In accordance with the UMBC Record Retention Schedule, the University Archives is the designated repository for records of enduring value made or received officially by UMBC and for other materials of historical value related to the function and history of UMBC (hereinafter "the University").  The University Archives is administered by the Special Collections department in the Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery.  If and when records or other items are no longer needed for ordinary conduct of business by the office of origin or its successor(s), the responsible administrator(s) should notify the University Archives to make arrangements for transfer of permanently valuable materials to the Archives; records that have not been designated as permanently valuable should be destroyed according to the schedule as outlined in the Policy on Records Management.

The following types of materials have permanent historical value and are collected by the University Archives:

• Constitutions and by-laws, minutes, memoranda, correspondence (including email), and reports of any administrative or advisory board of the university

• Correspondence (including email), subject files, and reports from office of the President, Provost, Vice-President for Administration and Finance, Vice President for Student Affairs, and the chief officer of all University units designated to operate with a high degree of independence such as, the Deans of the Graduate School, the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, the College of Engineering and Information Technology; the Honors College, the Library, and major research institutes

• Minutes, memoranda, and reports of all major academic and administrative committees, including the faculty senate, the exempt staff senate, the non-exempt excluded staff senate and their committees

• Accreditation reports and supporting documentation

• One copy of the campus wide annual budget and audit reports

• Reports of research projects, including non-restricted grant records

• Records of the registrar including timetables and class schedules, enrollment reports, graduation rosters, and other reports issued on a regular basis

• Reports from the offices of admissions, institutional research, and institutional advancement

• Academic departmental records, including minutes, reports, syllabi, and sample test questions

• Records of individual faculty and staff created in their official capacities in the University

• Alumni records including minutes of the alumni association

• Records of student organizations

• Two copies of all publications, newsletters, or booklets distributed by the university

• Audiovisual materials documenting associated cultural events and the development of the university

• Maps, plot plans, and blueprints documenting campus physical growth and development

• Preservation copies of microfilm produced by any campus vital records program

• Other items as determined by the Archivist

Office records should be transferred to the University Archives using stated transfer procedures.  Records should be transferred as arranged in actual use, since their organization reflects the functioning of the office of origin.  Offices may request acid-free record cartons from Special Collections.  Transferred records should be labeled and include a folder or box listing to aid the storage, description, and retrieval of records.  After transfer, University Archives staff will process the records, which includes reviewing the records for content, destroying inappropriate items, rehousing items according to preservation standards, and then making the items available for public research.  All materials transferred to the University Archives are open for public research; unprocessed records will need to be reviewed by Special Collections staff prior to use.    

The University Archives does not accept personnel or student academic files; these items should be removed prior to transfer and if appropriate destroyed according to the Policy on Records Management schedule. 

References:

Library guideline 360 and Appendix A: "Records Retention....Schedule"
UMS BOR VI-6.10
President M. Hooker, memo dated 11/4/91 concerning "Preservation..."

Guideline revised 09/12/2008, LW, LL