Records Retention

BACKGROUND

The University developed a records retention policy to ensure access to past, present and future public records and preserve vital information generated by the University.

Purpose of Policy

This policy is designed for the following reasons:

• to protect the corporate and institutional memory of the University’s activities by caring for University records from their creation through the preservation of other disposition;
•  to provide economy and efficiency by relieving the University’s offices and departments of the cost and burden of maintaining valueless records; and
• to comply with the applicable federal law and state law, in particular, Miss. Code Ann. § 25-59-1 et seq., and the related rules and procedures of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) and the State Records Committee. Records should be retained, transferred, destroyed or otherwise disposed of as indicated on a records retention schedule.

Retention Schedule

A schedule for each University department shall identify all groups of records in an office or department and specify the length of time each type of University record shall be retained.

Considerations in Determining Retention Period

The retention period for each record will reflect the legal, administrative, fiscal and historical value of the information in the record.

Process for Approving Retention Schedules

Each record schedule shall be prepared by or submitted through the University libraries and submitted for approval through the State Records Committee and MDAH prior to implementation by the University department.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For additional information, please review the Information on Records Retention page using the link below to access the page. 

Information on Records Retention Schedules

QUESTIONS

For questions about records specific to offices and departments that are not listed on the General Records Retention Schedules (or for any other questions), please contact one of the following individuals: