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.

Misadministration Reports

Category: Environmental Health & Safety

Description:

EHS reports of misadministration of radioactive materials

Official Files Maintained by:

UI Retention Guidelines: 10 Years

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax Refund Claim

Category: Tax Records

Description:

Monthly filing to Iowa Dept. of Revenue & Finance by Accounts Payable to obtain state motor fuel tax refund. Claim reference # and other info. maintained.

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

UI Retention Guidelines: Permanent

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Multi-state quarterly unemployment tax returns

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 - Benefits Office

UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Non-Disclosure Agreements (also referred to as Confidential Disclosure Agreements)

Category: Personnel, Human Resources and Recruitment

Description:

Agreements executed whenever confidential information is disclosed, received, or exchanged by or within the University of Iowa. The purpose of the agreement is to protect the disclosing party’s information from being disclosed to third parties without the knowledge or prior approval of the disclosing party.

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

UI Retention Guidelines: Life of the agreement + 10 years.

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Official Transcripts

Category: Academic/Student Records

Description:

A certified record of the academic work done at the University of Iowa. It includes classes taken, hours earned, grades received and degrees conferred.

Official Files Maintained by:
Office of the Registrar

UI Retention Guidelines: Permanent

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Original supporting documentation for Evoucher, Travel Expense Vouchers and P-Card transactions

Category: Purchasing, Accounts Payable and Travel

Description:

Original supporting documentation for Evouchers, P-Card or Travel Expense Voucher payments. Typical original supporting documentation would be invoices, registration forms, membership agreements, proof of payment, receipts, airline itinerary, conference schedules, car rental receipt, hotel folio, etc.

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

UI Retention Guidelines: Until the transaction has loaded to the General Ledger

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Outgoing Sub award Agreements

Category: Grants and Awards

Description:

Sub award agreements and supporting documentation.

Official Files Maintained by:
Division of Sponsored Programs

UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years after award closeout

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

P3 Program Funding Award Records

Category: Grants and Awards

Description:

Preliminary proposals, full proposals, workflow approvals, internal correspondence, award letters, periodic progress reports, and financial reports.

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

UI Retention Guidelines: 5 years after award closeout

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Parking Appeals

Category: Parking & Transportation

Description:

Appeal of parking citation and appeals committee decision on appeal

Official Files Maintained by:
UI Parking & Transportation

UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Parking Permit Applications and Renewals

Category: Parking & Transportation

Description:

New or renewed parking permit applications for on-campus or off-campus parking locations managed by or leased through UI Parking & Transportation.

Official Files Maintained by:
UI Parking & Transportation

UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Past Due Account Letters

Category: University Billing and Student Loans

Description:

Notices of Past Due Accounts for Student & Non-Student Accounts. (Ex: Right to Cure, etc.)

Official Files Maintained by:
Treasury Operations

UI Retention Guidelines: Permanent

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Patent Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable

Category: Inventions, Patents and Research Agreements

Description:

Bills, invoices, royalty receipts, etc. related to UIRF Inventions, Patents and Research Agreements.

Official Files Maintained by:
UI Research Foundation

UI Retention Guidelines: Patent Term + 5 Years

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Patent Applications

Category: Inventions, Patents and Research Agreements

Description:

Patent applications provided the earliest and ongoing versions in a patent file, and can necessary to provide scope and background in case of any patent litigation. Once an application is submitted to the USPTO, it is also available there.

Official Files Maintained by:
UI Research Foundation

UI Retention Guidelines: Patent Term + 5 Years

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Patent Committee Records

Category: Inventions, Patents and Research Agreements

Description:

Under UI Policy, there can be meetings of a Patent Committee, which will provide certain input and make specific recommendations to the UIRF.

Official Files Maintained by:
UI Research Foundation

UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Payroll Records - Individual (monthly/biweekly for all employee types)

Category: Personnel, Human Resources and Recruitment

Description:

Documentation of all payroll payments made to individuals employed by UI. Paper or electronic employee time records, regular or corrected, W-4's and W-2's; Payroll authorization to withhold union dues cards.

Official Files Maintained by:
University Human Resources - Payroll

UI Retention Guidelines: Permanent

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Payroll withhold authorization cards/records

Category: Personnel, Human Resources and Recruitment

Description:

Authorization for UI to withhold money from employee paychecks for payment of applicable past-due University bills/expenses.

Official Files Maintained by:
Treasury Operations

UI Retention Guidelines: Permanent

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Personal and Area Monitoring Data

Category: Environmental Health & Safety

Description:

Personal or area exposure monitoring data collected by UI EHS by request or as required by regulations. This includes air monitoring, surface sampling, noise monitoring, and indoor air quality assessments.

Official Files Maintained by:

UI Retention Guidelines: Permanent

Confidential: No
Vital: Yes

Personnel Records (Student, Staff and Faculty employees)

Category: Personnel, Human Resources and Recruitment

Description:

Personnel files contain all forms related to the staff member's employment; i.e., resumes, curriculum vitae, and/or application materials, appointment papers and letters of offer/intent/contract, job descriptions, documentation of career development forms, credential checks, change of status forms, performance appraisals, letters of recogni

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

UI Retention Guidelines: 5 Years after termination

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Policy Manual - University of Iowa

Category: Administrative Records

Description:

Current and prior published versions of the University of Iowa Policy Manual (formerly Operations Manual), including organizational charts documenting the governance structures in place at the time of publication. (Also maintained by University Archivist.)

Official Files Maintained by:
University Secretary - Finance and Operations

UI Retention Guidelines: Permanent

Confidential: Yes
Vital: Yes

Post-Tenure Effort Allocation (Faculty)

Category: Academic and Faculty

Description:

Tenured faculty members' planned allocation of effort among teaching, research, service, and clinical service for each academic year. 

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

UI Retention Guidelines: Permanent

Confidential: No
Vital: No

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