Records Retention Schedules

The Athabasca University Classification and Retention Schedule (AUCRS) is meant to provide staff with the means to determine how long active records should be kept in offices, when records should be transferred to semi-active records storage in Athabasca University Records Centre (AURC), and what the final disposition of the records will be, either destruction or transfer to the Archives.

Retention and disposition is determined by legislative, fiscal and operational regulations and through consultation with departments.

How to Use AUCRS

Key to Abbreviations:
CY = Current Year (the records is kept from the year it is being used)
FY = Fiscal year (fiscal year is from April 1 to March 30)
ES = A specific trigger which is indicated (e.g. = student no longer active, =record no longer needed for reference)
DE = Destruction
AR = Archive

Retentions are in years and are based on a Closure Rule, length of time of storage in Athabasca University Records Centre (AURC), then final Disposition.

E.g. AC050-10 Admissions - Evaluation and Approval - CY+1, 2, DE

Closure Rule: CY+1 means records are held in the department for the current year plus 1 year

E.g. If the document is dated June 2016, it will be held in the office for the rest of 2016 and all of 2017

Retention in AURC: 2 means the records are held in AURC for 2 years

E.g. The above record would be *transferred to AURC in December 2017 and would be held until December 2019

Final Disposition: DE means the record is destroyed

E.g. Records Management staff will contact the department head to advise that the records are due for destruction and get sign off before they are shredded (paper) or delete (electronic)

*For procedures on how to transfer records to AURC, consult this form.Search the Athabasca University Classification and Retention Schedule (DRAFT)