Records Management Services

The mission of Records Management Services is to provide information, training, and support to the campus in all areas of identifying, managing, and retaining official state records.

As a state agency, it is the University of Texas at Austin's responsibility to comply with local, state, and federal mandates. Records Management Services has a shared responsibility with Records Management Contacts across campus to systematically control the records of the university from their creation to their final disposition.

What is records management?
Records management is the systematic control of records from creation to final disposition. In other words, it is the management of a record during its entire life cycle. The life cycle of a record begins when it is created and ends at its final disposition whether that be destruction of the record or transfer of the record to archives.

What is a Records Management Contact?
Records Management Contacts manage records and submit requests to dispose of state records. They are responsible for obtaining training and information regarding university records management policy. Every department is required to designate a Records Management Contact in the UT Department System.

What does records management have to do with my department?
Each department at the university has a responsibility to preserve and protect all records that are under its control. The best way to do this is to understand the kinds of records that your department maintains and actively manage them on a day to day basis. Each department also has the responsibility to follow the polices and procedures of good records management as set out in this web site.

What are records? Do we have any in our department?
A record is any written, photographic, machine-readable, or other information created or received that documents activities in the conduct of state business.

No official state records may be destroyed without permission from the Texas State Library as outlined in Texas Government Code, Section 441.187 and 13 Texas Administrative Code, Title 13, Part 1, Chapter 6, Subchapter A, Rule 6.7. The Texas State Library certifies Agency retention schedules as a means of granting permission to destroy official state records.

The University of Texas at Austin Records Retention Schedule (UTRRS) is certified by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. It has been adopted as an administrative rule of the university. All official state records (paper, microform, electronic, or any other media) listed on the UTRRS must be retained for the minimum period designated. Once official university records have met their retention periods, they must be disposed of in accordance with the policies and procedures as described in this Web site.

What about all of the other files in our department?
The following items are not considered official state records:

• Extra copies (known as convenience copies) maintained only for reference
• A stock of publications or blank forms
• Catalogs or trade journals

Where do I begin in managing my records?

A checklist has been developed to help you through the steps of managing the records in your department. Completing all items on the checklist should be a long term goal of every department. If you have records that have met their retention period according to the UTRRS and you need to dispose of them immediately, you will need to complete either Form A or Form B of the Request for Internal Approval to Dispose of State Record Forms.

The following guide has been developed to help you navigate through the various pages of this Web site.