Transferring unit records to the archives ensure that its contributions to the university are remembered. Transferring records on a regular schedule can minimize inconvenience and improve efficiency. We recommend reviewing unit records annually. Some units incorporate a review annually as part of end-of-year activities, such as an office Green Day and in preparation of the annual report. 

The Records Policy and Procedures Manual outlines the types of records that should and should not be considered archival. The Manual specifically addresses the records of:

• central administrative units
• schools and colleges
• departments, institutes, libraries, museums, centers, and programs
• executive search and review committees
• campus-wide committees
• student committees and organizations
• faculty papers

While the University of Michigan does not have a general records schedule per se, there are a series of institutional policies, or SPGs, that govern records and information management. A unit-wide records retention schedule can go a long way towards making the process of managing institutional records easier for you. This schedule should provide instruction on how long you must keep different types of records (retention) and how records should be destroyed or transferred to the Bentley (disposition) once they have fulfilled their retention requirements. 

The following resource is not an official record schedule. Rather, it is a support document to help you in the crafting of unit-wide records policies. It does not replace or supersede individual policies and procedures determined by the University of Michigan or its schools and colleges.