WWU General Records Retention Schedule

The WWU General Schedule applies to common records found in most offices. Staff should also check the office records retention schedules to see if there are additional titles specific only to their office.

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Contact Information

Function: Transitory Records

Record Description:

Records relating to the contact details of employees, stakeholders, and/or clients a university unit has gathered/received and the maintenance of such lists/collections.
 
Includes, but is not limited to:
  • Business cards
  • Contact details stored in Microsoft Outlook and other contact databases
  • Mailing lists, email distribution lists, listserv/RSS subscriber details, etc.
  • Requests to be added/removed from the agency’s contact lists (includes mail/communications returned as undeliverable)
  • Validation/verification/quality assurance checks of contact lists/collections
  • Related correspondence/communications.
Excludes:
  • Records covered by Emergency/Disaster Preparedness – Contact Information (GS 25004.0001.19380)
  • Contact information gathered for other, more specific purposes, such as attendee/sign-in lists for meetings and trainings, visitor books/logs, etc.

Retention Requirement: Until no longer needed for agency business

Disposition after Retention: Destroy

Record Status: NON-ESSENTIAL, NON-ARCHIVAL

Disposition Authority Reference: GS 50007.0001.18658

Approved by State Records Committee: 2024 October 02

Last Updated / Revised by UARM:

Drafting and Editing

Function: Transitory Records

Record Description:

Records relating to the drafting/editing of correspondence, documents and publications.

Includes, but is not limited to: preliminary drafts not covered by a more specific records series, not needed as evidence of external consultation or as evidence that the agency practiced due diligence in the drafting process; edits/suggestions/directions (such as handwritten annotations/notes, track changes information/comments in Microsoft Word, etc.); electronic documents created solely for printing (such assigns, mailing labels, etc.);  related correspondence/communications.

Retention Requirement: Until no longer needed for agency business

Disposition after Retention: Destroy

Record Status: NON-ESSENTIAL, NON-ARCHIVAL

Disposition Authority Reference: GS 50008.0001.18659

Approved by State Records Committee: 2024 October 02

Last Updated / Revised by UARM:

General Information – External

Function: Transitory Records

Record Description:

Information received from other agencies, commercial firms or private institutions, which requires no action and is no longer needed for agency business purposes.

Includes, but is not limited to: catalogs, reports, multi-media presentations (videos, CDs, etc.); informational copies, notices, bulletins, newsletters, announcements; unsolicited information (junk mail, spam, advertisements, etc.).

Retention Requirement: Until no longer needed for agency business

Disposition after Retention: Destroy

Record Status: NON-ESSENTIAL, NON-ARCHIVAL

Disposition Authority Reference: GS 50004.0001.18660

Approved by State Records Committee: 2024 October 02

Last Updated / Revised by UARM:

Informational Notifications/Communications

Function: Transitory Records

Record Description:

Records communicating basic/routine short-term information (regardless of format or media used) that: do not document agency decisions/actions; are not used as the basis of agency decisions/actions; and are not covered by a more specific records series.

Includes, but is not limited to: basic messages such as “Come and see me when you’re free,” “Call me back at (360) 555-5555,” etc.; internal communications notifying of staff absences or lateness (such as “Bob is out today,” “Mary is running late,” etc.), provided the appropriate attendance and leave records are retained in accordance with Leave Records (GS 03030.001.18405); internal communications notifying of staff social events/gatherings (such as potlucks, birthdays, fun runs, cookies in the break room, etc.) or of weather/traffic conditions (such as “Avoid I-5, it’s a parking lot,” “Take care – it has started snowing,” etc.); email delivery/read receipts, out-of-office notices, etc.

Retention Requirement: Until no longer needed for agency business

Disposition after Retention: Destroy

Record Status: NON-ESSENTIAL, NON-ARCHIVAL

Disposition Authority Reference: GS 50001.0001.18661

Approved by State Records Committee: 2024 October 02

Last Updated / Revised by UARM:

Meeting and Board/Committee Administrative Arrangements

Function: Transitory Records

Record Description:

Records relating to the administrative arrangements of boards/committees/etc., and meetings (including staff/internal meetings) held by or on behalf of the agency.
 
Includes, but is not limited to:
  • Agenda requests
  • Arrangement of catering, facilities, and equipment
  • Records relating to membership appointments, interviews, etc., provided the final decision is documented in records covered by Program/Curriculum Advisory Body Records (GS 10015.0003.18417) or Governing/Executive/Policy-Setting Body Records (GS 10004.0001.18332).
Excludes:
  • Records covered by Scheduling – Appointments/Meetings (GS 50014)
  • Financial records (facilities, catering, etc.) covered by Financial Transactions – General (GS 01001)
  • Open Public Meeting Act notices filed with the Code Reviser/State Register in accordance with RCW 42.30.075 covered by Reporting to External Agencies (Mandatory) (GS 19004)
Travel arrangements/expenses covered by Travel (GS 07001).

Retention Requirement: Until no longer needed for agency business

Disposition after Retention: Destroy

Record Status: NON-ESSENTIAL, NON-ARCHIVAL

Disposition Authority Reference: GS 09024.0001.19113

Approved by State Records Committee: 2024 October 02

Last Updated / Revised by UARM:

Meeting Materials – Members’ Copies/Notes

Function: Transitory Records

Record Description:

Individual members’ meeting materials from participating in advisory, governing/executive/policy-setting, internal/external committees (including national/external bodies), and staff meetings, provided the Committee’s records are retained by the secretary/responsible agency/member.
 
