Records Management proactively manages records from their creation or receipt, for business, legal and fiscal use to their eventual destruction or transfer to the UCLA University Archives.
What's a Record?
Records include but are not limited to contracts, reports, maps, photographs or other data in any hard copy or electronic format that document the University’s business and decisions.
University records are subject to the California Public Records Act and are available to the public unless exempted from disclosure by law.
Records are evaluated for their business purpose, period of usefulness and value to a department. They are retained as long as is necessary to meet their administrative, legal, fiscal and archival value.
- Administrative – Records created for current or planned departmental activities including memoranda, emails and reports.
- Legal – Records containing enforceable obligations of the University including contracts, licenses and case files that fulfill legal requirements.
- Fiscal – Records pertaining to financial transactions such as budgets, payrolls and ledgers.
- Archival – Records of permanent importance that document significant University development, research and historical events.
Importance of Records Management
The ability to properly document operations and provide timely access can avoid litigation and create positive University stakeholder relationships.
Effective records management:
- Helps employees work more effectively.
- Reduces costs and maximizes space.
- Minimizes legal risks.
