General Information

The archives holds selected records that are created, received, and accumulated by either a person or an entity within the college in the course of its normal administrative or executive transactions.

Records are organized into record groups by the office that creates them. (ex: Academic Affairs, Alumnae, Finance, President’s Office, Institutional Research)

• Active records which are frequently used remain in the originating office.
• Inactive records which are rarely used should be reviewed. Those without further value should be destroyed.
• Some records with special issues are retained for specified periods. These records must be identified with the name of the originating office, content description, and disposal date.
• Records suitable for permanent retention have continuing fiscal, legal, historical or administrative value to the college and are reviewed by the archivist prior to transmittal to the archives.

Records Transmittal

The archives will supply the transmitting office with acid-free storage boxes that provide for efficient utilization of space in the archives and contribute to the long-term preservation of the records. Please give advance notice when you are ready for these boxes.

• Folders should be placed in containers without disturbing the existing file arrangement and should not be forced into the boxes. If subsequent additions are expected, sufficient space should be allowed for inter filing.
• Records including those in pendaflex files and notebooks with metal rings must also be packed properly in manila folders. Acid free folders are also available upon request. All obvious duplicates should be removed to save space. Paper clips should be removed to prevent rust.

Each box should contain a paper inventory list that corresponds to every folder / folder tab title in each container. The inventory form should be completed in duplicate. The original list accompanies the records transmitted to the archives. The transmitting office retains the second own copy.

An electronic copy of the inventory should be sent as an email attachment to the archivist for entry into the database. This itemized inventory is a key access point for future retrieval of information and is a very important step in the transmittal of records from the originating office to the archives.

Retention Schedules

Each office generates a unique set of records that have specific life cycles governed by use and/or legal requirements. An appropriate record retention schedule may be developed in consultation with the college archivist. In general, retention schedules are consistent with the academic year, July 1 through June 30, and are set up following a two-, three-, five- or seven-year cycle.

For more information, see the 1991 Ursuline College Archives Guidelines governing records retention, disposition, and transmittal to the Archives.

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