Retention and Disposition

Are e-mail messages public records?

At NMU, all email messages composed and maintained on University hardware are considered public records

Michigan law defines a legal public record as those materials created, received, and filed in an office supported by tax dollars. MCLA 18.1284(b) and 15.232(c)

MCLA 18.1285 – Records Retention and Disposition Schedules

Records Media Act (116) 1992NMU Board of Trustee Policy on Archives and

Records Management (1991)

What is an “official” and authentic University record?Records that document an official activity,

function, or business transaction. Content: Factual information in the record

that documents University businessContext: Information that shows how the

record is related to the business of the office and/or department and other records

Structure: Technical characteristics of the records, such as file format, data organization, page layout, hyperlinks, headers, and footnotes

Typical email records with continuing valuePolicy and procedure directivesAgendas and minutes of meetingsDocuments related to legal and audit issuesFinal reports or recommendationsDocuments that approve or authorize actions and

expendituresThe email is a formal communication between staff,

such as correspondence or memoranda relating to official business

Message with Continuing ValueTo: JoeFrom: JimDate: February 13, 2007Subject: Contract

Please change the fourth paragraph in contract #10775 to read, “payment must be received within 30 days,” removing the phrase “60 days.”

Message with Continuing ValueTo: MarkFrom: JohnDate: February 18, 2007Subject: Appointment

This is your official notification of your appointment to the Public Safety Advisory Committee. Your responsibilities will include . . .

Typical records without continuing value or “transitory”

News bulletins, circulars, meeting notices, copies of documents, drafts

Those created solely as part of preparation for other transitory records

Personal messages and announcements not work related

Junk mail

Transitory messageTo: StaffFrom: JanetOctober 10, 2007Subject: Staff Meetings

The staff meetings will be held on Tuesday mornings from now on instead of Thursday afternoons.

Transitory messageTo: DebbieFrom: JimDate: August 2, 2007Subject: Supplies

I noticed that there are no more blue ink pens in the supply cabinet. Can you please order more? Thanks.

Print out and file a hard copy in an appropriate filing system and according to the established records retention schedule.

Delete if the record has met its retention schedule or is transitory.

Transfer record series of continuing value or those that have not yet met their retention schedule to the University Records Center for final disposition.

Who is Responsible for Retention and Disposition?Records: Senders are the “person of record”Records: Recipients may need the record to

support business functionsTransitory Records: Recipient retains until

task or activity is completedNon-records: Informational copies do not

need to be retained

E-mail Retention ChecklistAsk yourself the following questions:

Does this record have an approved retention schedule?

Do I need to keep this message to document my work? Is it evidence?

Is the message string completed, or could additional messages follow that I will want to retain?

Are the other records about this topic/issue/case kept in a hardcopy file or an electronic file?

Is this a message that my co-workers are receiving too? Am I responsible for retention or is someone else responsible?

Should this message be stored in a shared file? Do my co-workers need to access it?

What to do with attachments?

If email and attachment have continuing value:Save the email and attachment together in

original format within the context of your email software on the email server

Save the attachment in another location (hard drive or network space)

Print the email and attachment and save them in paper format - PREFERRED

A word about printingPrint version must include: Addresses – not names of distribution lists – of

specific recipients (the “To:”) Including addresses in “cc:” and “bcc:” fields Addresses of the sender (the “From:”) The subject line The body of the email message All attachments The date and time the message was sent and/or

received

For directions on how to turn on full header info, consult the University Archivist

When in doubt, print it out!