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.
Segment (UI bond enterprises) financial reporting
Category: Accounting and Financial
Description:
Segment (UI bond enterprises) financial statements (SNP, SRECNP, SCF) & covenant compliance support.
Official Files Maintained by:
UI Accounting & Financial Reporting
UI Retention Guidelines: 10 Years
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Select Agent Program Records
Category: Environmental Health & Safety
Description:
Records of select agent use at UI
Official Files Maintained by:
UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Separation Agreements
Category: Personnel, Human Resources and Recruitment
Description:
Contracts or written agreements related to settlements of individual personnel matters (P&T disputes, separation agreements).
Official Files Maintained by:
UI Office of the General Counsel
UI Retention Guidelines: 10 Years after employee terminates
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Service Center Reviews
Category: Accounting and Financial
Description:
Annual reviews of University internal service center rates and financial positions for departments charging other internal departments for services.
Official Files Maintained by:
UI Financial Analysis - Controller's Office
UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Sponsored Agreement Post Award Records
Category: Grants and Awards
Description:
Award attributes, status, and financial information are recorded in ePost. Supporting documentation includes internal correspondence, sponsor correspondence, outgoing invoices and supporting documentation, financial and other reports filed with sponsor, and incoming invoices (for subreceipients).
Official Files Maintained by:
Grant Accounting Office
UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years after award closeout
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Sponsored Award Agreements
Category: Grants and Awards
Description:
Sponsor award notices, contracts, budgets, and other supporting documentation received from sponsor.
Official Files Maintained by:
Division of Sponsored Programs
UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years after award closeout
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
State Warrants
Category: Accounting and Financial
Description:
Requests to the State of Iowa to transfer appropriated funds to the university
Official Files Maintained by:
UI Retention Guidelines: 10 Years
Confidential: No
Vital: Yes
States other than Iowa or Illinois Annual Withholding Return
Category: Tax Records
Description:
State specific forms filed annually with State's Department of Revenue & Finance by UI Payroll.
Official Files Maintained by:
University Human Resources - Payroll
UI Retention Guidelines: Permanent
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
States other than Iowa or Illinois Employer Withholding Tax Payment
Category: Tax Records
Description:
State specific forms filed monthly with State's Dept. of Revenue & Finance by UI Payroll.
Official Files Maintained by:
University Human Resources - Payroll
UI Retention Guidelines: Permanent
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
States other than Iowa or Illinois Employer's Quarterly Withholding Tax Return
Category: Tax Records
Description:
State specific forms filed quarterly with State's Dept. of Revenue & Finance by UI Payroll.
Official Files Maintained by:
University Human Resources - Payroll
UI Retention Guidelines: Permanent
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Stem Cell Registration Documents
Category: Environmental Health & Safety
Description:
Documents associated with Stem Cell Registration
Official Files Maintained by:
UI Retention Guidelines: Permanent
Confidential: No
Vital: No
Stock certificates - UIRF
Category: Inventions, Patents and Research Agreements
Description:
Stock certificates received as part of a license or other agreement executed by UIRF.
Official Files Maintained by:
UI Research Foundation
UI Retention Guidelines: Permanent
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Storm water Permits
Category: Facilities Management
Description:
Storm water (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems) permits, plans, and daily logs
Official Files Maintained by:
UI Facilities Management
UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Storm water Pollution Prevention Plans (Batcave and EMF)
Category: Environmental Health & Safety
Description:
EHS - EP Storm water pollution prevention plan site inspection & monitoring records.
Official Files Maintained by:
UI Retention Guidelines: Permanent
Confidential: No
Vital: Yes
Strategic Plan - Departmental
Category: Administrative Records
Description:
Individual org, department or unit strategic plans not considered official records unless otherwise required for accreditation or per other federal or state regulations.
Official Files Maintained by:
Local Department responsible for creating or overseeing the record
UI Retention Guidelines: Permanent
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Strategic Plan - University of Iowa
Category: Administrative Records
Description:
University of Iowa Strategic Plan. Individual org, department or unit strategic plans not considered official records unless otherwise required for accreditation or per other federal or state regulations.
Official Files Maintained by:
University Archivist
UI Retention Guidelines: Permanent
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Student Disability Services Student Records -- Accommodations for Matriculated Students
Category: Academic/Student Records
Description:
Student’s name, the accommodations the student was eligible for, and the accommodations the student used
Official Files Maintained by:
Student Disability Services
UI Retention Guidelines: Permanent (for students enrolled after September 2016)
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Student Disability Services Student Records -- Application and Supporting Documents for Matriculated Students
Category: Academic/Student Records
Description:
Letters of Accommodation, application for academic accommodations and supporting documentation, and other records regarding the provision of supports or accommodations
Official Files Maintained by:
Student Disability Services
UI Retention Guidelines: 5 years from date of last enrollment
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Student Disability Services Student Records -- Application and Supporting Documents for Students Not Matriculated
Category: Academic/Student Records
Description:
Letters of Accommodation, application for academic accommodations and supporting documentation, and other records regarding the provision of supports or accommodations of prospective students
Official Files Maintained by:
Student Disability Services
UI Retention Guidelines: 5 years from date of last contact with SDS
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes
Student Eligibility Records
Category: Student Financial Aid
Description:
Student Eligibility Records may include the Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR), the Student Aid Report (SAR), Cost of Attendance (COA) records along with documentation for any changes to COA, Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) records along with SAP appeals and documentation, Federal Verification records, Professional Judgement re
Official Files Maintained by:
Office of Student Financial Aid
UI Retention Guidelines: 5 years
Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes