VCOM Institutional Policy and Procedure Manual

VCOM Policy and Procedure

Policy #U021

2.

RECORDS RETENTION All VCOM departments and offices maintain records in physical and digital forms, using any of a large number of systems and databases. The College is committed to the proper retention, storage, security, retrieval, and disposal of such records in order to meet legal requirements, optimize use of space, minimize cost, and secure College data, including sensitive personal information. VCOM is committed to meeting its administrative, fiscal, legal, and historical obligations through the systematic and consistent management of all records, regardless of medium or format, created and/or maintained by employees of VCOM in the course of the College’s academic and administrative business functions. The effective management of the College’s records will: • meet legal standards for protection, storage, accessibility, and disposition; Records produced or received by any office or employee of the College in the transaction of College business are the property of the College and subject to the College’s policy for retention, disposal, access, and publication, including records produced or received by individuals in administrative and committee service capacities. Unless otherwise specified in an applicable law, regulation, policy, or procedure, all College records should be retained in accordance with the Records Retention Schedule, regardless of their format. All employees should know that all records, including emails that they send, receive, or create in their official capacity, may be subject to submission in compliance with audits or litigation. College records should be retained only so long as they are valid and useful for legitimate College business and educational purposes (including archival purposes), or as specified in the Records Retention Schedule (whichever is longer). Inactive records should not occupy office, storage, or computer space. Those responsible for College records must dispose of them in accordance with this policy when the specified retention period has expired. No College records shall be discarded, destroyed, or transferred from the custody of the College or otherwise disposed of prior to the period specified in the Records Retention Schedule. RECORDS RELATED TO SUBPOENAS OR LITIGATION As an institution of higher education, VCOM maintains detailed and confidential information regarding many individuals and entities (e.g. students, faculty, staff, and third parties doing business with VCOM). As such, VCOM sometimes receives subpoenas requiring the timely production of records or information pertaining to specific individuals or entities involved in potential or ongoing litigation. Additionally, there are circumstances where the normal and routine destruction of records must be suspended according to Federal and State requirements and the College Records Retention Schedule. Present and future records that are involved in litigation, or reasonably anticipated in foreseeable legal action, must be preserved until the legal hold is released by the Vice President for Institutional Policy and Administrative Law. 3. • protect the privacy of students and employees as required by law; • ensure optimal and efficient usage of space and other resources; • promote a culture of clarity and transparency; • contribute to the documentation of the College’s historical records; and • support the effective governance and management of the College.

VCOM Records Retention Policy

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