Retention schedule for academic departments, schools and centres
This schedule applies to all records kept in academic departments, schools and centres.
A retention schedule is a list of the minimum records we need to keep, along with the period they need to be kept for. Schedules are based on the content of a document, not its format – they apply equally to paper and electronic documents.
Items you need to keep in your department
Acronym key
- CAY Current Academic Year (October to September)
- CFY Current Financial Year (August to July)
- CCY Current Calendar Year (January to December)
- TofR Termination of Relationship (the point at which someone permanently stops being a student or member of staff)
- Permanent This information should be kept forever and not destroyed.
The numbers refer to the number of years after the current year the records have to be kept for. For example, CAY+6 means until the end of this academic year, and then another six full academic years. So a document created in February 2011 will be kept until the end of the 2010-11 academic year (September 2011), and then a further six full academic years, which means it could be destroyed at the end of September 2017.
Student administration
| Item | How long to keep it for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Visit day applicants | CAY+1 | |
| Undergraduate and Graduate enquiries | CAY+1 | |
| Rejected or withdrawn applications | CAY+1 | |
| Individual student files | TofR +3 | Not all departments keep files on individual students. Registry keeps full records for TofR+6. Information on MIS is kept permanently. |
| Progress/attendance records | TofR+3 OR CAY+6 | Use whichever is easiest depending on your filing system: TofR+3 if this information is in files on individuals, CAY+6 if all information of this type is filed together by year |
| UG extenuating performance forms | ||
| PG extenuating performance forms | ||
| Late submission forms and accompanying paperwork | ||
| Academic offences | ||
| Student references (taught students) | CAY+3 | References should be filed separately from the student file. See the Guidelines and Procedures on the Provision of Student References |
| Student references (research students) | CAY+10 | |
| Basic record of study (name, period of study, results including marks) for students registered BEFORE 2000 | Permanent | Students registered after 2000 will be on SRDB. |
Staff administration
| Item | How long to keep it for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Academic staff files | Permanent | |
| Support staff files | TofR+6 | |
| Research staff files | TofR+6 | |
| Graduate Teaching Assistants/part-time teachers | TofR+1 | |
| Temporary staff | TofR+1 | |
| Annual review | Kept on the relevant staff file | If filed separately from staff files then CAY+6 |
| Staff contact details | TofR | If a member of staff leaves and wants to keep in touch with the department and be kept up to date with news etc then their details may be retained |
| Notification of sickness absence reports to Payroll and HR | CAY+2 | Held in the department to help you see trends and identify issues |
Departmental administration
| Item | How long to keep it for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Departmental meeting papers | Permanent | |
| Senior Departmental Committee Meeting Papers | Permanent | |
| Departmental Committee Meeting Papers | CAY+6 | e.g. Teaching and Learning Quality Assurance Committee, Staff Student Liaison Committee |
| Purchase orders raised electronically through Agresso | Not kept | Held on Agresso |
| Purchase orders raised on paper | CFY+6 | Finance prefer that orders are not raised on paper |
| Departmental budget information not held on Agresso or by Payments | CFY+6 | Invoices and expense claims should be sent to Payments where they are held for CFY+6 |
| Departmental Handbook | Permanent | This is the suggested maximum. Paperwork can be destroyed sooner |
| Paperwork relating to production of departmental handbooks | CAY+3 | |
| General departmental files | Prune every three years |
Teaching
| Item | How long to keep it for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Class attendance lists | CAY | |
| Class lists | CAY | |
| Course catalogue, syllabus information, coursework titles and reading lists | Permanent | From 2004 onwards this is on SRDB |
| Observation of teaching reports/peer review | CAY+6 |
Student assessment
| Item | How long to keep it for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Paperwork for pre-boards (UG) | Last year of study +5 years | Papers for the main Exam Boards are kept permanently in Registry |
| Postgraduate Board of Examiner Papers | Permanent | This should include board members, rules of assessment, grids, minutes, extenuating circumstances, pass lists, record of changes to marks, minutes of pre-board meetings |
| Examination grids | Last year of study +5 years | |
| Postgraduate pass lists | Last year of study +5 years | |
