A records retention and disposition authority (RRDA) is an official document that specifies, approves and governs the retention period, final disposition and any access restrictions that apply to the University Records to which it pertains.

Records are vital to the University as they provide evidence of its business transactions, organizational structure, decisions, policies, and procedures. The UARMP Advisory Services offer guidelines on the retention of records in all formats that must be kept for fiscal, legal or administrative reasons. Effective record management ensures that unnecessary records are systematically destroyed and those of ongoing value are preserved, through the implementation of approved RRDAs, .

Inventory

Before an RRDA can be created an inventory of all the records held by a particular office must be done. An inventory shows the quality, type, function and organization of records. Information from the inventory provides answers to these questions:

• What kinds of records do we have?
• Where are the records located?
• How many records do we have?
• Are the records active, inactive, or non-essential?
• Are the records vital?

Information that is provided by the records inventory provides a basis for determining what facilities, equipment, supplies, and staff are required to handle the organization’s records; what training the staff needs; what controls should be placed on the creation and duplication of records; and what measures must be taken to protect the organization’s vital records.

The UARMP provides basic instruction on conducting records inventories and assists with the development of an RRDA from the information gathered.