Records

What is a University Record?

The Ohio Revised Code Section 149.011(G) and University Policy 5-15.1(B)(1) describe a record as follows:

  • any document, device, or item, regardless of physical form or characteristic;
  • created or received by, or coming under the jurisdiction of, any public office of the state or its political subdivisions;
  • which serves to document the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, or other activities of the office.

non-record is any document, device, or item that does not meet the definition above.  Non-records may be destroyed at any time. The following are unlikely to be considered records:

  • personal correspondence
  • non-university publications
  • Listserv® materials
  • junk mail/spam
  • catalogs
  • journals, books, other library materials
  • faculty papers (Faculty papers are generally the property of the faculty member and not the university; as such, they are not university records.  However, in some cases, the archivist may be interested in collecting faculty papers.)*