| Examination scripts (first year UG) | Last year of study +5 years | |
| Examination scripts (other than first year UG) | Last year of study +5 years | |
| Coursework submission records and correspondence relating to non-submission of coursework | Last year of study +5 years | |
| Coursework (first year UG, uncollected) | Last year of study +5 years | |
| Coursework (other than first year UG, uncollected) | Last year of study +5 years | |
| UG dissertations and projects | ||
| PG dissertations and projects |
Quality assurance
| Item | How long to keep it for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Periodic review of degree schemes | CAY+6 | Copy of final report held permanently in Quality and Academic Development |
| Annual monitoring of degree schemes | CAY+6 | |
| Student assessment of courses – summary reports | CAY+6 | |
| Student assessment of courses – individual student responses | CAY+1 | |
| Student Satisfaction Survey – reports of analysis, evaluation and subsequent action | CAY+6 | Survey data and final reports are kept in Systems Administration Office in the Academic Section |
| Student Satisfaction Survey – individual student responses | CAY+1 | |
| External examiner’s reports | CAY+6 | Copy of final report held permanently in Quality and Academic Development |
| External Examiner files | TofR+3 |
Research
| Item | How long to keep it for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Research subject payments and receipts | CFY+6 | Items that have been handled through Agresso or sent to Payments will not need to be kept in the department |
| Research grant applications | CFY+6 | REO keeps copies of all successful grant applications which have been properly authorised; unsuccessful applications do not need to be kept |
| Research plans | Duration of employment - updated annually | Outdated versions should be destroyed |
Not included in the schedule
If a document you have isn’t on the retention schedule it means there is probably no legal need or general business continuity need for you to keep it. Schedules focus on what your department, section, centre, school or office needs to keep. They don’t include things you as an individual might feel useful to keep. If something is for your own use, because it’s part of something you’re currently working on, or something that you work on termly or annually and need a reminder of how things went the last time, then that’s fine.
If you think something in your office, department, school or section is a core document and needed for legal or business continuity reason, and it isn’t on the schedule check to see whether another part of the University holds it. There is a list of items kept elsewhere, and the Academic Section retention schedule might also be useful. If you still can’t find the item listed then please speak to the Information Manager who will be able to advise and update the schedule if necessary.
Items you need to keep elsewhere
| Item | Where held | For how long | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree scheme structures and rules of assessment (part of programme specifications) | SRDB (ESIS) | Permanent | |
| Past examination papers | Moodle | Permanent | Some held in the Albert Sloman Library |
| Examination grids | SRDB (ESIS) | Permanent | |
| UG pass lists | SRDB (ESIS) | Permanent | If you want to hold your own copies for reference you MUST ensure they accurately match what is on SRDB |
| Examination marks | SRDB (ESIS) | Permanent | |
| Coursework marks | SRDB (ESIS) | Permanent | |
| Course information | SRDB (ESIS) | ||
| PhD theses | Albert Sloman Library | Permanent | |
| Student prizes | SRDB (ESIS) | Permanent | |
| Programme specifications | SRDB (ESIS) | Permanent | |
| RAE/REF submissions | REO | Permanent | |
| Committee papers | Online and also held by the Committee Secretary | Various – many permanent | See the Committee Papers Publication Schedule for Secretaries and availability of papers |
| Accidents and incidents | HSAS | CAY + 5 years Paper 3 years, electronic 5 years |
|
| Moodle | Moodle | CAY+4 | Teaching materials are copied to Moodle archive in July of each year. |
| Listen Again | Listen Again | CAY+1 | Teaching event recordings held for CAY+1; other recordings held between CAY+1 and CAY+4. |
Items no longer needed
Most things aren’t kept forever. At the end of the retention period they are normally destroyed. Any personal information (information about identifiable living individuals) should be shredded. Anything that is confidential should also be shredded. Otherwise – think of the environment and recycle. Electronic documents should also be deleted at the end of the retention period. Don’t forget to clear out your recycle bin as deleted documents will stay there until you do so.
Support and help
There is more information on the records management web pages about retention schedules, deciding what the throw away, keeping information secure, organising information, archiving information and destroying information.
