Records Retention & Disposition Schedule

Using the Schedule: How to Find Records in the Schedule

In order to provide a variety of ways to find records and to use the schedule, the records are grouped and linked in three different ways: by category, title, or responsible unit. In addition, you may view the General Records Retention Schedule for Oregon Community Colleges, Oregon Administrative Rules, Division 166, Chapter 450 on the Oregon State Archives web. Finally, you may search the schedule using the search tool.

Understanding the Schedule: About the Schedule

Community College General Schedule
Lane's Schedule
Minimum Retentions
Retention Periods
Calculating Retention Periods
Official / Record Copy
Responsible Unit
Applying the Schedule
Schedule Format: Sample

Community College General Schedule: This records retention and dispostion schedule was developed by the Oregon State Archives following a long process of records inventory and analysis including extensive consultation with the community colleges. It is a general schedule applicable to all community colleges in Oregon. It became effective on August 5, 1998, and replaces the Lane Community College Records Retention Schedule of 1979.

Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR) Division 166, Chapter 450 contains the Records Retention Schedule for Oregon Community Colleges.

Lane's Schedule: The schedule published on this web site is tailored to meet the record keeping practices and needs of Lane Community College. It differs slightly in content (a few of the retention periods have been extended; disposition of records and assignment of the record copy holder is included) and format from the General Records Retention Schedule for Oregon Community Colleges, OAR 166-450.

Minimum Retentions: According to state administrative rules, the retention periods established in this schedule are 'minimum' retentions. This means that the records must be kept for at least as long as the stated retentions. The retentions are not 'maximum' retentions and the records may be kept longer than the stated retention period if necessary. If you wish to keep records longer than the stated retention period, consult the college Archivist.

Retention Periods: The retention period is determined by applying a variety of critera to the records:

Records which document the administrative, legal, and financial functions and activities of the college.
Records may have long-term or historical value because they contain information of historical interest to the creating department, the college, the community, and to future researchers.
Federal requirements
Oregon statutes and administrative rules
LCC policy and the needs of the creators of the records
Best business practices and professional standards
These types of questions are often asked when deciding on retention periods:
- How often do I need to refer to the records?
- What would be the consequences if the records no longer existed?
- Is access to the records restricted by confidentiality and privacy concerns?
- Do the records exist in another form (paper, electronic, microfilm)?
- What effect will the format of the records have on the long-term accessibility and preservation of the records or information?
- Will electronic records remain accessible despite changes in hardware and software?

Calculating Retention Periods: Retention periods are typically based upon the:

calendar year (January 1 - December 31)
fiscal year (July 1 - June 30)
academic year (July 1 - June 30)

The retention period is calculated from the latest date of records in an entire series or group of similar records. For example, if financial records have a retention period of five years, and the records were created during the 1995-1996 fiscal year (July 1, 1995 - June 30, 1996), the five-year retention period begins on July 1, 1996 and ends five years later on July 1, 2001. Retention periods are not calculated from the accession date or time of transfer to the Records Center for storage.

Record Copy: Retention periods, as specified in the records retention schedule, apply to the record or official copy of the record or document. Typically, there will be only one record copy which will be retained by the department or person who created the record.

Responsible Unit: A records retention schedule typically indicates which office or department is responsible for keeping the record copy. The department or person who created the records will generally be responsible for keeping the records; however, that responsibility may be assigned to another department by mutual agreement. For example, college finance typically retains the record copy of financial records, even though those records may originate with another department or office and multiple copies of the record may exist.

Applying the Schedule: The schedule lists and describes records that community colleges may create and maintain. It is a general schedule that applies to all Oregon community colleges, which have a wide range of organizational models and procedures.

If a department has records that are listed in the schedule, then those records are governed by the schedule. However, the schedule does not require certain record keeping practices, and it should not be assumed that the listed records must be created and maintained.

Furthermore, the schedule does not indicate or prescribe a certain format or media (paper, microfilm, electronic records, optical disks, photographs, audio and video recordings, etc.) The schedule applies to records and the information they contain regardless of format.

The retention periods listed in the schedule refer only to the official or record copy of the document. No authorization for destruction of reference or convenience copies is required.

Schedule Format: Sample

Board of Education Records [A]
Schedule Number: 166-450-0005 (13) [B]
[Governing Board Records] [C]

Records document the functions and policies of the [D]
Board of Education, Board of Directors, or other similarly named governing body of the college. The Board of Education has primary authority for establishing policies governing the operation of the college and adopting the college's annual budget. The board is composed of elected members from designated geographical zones in the college district. Records include but are not limited to:

(a)
Agendas, [E]
Audio recordings of meeting proceedings,
Certificates of election,
Correspondence,
Meeting minutes,
Oaths of office,
Policies adopted, reauthorized, or disapproved,
Resolutions (Resolutions concerning financial policies and activities may become a part of the Budget Document.)

Retention: permanent [F]
Disposition: transfer to Archives [G]
Responsible unit: President's Office [H]

(b)
Board Mailings: The records may also include [E]
a booklet or package of information prepared before the board meetings. The packet may include the meeting agenda, minutes, background information about agenda items, reports, action items, and other information items.

Retention: permanent [F]
Disposition: transfer to Archives [G]
Responsible unit: President's Office [H]

Note: [J]

KEY

[A] Title: descriptive title of the records series.

[B] Schedule Number: unique number referring to records retention schedule number assigned by the Oregon State Archives.

[C] Alternate Title: another name for the same or similar records that may be used by other departments, colleges, or in the state general records retention schedule.

[D] Description: narrative description of the records summarizing the activities or functions of the records and explaining why the records were created and what their purpose is.

[E] Contents: list of the specific types of materials, documents, or information contained in the records.

[F] Retention Period: the retention statement is the minimum length of time that the records must be kept.

[G] Disposition: the disposition statement indicates what to do with the record (transfer to storage, transfer to Archives, destroy).

[H] Responsible Unit: the responsible unit is the department or office which holds the official or record copy and is therefore responsible for keeping and disposing of the record.

[I] Related Records: a cross reference to similar or related records.

[J] Access & Confidentiality Note: some records may have restricted access because of privacy issues or they may require special handling and confidential destruction because they contain information that must remain confidential.