Why Can’t We Just Shred all These Old Files?

Why Can’t We Just Shred all These Old Files?

Managing your records and complying with Louisiana Revised

Statute 44.411

• State Agencies are required by law to have an approved Records Management Plan

• Plan must be reapproved every 5 years • ULM plan must be reapproved by end of 2012• Plan must go through the Secretary of States

Office, Louisiana State Archives – Records Services Division, Records Management Section for approval

Previous Library Schedule

New 932 Form

Library Example

• Agency/Division/Section is University of Louisiana at Monroe/ Academic Affairs/Library

• Use of form – Renewal• Item Number – 9 each with unique retention

periods for in office, in storage and total retention

• 4 New Sections – Security, Archival, State Records Center and Vital Record ID code

Abbreviations and Codes

• The form provides abbreviations and codes that must be used.

• If there are other agency abbreviations there is a place on the form for these.

Security Status CodesP – Public Record - can be recycled,

discarded by landfill or by a more secure method of destruction

M – May Contain Confidential Information – should be discarded of in a secure manner such as shred or burn and may require reaction before public can view record

C – Confidential Information – defined by State or Federal law, Record should be protected from unauthorized viewing and should be disposed off in a secure manner

Archival Processing Codes

• A – Transfer to State Archives• R – Retain in Agency Archives• S – Review by State Archives• O – Other (Specify in Remarks)

State Records Center Use

• Y – yes• N – No

• We currently keep records either in office or in the records center at the ULM Library

Vital Record Identification Code• V – Vital – these records are needed to operate

within the first 30-45 days following a disaster• I – Important – these records are eventually

needed to resume operations after the first 30 – 45 days following a disaster

• U – Useful – loss would cause only minor inconvenience to the organization. These records usually have short retention periods or can easily be reproduced from other sources

Library Example

Changes

• Four Columns that provide a place for Security Status, Archival Status, State Records Center Use and Vital Records Identification

• Standardized abbreviations for retention periods included at the bottom of each page.

• As the Records Officer, I sign as Agency Approval and date the form before sending to the Secretary of State’s Office for final approval

Remember

• All Departments must have a new Records Retention Schedule submitted by November 30, 2012.

• All schedules must be on the new form• Once approved, all maintenance of records must

follow the new form• Contact Cyndy Robertson crobertson@ulm.edu or

342-1054 if you have questions or need further training