Includes, but is not limited to:
  • Copies of agendas, meeting packets, minutes, etc.
  • Working notes/drafts, individual members’ audio/visual recordings, etc.
  • Related correspondence/communications.

Retention Requirement: Until no longer needed for agency business

Disposition after Retention: Destroy

Record Status: NON-ESSENTIAL, NON-ARCHIVAL

Disposition Authority Reference: GS 09026.0001.18673

Approved by State Records Committee: 2024 October 02

Last Updated / Revised by UARM:

Organizing/Monitoring Work in Progress

Function: Transitory Records

Record Description:

Records relating to the assigning, prioritizing, tracking/monitoring and status of work/projects in progress. Includes, but is not limited to: status logs; to-do lists; tasks within Microsoft Outlook, etc.; routing slips; workflow notifications/escalations.

Retention Requirement: Until no longer needed for agency business

Disposition after Retention: Destroy

Record Status: NON-ESSENTIAL, NON-ARCHIVAL

Disposition Authority Reference: GS 50011.0001.19096

Approved by State Records Committee: 2024 October 02

Last Updated / Revised by UARM:

Records Documented as Part of More Formalized Records

Function: Transitory Records

Record Description:

Records where the evidence of the business transaction has been documented as part of another, more formalized record of the agency which is retained in accordance with the current approved minimum retention period.
 
Includes, but is not limited to:
  • Data entry input records (such as paper forms, handwritten notes, etc.) that have been documented as records within agency information systems (such as databases), provided the original record/form (including any signatures) is not required as evidence or authorization of the transaction
  • Working/rough notes, voicemail messages, text messages, social media posts, etc., that have been memorialized/captured in another format such as a note-to-file, email confirming the conversation, speech-to-text translations, etc.
  • Automatically-generated email notifications sent out by agency information systems provided the transaction is captured as part of an audit trail
  • Raw data/statistics/survey responses that have been consolidated/aggregated into another record.
Excludes:
  • Electronic records (such as emails) that have been printed to paper
  • Audio/visual recordings of meetings covered by Advisory Body Records (GS 10015.0003.18417)), Governing/Executive/Policy-Setting Body Records(GS 10004.0001.18332) or Meetings – Staff and Internal Committees (GS 09009.0001.19111)
  • Records covered by Records Reported/Submitted to External Databases/Systems (GS 19006.00010.19381).
 
Note:Electronic records need to be retained in electronic format in accordance with WAC 434-662-040.

Retention Requirement: Until verification of successful conversion/keying /transcription

Disposition after Retention: Destroy

Record Status: NON-ESSENTIAL, NON-ARCHIVAL

Disposition Authority Reference: GS 50012.0001.19343

Approved by State Records Committee: 2024 October 02

Last Updated / Revised by UARM:

Reference Materials

Function: Transitory Records

Record Description:

Materials gathered from outside sources for reference/reading use which are not evidence of the agency’s business transactions.
 
Includes, but is not limited to:
  • Copies of published articles, reports, etc.
  • Individual participants’ copies of internal and external training materials (such as proceedings, handouts, notes taken, etc.) from conferences/seminars/trainings
  • Internet browser favorites/bookmarks
  • Listserv/RSS feeds.
Excludes records covered by Secondary (Duplicate) Copies (GS 50005.0001.18664).

Retention Requirement: Until no longer needed for agency business

Disposition after Retention: Destroy

Record Status: NON-ESSENTIAL, NON-ARCHIVAL

Disposition Authority Reference: GS 50013.0001.18662

Approved by State Records Committee: 2024 October 02

Last Updated / Revised by UARM:

Requests for Basic/Routine University Information

Function: Transitory Records

Record Description:

Internal and external requests for, and provision of, routine information about the operations of the university, such as: business hours, locations/directions, web/email addresses; meeting dates/times.

Retention Requirement: Until no longer needed for agency business

Disposition after Retention: Destroy

Record Status: NON-ESSENTIAL, NON-ARCHIVAL

Disposition Authority Reference: GS 50002.0001.18663

Approved by State Records Committee: 2024 October 02

Last Updated / Revised by UARM:

Secondary (Duplicate) Copies

Function: Transitory Records

Record Description:

Copies of records (created or received), provided the agency retains its primary copy of the record in accordance with the current approved minimum retention period.


Includes, but is not limited to:  Data extracts and printouts from agency information systems;  Cc’s of emails, provided the agency is retaining its primary copy of the email;  Convenience/reference copies of records;  Duplicate and near-duplicate images/photographs provided the selected “best” image(s) documenting the occasion/object is retained.

Retention Requirement: Until no longer needed for agency business

Disposition after Retention: Destroy

Record Status: NON-ESSENTIAL, NON-ARCHIVAL

Disposition Authority Reference: GS 50005.0001.18664

Approved by State Records Committee: 2024 October 02

Last Updated / Revised by UARM:

Unsolicited Additional Materials

Function: Transitory Records

Record Description:

Additional materials received by the agency that are:   not requested and not used by the agency in the course of government business.

Includes, but is not limited to:  superfluous extra materials provided with applications (including health/medical records);  information entering through online applications, e-forms, etc., but not completed and not submitted to the agency.

Excludes Unsolicited Employment Applications (Not Hired) (GS 03022.001.18371)

Retention Requirement: Until Upon receipt

Disposition after Retention: Destroy

Record Status: NON-ESSENTIAL, NON-ARCHIVAL

Disposition Authority Reference: GS 50015.0001.18665

Approved by State Records Committee: 2024 October 02

Last Updated / Revised by UARM: