Purpose
In compliance with Local Government Code, Section 203.005, Records Management Program to be Established, Austin Community College District (“ACC” or “the College”) will establish a records management program through a comprehensive system of integrated procedures for the management of records to provide efficient, economical, and effective controls for the creation, distribution, organization, maintenance, use, and disposition of all College records.
Definitions
College Records – any document, paper, letter, book, map, photograph, sound or video recording, microfilm, magnetic tape, electronic medium, regardless of physical form or characteristic, created or received by the College, any of its officers, or employees in the transaction of business.
Disposition – the final operational action taken in the records lifecycle concluding with destruction, or transfer of records for permanent preservation.
Non-Record Material – extra identical copies of documents created for convenience of reference; notes, journals, and similar documents created for the employee’s personal convenience; blank forms (unless subject to audit, such as blank checks); stocks of publications; library materials acquired for reference or display; and any records associated with a matter conducted under an alternative dispute resolution procedure in which personnel of the College participated as an impartial third party, or facilitated as the administrator of a dispute resolution.
Records Custodian – an employee of the College who is responsible for directing and managing the operations of a College unit or department and the management of records therein.
Records and Information Management (RIM) – the field of management responsible for establishing and implementing policies, systems, and procedures to capture, create, access, distribute, use, store, secure, retrieve, and ensure disposition of an organization’s records and information.
Records Lifecycle – the journey of a record from its creation to its final disposition.
Records Retention Schedule – document required by State law that identifies the records created and maintained by the College, the retention periods, and other records disposition information that the records management program may require.
Vital Records – records that are essential to the resumption or continuation of College operations in an emergency or disaster, and/or to the re-creation of the legal or financial status of the College.
Responsibilities
As prescribed by Local Government Code 203.023, the Director of Institutional Records shall serve as the Records Management Officer for the College. The Records Management Officer will establish standards and procedures for the proper care and secure storage of College records.
College unit/department managers are responsible for the proper and legal management of the records in their custody. To fulfill this responsibility, each College unit/department manager will serve as the Records Custodian for their respective area and shall have primary responsibility and accountability for their duties per Board Policy.
Record Retention Schedule
The Records Management Officer will develop and maintain a records schedule that includes the identification of vital College records. The Records Retention Schedule will be consistent with the applicable Texas State Library and Archives Commission Retention Schedules adopted by the College. The College Records Control Schedule shall be binding on all offices and units of the College.
Records Storage
The College will provide centralized storage of both active and inactive College records. Only records identified on the College Records Retention Schedule are eligible for storage. Active records are to be stored in the College’s designated records system while inactive records are to be stored in the Records Center. The Records Center is not to be used for storage of extra copies of documents, magazines, newspapers, books, non-record material or physical storage.
The Records Management Officer is responsible for the development of effective and efficient records storage and retrieval systems, and for the development of procedures to ensure the continuous transfer of inactive records from offices to storage.
Disposition of Records
College records will be maintained in accordance with the Local Government Code, College rules and procedures, and the College Records Retention Schedule. Unauthorized destruction of any record is prohibited.
Resources
Local Government Records Act of 1989
Local Government Code, Chapter 205, Electronic Storage of Records
The Principles (Generally Accepted Recordkeeping Principles)
Guideline/Procedure 3.0901.01.1, Records Center
Guideline/Procedure 3.0901.01.2, Disposition of College Records