Charter

Definition and Purpose

The University Records Retention and Disposition Committee (“the Committee”) provides guidance to and oversight of the Indiana University records management program. The program, housed administratively in the IU Libraries University Archives located in Bloomington, aims to implement and maintain a foundation for excellence in records management, especially in records retention and disposition schedules and operation, university-wide.

Together the members will provide broad strategic guidance, coordination, and oversight to Indiana University records management activities, regardless of the campus, office, or area of responsibility, recognizing that proper records management ultimately involves everyone in the university community.

An effective records management program provides uniform and systematic control of recordkeeping, ensures that valuable records are preserved, and ensures that records of temporary value are properly disposed of when no longer needed. Retention and disposition schedules are a key component of any records management program, and can help offices manage records throughout their lifecycle from creation to destruction or transfer to campus archives. 

Mission and Objectives

The mission of this oversight of records management activities is to:

  • Ensure the implementation and ongoing administration of effective records management programs at all levels of the university, especially in the execution of records retention and disposition schedules and operations;
  • Reduce redundancy and inefficiency in records management activities; 
  • Enable records management considerations to be embedded into the operations of the university; and
  • Provide executive management with an enterprise-level view of the state of records management.

The Committee will ensure that Indiana University continues to:

  • Promote a collaborative structure and approach to the management of records university-wide;
  • Implement and guide compliance with the University Records Retention and Disposition Policy, UA-18, and guide the development of other policies relating to records management as needed;
  • Maintain a master list of Records Coordinators - employees assigned by their administrative or academic unit to act as a point person and serve as an expert for their area/sub-area;
  • Maintain and continue to improve a central database of records retention schedules, both general and unit-specific, as the authoritative resource of schedules university-wide;
    o    Facilitate the development of records retention and disposition schedules when gaps are identified;
    o    Provide legal, audit, historical and records management review of records retention and disposition schedules;
    o    Receive, route to reviewers, and approve requests to deviate or modify retention periods as outlined in policy UA-18;
  • Maintain and continue to improve a central records management web site to contain top-level information about records management at Indiana University and to organize links to existing campus, unit, and other resources related to records management;
  • Promote the adoption of best practices regarding the creation, protection, management, retrieval, disposition, and preservation of university records;
  • Uphold State and Federal recordkeeping requirements and standards;
  • Encourage formal records purge activities, according to records retention and disposition schedules, at regular intervals;
  • Create guidance and promote the importance of records management activities to the university community;
  • Support records management education and training efforts across the university;
  • Encourage the integration of records management into university and campus operations, including automated methods; and
  • Stay abreast of emerging issues affecting records management, and adjust guidance and strategy as necessary.

The Committee’s activities serve as an enhancement to the programs, processes, policies, and procedures that campuses and units already have in place and that managers and directors have established to manage records. While members of the Committee may be individually responsible for major aspects of records management, the Committee members will bring their combined extensive experience and expertise to bear on common needs, challenges, issues, and barriers.

The chair is responsible for reporting to the University Data Management Council (UDMC) and the responsible university administrators/executive sponsors on the activities of the Committee.

Membership

The initial Chair of the Committee will be the IU Libraries University Archives Records Manager. The Vice President & General Counsel, and the Ruth Lilly Dean of University Libraries appoint its members, and jointly serve as the Committee’s executive sponsors. Administrative support is provided by the Chair’s office or as appointed by the executive sponsors.

Members include those who by virtue of their campus or university role have primary oversight responsibility for a major records management function or who have expertise in areas necessary for the management of effective records management programs. While there may be other potential members, the group consists of those individuals who hold positions that manage, monitor, or influence records management activities across campus or university operations or activities. Members of the Committee generally include individuals representing archives, records management, major business functions that manage large numbers of records, and representatives and/or advisors from supporting organizations such as technology, data management, legal, audit, etc.

Members are responsible for disseminating information about and ensuring the implementation of the work of the Committee within the area over which they exercise oversight.

The Committee may, at its discretion, create ad hoc sub-committees to study or act on specific activities considered priorities, which would be most appropriately addressed by a smaller group of the membership. Sub-committees may also contain non-members, as appropriate.

The Committee may also invite independent experts or advisors to meetings, as it deems necessary or appropriate to advise or collaborate with the Committee on specific matters and issues.

Procedures

The IU Libraries University Archives Records Manager will initially chair the committee.

Members are appointed by letter by the executive sponsors.

The committee will meet no less than four times a year.

Membership of the Committee is reviewed periodically, but no less than every two years.

Members

Role/AreaIndividual
Academic Personnel, IUBDede Borik
Academic Personnel, Regional (IUN)Liz Romeo
Archivist, IUBDina Kellams
Archivist, IUPUISteven Towne
Archivist, Regional (IUE)Jesse Whitton
Archivist, Regional  (IUK)Meg Galasso
Archivist, Regional (IUSE)Melanie Hughes
Archivist, Regional (IUSB)Scott Shoger
Archivist, Regional (IUN)                                                                 Jeremy Pekarek
Compliance and Policy OfficeTaylor Struble
Digital Archivist, IUVacant
Faculty Council OfficesLana Spendl
Financial/Procurement, University-wideAmanda Coats/Alan Haupert
Health RecordsClaire Tempel
Human Resources, IUPUIDebbie McCullough
Human Resources, IUBNick Sexton
Information Technology (UITS) Enterprise SystemsEric Westfall
Marketing and CommunicationsTia Broz
Office of the VP of Strategic OperationLiz Osika
Board of TrusteesAndrea Havill
University CollectionsHeather Calloway
Records Management/Archives, IUB + University-wideAmanda Rindler
Registrar, IUBMichael Carroll
Research DataHeather Coates
  
Advisors & Chair
Office of the Vice President and General Counsel, University-wideZachary Griffin
Chief Privacy Officer and Chair, University Data Management Council, University-wideMark Werling
Internal AuditMaria Jackson
Library Technologies, IUBJon Dunn, IUB
Chair, Amanda Rindler