Texas
Tech University's Records Retention Disposition (RRD) Log
When discarding university records, please fill
out the RRD form. Your department will need to maintain copies of your
disposition log as a paper trail for your disposed records. The logs must be
retained for 10 years and can be kept as one ongoing document. A blank RRD form
can be found in the middle of this page.
Important
things to keep in mind when disposing university records:
The retention time
for a record applies to the ONE "master copy" of a
document which is the original or "master" copy. Any extra
copies of a document are considered to be "convenience copies"
[aka duplicates], which can be disposed of at any time when it's
usefulness ends. At no time should a convenience copy be kept
longer than the record copy.
Convenience copies do not
have to listed on a disposition log. Only
MASTER
copies (originals) of records require a disposition log to be completed and a copy of
the form should be kept by the department to document a paper
trail of the department's records.
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Within many departments, 25-50% of the
records may be copies. Many records, such as travel, payroll and personnel
documents, are now done online and thus the master copy of these documents
are the electronic versions. The paper versions of these documents in most
office are copies and can be disposed of when no longer needed.
While the master copy of a record may reside
in any number of format - whether it be paper, electronic or microfilm form
- the retention time for that record remains what has been approved by
the State on TTU's records retention schedule, despite the format.
Non-Texas Tech "Library" type materials such
as conference brochures, programs and fliers are not considered a state
record and can be disposed of at any time. Materials generated by Texas Tech
and/or for the university as part of its function are considered state
records and need to follow the retention times approved by the State.
Records flagged as "archival" may contain
historical information that should be kept long term. Contact the University
Archivist, Lynn Whitfield, about transferring these records. She may be
reached at (806) 742-8675 or lynn.whitfield@ttu.edu
Click
here for a Blank Records Retention Disposition form
[word document]
Instructions for completing
the Records Disposition Log [examples of how to fill out the log are at the
bottom]:
1. Enter your department's name and mail
stop number.
2. Locate a description of your records
using the current TTU Records Retention
Schedule (RRS).
Keep in mind that you only have to list a
record type once for each disposition cycle. For example if you have
travel vouchers from 1988-1990 and 1993-1995, only list that record type as:
Examples an entry with multiple dates:
Record Type |
Agency item
# |
Retention
Time |
Dates
of Records |
Disposition
Method |
Signature
Authorizing
Disposition |
Disposition
Date |
Travel
vouchers |
136 |
FE+3 |
1988-1990, 1993-1995 |
Shred |
J.
Smith |
3/5/02 |
-
Write the Agency series # (RRS field #5)
that corresponds with those records.
-
Give the total retention time required (RRS
field #7) for those records. The retention time is the minimum time
approved by the State for maintain a particular record.
-
Give the date span for these records to be disposed.
This is listed as earliest year - latest year.
-
List the method for disposal for these records. The methods are listed at the bottom of the form.
-
Enter the name of the person authorized
to dispose of the records.
-
Enter the date of when the records
are actually destroyed.
Other examples of entries on a disposition log:
Record Type |
Agency Item
# |
Retention
Time |
Dates
of Records |
Disposition
Method |
Signature
Authorizing Disposition |
Disposition
Date |
Payroll Sheets |
245 |
4 |
1988-1996 |
Shred |
J.
Smith |
3/5/02 |
Billing Detail-
Telecommunications |
46 |
FE+3 |
1989-1995 |
Recycle |
J.
Smith |
3/5/02 |
Personnel
Information or Action Forms |
252 |
2 |
1990-1994, 1997-1999 |
Shred |
J.
Smith |
3/5/02 |
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Texas Tech University's Records Retention Home Page |