entity.

Subject File - A collection of file folders containing documents, created by an office or individual, relating to various topics and arranged in alphabetical order by folder heading. Subject files can relate to any type of topic, such as an action, event, organization, person, place, project, or other subject.