The Right Choice for Your Success

File code: ADM.RECORDS.POL
Approval Date: 5/31/11
Approved By: President

Records Management Policy

Western Illinois University is required by the State of Illinois to follow a retention schedule for all departmental records as defined by the State Records Commission.

Records of Western Illinois University include documentation of all business transactions of the University as defined by the Illinois State Records Act (5 ILCS 160/2, Ch. 116, par. 43.5) Sec. 2.:

"Record" or "records" means all books, papers, digitized electronic material, maps, photographs, databases, or other official documentary materials, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made, produced, executed or received by any agency in the State in pursuance of state law or in connection with the transaction of public business and preserved or appropriate for preservation by that agency or its successor as evidence of the organization, function, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, or other activities of the State or of the State Government, or because of the informational data contained therein. Library and museum material made or acquired and preserved solely for reference or exhibition purposes, extra copies of documents preserved only for convenience of reference, and stocks of publications and of blank forms are not included within the definition of records as used in this Act.”

As such, Western Illinois University departmental records are the property of the University and must be maintained and disposed of according to the following protocols:

Records still within their retention period as defined by the Retention Schedule must be maintained by the originating office until the retention period has passed.

Once the retention period has passed, records are to be disposed of according to the Retention Schedule's specifications.