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

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