Records Retention
Winthrop University follows the retention schedules forth by the South Carolina Department of Archives and History for state colleges and universities for determining how long records are kept before destruction.
This campus-wide policy applies to all Winthrop-affiliated employees, whether temporary or permanent, paid or unpaid, as well as students, associates, volunteers, and/or anyone conducting electronic business, transactions, or other official activities for, or in association with, the University as well as members of the public while on University property.
| Policy Number: | 1.3.2.04 |
| Effective Date: | 07/01/1976 |
| Date Reviewed: | 07/01/1976 |
| Last Review Date: | 03/08/2021 |
| Responsible Official: | General Counsel |
| Responsible Office: | Office of the President |
| Contact Information: |
114 Tillman Hall Rock Hill, SC 29733, USA 803/323-2225 president@winthrop.edu |
1.0 Specific meanings of bold terms seen throughout this policy can be found within the University's policy definition glossary by following the link below.
All records produced or received in the course of official business of Winthrop University are the property of Winthrop University and, by extension, the State of South Carolina in accordance with the Public Records Act [Title 30] http://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t30c001.htm (which provides for the preservation, proper handling, retention, and disposition of public records of public bodies of the state. Public bodies are defined as any department, agency, board, commission, organization, etc. of the State of South Carolina supported in whole or in part by public funds [see 30-4-20 (b) and 30-1-10] (http://rm.sc.gov/Documents/Public%20Records%20Act.pdf). Public records are defined in Section 30-4-20 (c) as “books, papers, maps, photographs, cards, tapes, recordings, or other documentary materials regardless of physical form or characteristics prepared, owned, used, in the possession of, or retained by a public body”.
Consequently, records documenting the development of Winthrop University by law can not be destroyed without approval from the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. These records include (but are not limited to): correspondence; memoranda; minutes; publications; electronic records; publicity material; speeches; student, financial and business files; memorabilia; photographs, negatives, slides and audiovisual material. Records that are of historical value are to be transferred to the Winthrop University Archives according to the General Records Retention Schedule for State Colleges and Universities maintained by the South Carolina Department of Archives and History and to Winthrop’s specific schedule maintained by the Winthrop Archives. Records that are not deemed to be of historical value are to be retained or destroyed according to the General Records Retention Schedule for State Colleges and Universities.
The schedule is designed to give uniform guidelines for the retention and disposition of common records; to ensure necessary records are retained for as long as they are needed; to promote the cost-effective management of records; and to provide the legal authorization to dispose regularly of obsolete records.
Each department of Winthrop University will review records in their care to determine if they are of historical value, should be retained for a certain time, or should be destroyed in accordance with the General Records Retention Schedule for State Colleges and Universities and the Winthrop Archives policies. Each department is responsible for the proper disposition of records in its care. Unique records that are not listed in the General Records Retention Schedule should be reported online to the South Carolina Department of Archives and History for instructions to retain, to destroy, or to place in the Winthrop Archives.
https://rm.sc.gov/sites/default/files/Documents/Records%20Management%20(RM)/Schedules/genskedSCU.pdf
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