Official Records Retention Schedules
Please note: The official University of Iowa Records Retention schedules are currently under revision. Updates will be posted periodically. The official UI Health Care Records Retention Schedule is available separately to assist UI Health Care departments.
These retention schedules are designed to assist University departments in preserving Official Records appropriately while providing economy and efficiency in the creation, organization, maintenance, use, and disposition of records.
Search Criteria
Administrative Unit: represents either the administrative unit responsible for establishing the Official Record retention criteria OR the Administrative Unit responsible for maintaining the Official Records identified.
Confidential: indicates Official Records that contain information of various sorts that the University receives and holds confidential unless otherwise ordered by a court, by the lawful custodian of the records or by another person duly authorized to release such information. Examples include: student records, medical records, personnel records, etc.
Vital: indicates Official Records that contain information considered essential for the operations of a department (and/or the University) and includes information that may prevent a department from incurring serious liability or risk, or that would be extremely costly to replace. In the event of a disaster, this information, if destroyed, would make it difficult for a department to conduct normal business activities.
Export the full list of Official Record Retention Schedules available to date – or use the search criteria below for a more targeted search.
1099
Category: Purchasing, Accounts Payable and Travel
Description:
Accounts Payable issues 1099's to vendors paid for services over $599. Typically not considered confidential, however, some information may be confidential.
Official Files Maintained by:
UI Purchasing, Accounts Payable and Travel
UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Accounts Receivable Records
Category: Accounting and Financial
Description:
Invoices and supporting documentation sent to outside (external to UI) entities, agencies, etc. for services provided and not collected through the University Bill.
Official Files Maintained by:
Local Department responsible for creating or overseeing the record
UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Actuarial Report Regents Motor Vehicle Self Insurance Fund
Category: Risk Management, Insurance and Loss Prevention
Description:
Actuarial analysis of both Regents and University self insurance funds for the establishment of rates and estimated unpaid liabilities.
Official Files Maintained by:
UI Risk Management
UI Retention Guidelines: 10 Years
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Actuarial Reports (GASB 45, GASB 16)
Category: Accounting and Financial
Description:
Actuarial assessment and resulting reports supporting estimated OPEB & sick leave liabilities.
Official Files Maintained by:
UI Accounting & Financial Reporting
UI Retention Guidelines: 10 Years
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Administrative Service Charge
Category: Accounting and Financial
Description:
Documentation of calculations and invoices sent to internal campus customers for payment of administrative service fees.
Official Files Maintained by:
UI Financial Analysis - Controller's Office
UI Retention Guidelines: 10 Years
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Affirmative Action Plan Data
Category: Personnel, Human Resources and Recruitment
Description:
Affirmative Action Plan document and supporting data, including workforce analyses, availability data, underrepresentation analyses, and applicant adverse impact analyses.
Official Files Maintained by:
UI Office of Institutional Equity
UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Animal Protocol
Category: Office of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
Description:
Animal protocol
Official Files Maintained by:
Office of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
UI Retention Guidelines: 3 years past expiration of the animal protocol, per USDA/NIH regulations
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Annual External Audit Documents and Tax Returns
Category: Inventions, Patents and Research Agreements
Description:
Audit work papers, audit report, tax return related to UIRF Inventions, Patents and Research Agreements.
Official Files Maintained by:
UI Research Foundation
UI Retention Guidelines: Calendar Year +10 Years
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Annual Radiation Program Audits
Category: Environmental Health & Safety
Description:
Official Radiation Safety Officer Report, required annually by the Iowa Department of Public Health, summarizing Radiation Program status on campus.
Official Files Maintained by:
UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years
Confidential: No
Vital: Yes
Annual Reports
Category: Administrative Records
Description:
Non-Board of Regent reports documenting departmental/unit/org activities, service levels, outputs, etc. that are required for accreditation or per other state or federal regulations.
Official Files Maintained by:
Local Department responsible for creating or overseeing the record
UI Retention Guidelines: Permanent
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Annual Withholding Agent Voluntary Savings Plan Report
Category: Tax Records
Description:
Report Filed annually with Iowa Dept. of Revenue & Finance by UI Payroll.
Official Files Maintained by:
University Human Resources - Payroll
UI Retention Guidelines: Permanent
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Arrest Records, Criminal Incident Reports, and Accident Reports (Except as included elsewhere)
Category: Public Safety & Security
Description:
Criminal Incident, Investigation and Arrest Reports for individuals - excluding OWI and Public Intoxication. Typically not considered confidential, with exception of 1) investigative records or 2) where release may cause a safety issue.
Official Files Maintained by:
UI Department of Public Safety
UI Retention Guidelines: Permanent
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
As-built drawings/contractor mark-ups
Category: Facilities Management
Description:
Drawings and specifications with contractor mark-ups indicating changes made by contractor during the construction phase. Plans & Drawings are considered confidential records.
Official Files Maintained by:
UI Facilities Management
UI Retention Guidelines: Permanent
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Asbestos Testing/Asbestos Abatement Records
Category: Facilities Management
Description:
Daily logs, clearance sampling, disposal documents, project requirements
Official Files Maintained by:
UI Facilities Management
UI Retention Guidelines: Permanent
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Assignments of Invention Rights
Category: Inventions, Patents and Research Agreements
Description:
Assignments are contracts signed by the inventors on the 'Disclosure of New Inventions' assigning rights in their invention to the UIRF. These assignments are then filed with the United State Patent and Trademark office.
Official Files Maintained by:
UI Research Foundation
UI Retention Guidelines: Patent Term + 5 Years
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Audit Reports
Category: Audit & Legal
Description:
Final audit reports or findings for all University of Iowa investigative and non-investigative (pre-scheduled) audits completed by UI Internal Audit including audit responses provided by the units/departments being audited.
Official Files Maintained by:
UI Internal Audit
UI Retention Guidelines: 10 Years
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Audit schedules, UI-level account reconciliations, compliance reporting
Category: Accounting and Financial
Description:
Monthly & quarterly account reconciliations, compliance reporting internally and externally, supporting files and correspondence.
Official Files Maintained by:
UI Accounting & Financial Reporting
UI Retention Guidelines: 10 Years
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Audit Work Papers
Category: Audit & Legal
Description:
Documents which record all audit evidence obtained during financial statements auditing, internal management auditing, information systems auditing, and investigations.
Official Files Maintained by:
UI Internal Audit
UI Retention Guidelines: 10 Years
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Banking, Custodial and Investment Manager Agreements
Category: Banking & Investments
Description:
Financial Service Provider Agreements
Official Files Maintained by:
Treasury Operations
UI Retention Guidelines: 10 years from termination of agreement
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Bankruptcy Records
Category: Audit & Legal
Description:
Bankruptcy filings/pleadings for individuals or companies attempting to discharge their debts to the University of Iowa.
Official Files Maintained by:
UI Office of the General Counsel
UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years
Confidential: No
Vital: No