Official Records Retention Schedules

Please Note: The UI Official Records Retention schedules are currently under revision. Updates will be posted periodically.

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.

Progress Reports

Category: Grants and Awards

Description:

Summary of the project performance and outcomes.

Official Files Maintained by:
Local Department responsible for creating or overseeing the record

UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years after award closeout

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Promissory Notes & Institutional Loan Documents

Category: University Billing and Student Loans

Description:

Original Student Loan Promissory Notes & Institutional Loan Documents

Official Files Maintained by:
Treasury Operations

UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years after loan is "de-obligated" (either paid, death, bankruptcy, etc.)

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Promotion and Tenure Records

Category: Academic and Faculty

Description:

Dossiers and supplemental materials of faculty members being reviewed for promotion or tenure.

Official Files Maintained by:
Local Department responsible for creating or overseeing the record

UI Retention Guidelines: CY + 10 years after employee terminates

Confidential: Yes
Vital: No

Promotion and Tenure Records: Grievance Decision Records

Category: Academic and Faculty

Description:

Dossiers, grievance documents, and final decisions of promotion and tenure cases that are disputed by faculty member.

Official Files Maintained by:
Office of the Executive VP and Provost

UI Retention Guidelines: CY + 10 years after employee terminates

Confidential: Yes
Vital: No

Proof of delivery/receipt of product or services

Category: Purchasing, Accounts Payable and Travel

Description:

Typically includes packing slips - signed and dated, time records, job sheets or the entry of an electronic receipt into PeopleSoft. Electronic receipts are maintained by UI Purchasing, Accounts Payable and Travel.

Official Files Maintained by:
Local Department responsible for creating or overseeing the record

UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Property Claims

Category: Risk Management, Insurance and Loss Prevention

Description:

Records of claims for damage to University property covered through commercial insurance and/or self-insurance. Some records may be kept permanently for claims of historical significance.

Official Files Maintained by:
UI Risk Management

UI Retention Guidelines: 10 Years

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Property insurance policies

Category: Risk Management, Insurance and Loss Prevention

Description:

Property Insurance files including policy documents, applications, renewals, correspondence, property valuations, etc.

Official Files Maintained by:
UI Risk Management

UI Retention Guidelines: 10 Years

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Purchase Order Invoices/Vouchers

Category: Purchasing, Accounts Payable and Travel

Description:

Vendors invoice is either sent to us electronically via Vendor Trak, GHX or email. Paper invoices are mailed to AP and once entered they are scanned. The scanned image is attached to the transaction.

Official Files Maintained by:
UI Purchasing, Accounts Payable and Travel

UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Purchase Orders

Category: Purchasing, Accounts Payable and Travel

Description:

Purchase orders are maintained in PeopleSoft Purchasing Module. Purchase order back up documentation is kept with the requisition that generated the order. See Preqs for further information.

Official Files Maintained by:
UI Purchasing, Accounts Payable and Travel

UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years following end of purchase order

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Quarterly Balance Sheet Reconciliations

Category: Accounting and Financial

Description:

Documentation of quarterly balance sheet reconciliations performed at the department/unit level per policy at http://afr.fo.uiowa.edu/policies-procedures-resources/quarterly-reconcil....

Official Files Maintained by:
Local Department responsible for creating or overseeing the record

UI Retention Guidelines: 10 Years

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Radiation Shipping Records

Category: Environmental Health & Safety

Description:

Records of radioactive material packages shipped from UI

Official Files Maintained by:

UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years

Confidential: No
Vital: Yes

Radioactive Materials (RAM) License Inspections

Category: Environmental Health & Safety

Description:

Records of RAM License Inspections

Official Files Maintained by:

UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years

Confidential: No
Vital: Yes

Radioactive Materials Licenses

Category: Environmental Health & Safety

Description:

All licenses for the use of radioactive materials at UI and UIHC

Official Files Maintained by:

UI Retention Guidelines: Until Iowa Department of Public Health Termination of Radioactive Materials License

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Radioactive Materials Package Records

Category: Environmental Health & Safety

Description:

Records of radioactive materials packages received

Official Files Maintained by:

UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years

Confidential: No
Vital: Yes

Real Estate Agreements

Category: Contracts, Real Estate and Leasing

Description:

Misc. documents with city governments; state agencies; and various non-profit partners.

Official Files Maintained by:
UI Business Manager Office

UI Retention Guidelines: 10 Years from termination

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Recombinant DNA (rDNA) Documents/Approvals

Category: Environmental Health & Safety

Description:

rDNA Approvals and associated documents voted on/approved by the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC).

Official Files Maintained by:

UI Retention Guidelines: Permanent

Confidential: No
Vital: Yes

Reconciliations of Cash & Change Fund Verifications

Category: Accounting and Financial

Description:

Reconciliation of cash (including validation of deposit tickets), and verification of departmental change funds.

Official Files Maintained by:
Local Department responsible for creating or overseeing the record

UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Reconciliations of Transaction Detail Reports (TDR's)

Category: Accounting and Financial

Description:

Transaction Detail Reports (TDR's) maintained electronically by central administration.

Official Files Maintained by:
UI Accounting & Financial Reporting

UI Retention Guidelines: 10 Years

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Recordable Medical Events

Category: Environmental Health & Safety

Description:

Records of medical events related to radioactive materials that are required by IDPH to be recorded

Official Files Maintained by:

UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Recruitment Records

Category: Personnel, Human Resources and Recruitment

Description:

Recruitment records include position postings/requisitions, resumes, CVs, job applications, reference letters, letters of recommendation, and all recruitment/search documents (e.g., writing samples, portfolios) for applicants to positions within a department for all position types (merit, student, faculty, and P&S).

Official Files Maintained by:
Local Department responsible for creating or overseeing the record

UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years following the closure of a search or the appointment of the employee.

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

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