Administrative Records

This Records Retention Schedule is applicable to the administrative records of Ball State University. Retention periods apply to all public records, regardless of medium or physical format, created or stored by University agencies.

Dispositions of "Transfer to the University Archives" or "Transfer to University Archives for Review" refer to those items which may have historical value and should be preserved permanently. Rather than destroying those records at the end of their retention period, they should be transferred to the University Archives.

Annual Reports: Summaries of accomplishments, goals, awards received, anticipated program needs and plans, etc.
Retention: 5 years after end of reporting period
Disposition: Transfer to Archives

Award Files: A record of achievements and special recognition for a program, department or individual.
Retention: 3 years after date of award
Disposition: Transfer to Archives for Review

Ballots: A record of the votes cast to decide on a policy/procedure change or to determine the outcome of a departmental choice.
Retention: 1 year after count verified
Disposition: Destroy

Calendars, Appointment Books, Daily Schedules, Telephone Logs: A record of BSU-related appointments, schedules, meetings, visitors and routine phone call logs.
Retention:1 year after end of calendar year
Disposition: Destroy

Correspondence: Written communications between/within BSU offices/departments and other BSU offices/departments or non-BSU entities.
Retention: 5 years after end of calendar year
Disposition: Transfer to Archives for Review

Equipment Inventory Reports (Physical Inventories): A record of BSU-owned and federally-owned equipment held or deleted by departments.
NOTE: Inventory is updated annually by a department and recorded by the Equipment Inventory Office.
Retention: until superseded by updated and approved Equipment Inventory Report
Disposition: Destroy

Equipment Maintenance/Service Reports: A record of equipment maintenance and repair. May include work performed by other BSU units, work performed by outside companies under a service agreement with a BSU department or work performed by outside companies not under a service agreement. Does not include medical equipment.
Retention: 6 years after service date
Disposition: Destroy

Gift Activity Report: Provides an office with regular notification of gift activity including deposits to a gift budget. Used to generate gift acknowledgement letters.
Retention: administrative purpose served
Disposition: Destroy

History Files: Documentation of the history and development of an office, program or event. May include photographs, videotapes, newsletter, etc.
Retention: 5 years after end of calendar year
Disposition: Transfer to Archives

Incident Reports: Internal departmental reports of facility damage, theft of BSU property, etc., when no claim has been filed.
NOTE: This is not the official BSU Police "Incident Report" or "Accident/Incident Report" (injuries).
Retention: 1 year after end of calendar year
Disposition: Destroy

Insurance: A record of insurance policies for property such as scientific instruments, equipment or fine art. May include correspondence, photographs, policies and claims.
Retention:6 years after termination or renewal of policy,
Disposition: Transfer to Archives for review

Insurance -- Special Needs: A record of documentation and policies pertaining to special insurance needs.
Retention: 6 years after termination or renewal of policy
Disposition: Transfer to Archives for review

Litigation Evidence Files: Material held for on-going litigation to which an office is a party. Generated as duplicates of materials found in existing record series. May include correspondence, financial records, personnel folders, etc.
Retention: 6 years after termination of litigation
Disposition: Transfer to Archives for Review

Litigation Files: Material created specifically in response to litigation. May be in the form of background material, evidence files, correspondence, meeting minutes, reports, statistics, etc.
Retention: 10 years after termination of litigation
Disposition: Transfer to Archives for Review

Monthly Reports: Summaries of monthly activity or project/program status.
Retention: 3 years after end of month
Disposition: Transfer to Archives for review

Organization Charts and Listings: Records of a department's organizational structure or its relationship to other offices and departments. May delineate lines of responsibility, chain of command, etc.
Retention: until superseded
Disposition: Transfer to Archives  

Photos, Slides, Videotapes, Audiotapes: Multi-media record of events, people, facilities and activities. Used for promotional or instructional purposes, or to document events, etc.
Retention: administrative purpose served
Disposition: Transfer to Archives for review

Planning/Project Files: Documentation of long-range goal setting and long-range planning for both special projects and general office operations. May include correspondence, notes, reports, budget information, etc.
Retention: 5 years after calendar year
Disposition: T ransfer to Archives for review

Policies and Procedures: Records of the establishment of policies and procedures. May include background material and drafts, manuals, directives, etc.
Retention: until superseded
Disposition: Transfer to Archives

Project Status Reports: Summaries of project progress/status.
Retention: 3 years after project completion
Disposition: Transfer to Archives

Property Activity Requests: A record of the disposition of equipment from a department - either through surplus, transfer, or sale. May include State of Indiana documentation.
Retention 6 years after sale, transfer or deletion of equipment
Disposition: Destroy

Public Records Requests: Official notice sent by to University Communications requesting records needed for disclosure.
Retention: 6 years after end of month
Disposition: Transfer to Archives for Review

Publications Production Records: Documentation of the production of materials for publication by a department or program. May include rough drafts and working materials for brochures, flyers, announcements, reports, newsletters, etc.
Retention: 3 years after date of publication
Disposition: Transfer one copy of final publication to Archives

Quarterly Reports: A quarterly record of departmental activities, achievements, etc.
Retention: 3 years after end of quarter
Disposition: Transfer to Archives for review

Records Retention Schedules: Listing of unique records created or received by BSU offices listing approved retention period for each series.
Retention: 1 year after disposal of last record
Disposition: Destroy

Request for Use of University Facilities: A record of requests to use BSU facilities for events which are open to the general public, or which involve the co-sponsorship of a non-University organization by a University academic or administrative unit.
Retention: 5 years after end of calendar year
Disposition: Transfer to Archives for Review

Room Assignment Requests: A record of requests from departments for the assignment of classrooms, meeting or conference rooms.
Retention: 1 year after end of quarter
Disposition: Destroy

Space Survey: Annual inventory of space assigned to each department, with functional designations for each room or area.
Retention: 10 years after end of calendar year
Disposition: Transfer to Archives

Subject Files: Files arranged alphabetically by topic for subjects of relevance to the work of an office. May include correspondence, memos, reports, statistics, etc.
Official Copy: Any Office
Retention: 5 years after end of calendar year
Disposition: Transfer to Archives for review

Subpoenas: Legal document requiring recipient to appear in court to testify, or to produce records to be used in litigation.
Official Copy: Any Office
Retention: 6 years after case closed/records produced
Disposition: Destroy

Surveys/Questionnaires: Individual responses to surveys or questionnaires.
Official Copy: Any Office
Retention: 1 year after results compiled
Disposition: Destroy

Survey/Questionnaire Reports: A summary record of the compiled responses to surveys or questionnaires. Includes blank sample survey form and report of results.
Retention: 3 years after end of calendar year
Disposition: Transfer to Archives for review

Technical System Documentation: Documentation of computer systems or databases used by an office, either developed in-house or by a contracted system developer. May include operator's manual, general description of design, system definition, project work plan, design detail, file layout, establishment of programs, reports listing and data dictionary. This series is for unique systems/databases only, and does not include or apply to over-the counter software/database packages (i.e., Windows NT or 95, Microsoft Office, Macintosh programs, etc.
Retention: 6 years after system replaced/no longer used
Disposition: Transfer to Archives for Review

Training Materials: Brochures, slides, videos, overheads, hand-outs and other training materials used by office/departments for employee training sessions.
Retention: 2 years after training session no longer presented
Disposition: Transfer to Archives for Review