Permanent Records Guidelines for University Departments

The University Archives was established in 1948 as the repository for all records of enduring historical value from all university administrative and academic units. The permanent retention of materials is governed by the applicable portions of Oregon Administrative Rule Chapter 166 Division 475 (UO Records Retention Schedule).

The following are the common types of records that must be retained permanently by the University of Oregon. These materials must be retained regardless of their original format. All permanent records must be transferred to the University Archives after the time period specified in the Schedule. Your department or unit may have different names for the documents and they may be formally or informally produced.

Constitutions and by-laws, minutes and proceedings:

Committee records - agendas, minutes, reports, and correspondence.

Office files:

Executive Correspondence – including certain email, explained in more detail here.
Institutional Accreditation Records
Professional Accreditation Records
Lectures and Lecture Series Records
Staff Meeting Records

Historical files:

Reports (administrative) – annual (occasionally periodic or summary reports if information is not reflected in the annual report). This includes annual reports for units, sub-units, and final reports in the case of projects.
Policy and Procedures Documents – handbooks, organizational charts
Planning Documents
Award records
Cooperative Program Records – inter-institutional program records
Special Event Records
Visiting Scholar/Scholar in Residence Programs

Audio-visuals:

photographs, films, and sound and video recordings.

The above is not an exhaustive list. Depending on the functions that occur within your department or unit, additional specific records and record types must be retained permanently. Please consult with University Archives regarding any unlisted materials you might have that could be included in the groups noted above.

All materials must be retained regardless of their original format. Please consult with the Electronic Records Archivist regarding maintaining and transferring electronic records.

Your department or unit may use different names for the documents, and they may be formally or informally produced; nevertheless, they fall within the scope of Archives' preservation program.

Non-permanent records also need to be disposed of in accordance with the Records Retention Schedule. The Electronic Records Archivist can answer questions about management of non-permanent records.

All permanent records must be transferred to the University Archives after the time period specified in the Records Retention Schedule. Please consult the Transferring Records to the Archives page for instructions.

Maintained by: Heather Briston, hbriston@uoregon.edu
Last Modified: 05/07/2009