Records Retention

All administrative records (files, records, or documents) are the property of The Regents of the University of California. They may not be permanently removed from the University nor destroyed, except in accordance with disposition schedules established by the University Records Management Committee.

See policies and procedures pertaining to the Records Management Program and the Records Disposition Program

The Records Retention Schedule formalizes the decisions on retention periods and provides guidance for all University departments and offices in administering the retention or disposition of their records. The Manual (an online searchable database) contains disposition schedules for records classified by functions:

  • Administrative (includes contracts and grants)
  • Auxiliary and Service Enterprises
  • Fiscal (includes budget, cash receipts and receivables, equipment inventory, financial reports and statements, purchasing and disbursements)
  • Payroll/Personnel/Benefits
  • Facilities Services
  • Student and Applicant Records
  • Library
  • Police
  • Medical

The disposition schedules are mandatory not only to assure uniform retention of materials for their period of officially recognized usefulness but also to assure that materials are not kept unnecessarily for excessive periods of time. No records should be destroyed for which a schedule has not been established.

Administrative officials should contact the campus Records Management Coordinator when questions arise concerning the disposition schedules or any other area of records management. Requests for the establishment of new disposition schedules should be sent to the campus Records Management Coordinator for referral to the Records Management Committee. (See procedures prescribed in Business and Finance Bulletin RMP-2.