Archive Appraisal Policy

Not all records created as a result of University functions and activities are worthy of permanent preservation. Once administrative, regulatory or statutory retention periods have expired, certain records can be reviewed according to the appraisal criteria set out below. Other records can be identified as worthy of permanent preservation at the time they are created. Transfer of such material from departments or the University records centre will be facilitated as part of the lifecycle management of records created within the University.

Primary Values

Factors that will affect how long a record remains useful to the department that created it. From establishing its primary value we can identify how long to retain it, before this value ceases.

• Administrative value of records which are created during the course of a business transaction.
• The Regulatory or Legal value refers to the value a record has in documenting business transactions and in providing proof of compliance with regulatory or legal requirements.
• The Fiscal value refers to whether the record retains any value regarding use of University funds.

Secondary Values

Factors which will have a bearing on whether records are retained permanently are:

• Evidential value. Whether the record provides evidence of the University’s organisation, functioning or administrative structure.
  
• Informational value. Whether the records contain factual information about the University and its stakeholders.
  

Other factors to be taken into consideration are:

• Administrative needs. Quite often these will be long term. Some information on files will be required for far longer than other information.
• Content. Is the information extensive, intensive or diverse?
  
• Importance. In the context of the creating organisation. Does it relate to an important person, event, building etc.?