Records Management Day

Soon after commencement every year in May, Hesston College will have an annual Records Management Day. This day can help us get a grasp on our paper and electronic records and know what to save and what we should dispose of. This can also be a time to better organize your paper or electronic files.

The goals of this day and process are:

    1. Organize your info, both paper and electronic.

    2. Organize the info you share with others.

    3. Reminder, your H drive should only be your personal info If info is electronic and relates to HC, is should be on your departmental K drive or M drive area. If your department or committee doesn't have a shared electronic storage area, please contact IT to get one in place for you.

As you evaluate your paper and electronic files they should fall into three categories:

    1. Information you are current using or need occasional access to, and thus will stay in your physical or electronic storage area.

    2. Information that you no longer need, but has historical value and should be passed on to archives.

    3. Unwanted Information that is paper, can be recycled or shredded.

    4. ​If you don’t know what to do with some files, ask your supervisor.

Regarding paper files

    1. Non confidential paper files can be placed in recycling

    2. Confidential paper files should be taken to the shredder in the print shop

    3. Extra folders and storage items can be placed in the “Give and Take Supply Store” by the Ad Building Post Office area. Need a file cabinet, contact Facilities Department.

    4. If you end up with unneeded small items, place them in the “Give and Take Supply Store”. If you have extra file cabinets, contact the Facilities Department for removal.

Regarding electronic files

    1. Make sure you have the right folders and sub folders to organize your data. If you would like help in creating those folders, contact Gary or IT. They will be available all day to assist you.

    2. Your H drive is only for your personal info, college related info should not be stored there. Hard drives can fail, so college related files should be stored on your departmental “K” drive

    3. Your Google drive is a quick place to store data and its easy to share with and collaborated on with co-workers. It is accessible by the college in case you get hit by a truck, but for more formal records and minutes, a shared area on a K or M drive is best.

    4. If you are in a department, working group, committee, etc that doesn't have a “home” for your data, please contact IT and they will be glad to create an area for you.

    5. Any info in Jenzabar (myHesston) will stay there and is always saved

Regarding files or items for the archives

    1. If after looking at the below notes, you have any questions or have files or artifacts you think might be archive worthy, please contact HC archivist Gary Oyer.

    2. For the complete document on guidelines for the archives you can read this document on the F drive:

    3. Hesston College Archives and Records Management Process April 12, 2013 F:\Academics\Archive\temporary storage for others

Examples from that document on what should or should not be placed in the archives include:

A. Examples of records that have historical value:

Minutes and agendas

Mission/vision statements

Annual reports

Budgets

Auditor’s reports

Self-study reports with accompanying documentation

Reports to accrediting agencies

Reports to government agencies

Grants, applications and reports to funding agency

Consultant reports

Manuals/handbooks

Newsletters

Brochures/promotional material

Photographs

Non-routine memos and correspondence

Personnel records (confidential and closed)

Donor files (restricted)

Travel schedules

Mailing lists

Syllabi (will be saved by Vice President of Academics)

Chapel recordings

Recording of special events: drama, recitals, music performances, commencement, etc

B. Examples of records that typically are of no historical value:

Acknowledgements

Announcements

Appointments

Budget work papers

Casual calculations

Casual memos

Copy for publication after publication

Directives and instructions received

Drafts when final copy is issued

Inter-departmental memos asking for action, after action is completed

Invitations

Memos re appointments

Outlines

Proofs for publication

Property inventories

Reading files

Reminders

Requests

Reservations and confirmations

Sales and promotional appeals

Tickets

Work orders