Records Management (Retention)

West Texas A&M University is committed to maintaining an active and continuing state records management program. The WTAMU records management program is coordinated by the Records Management Officer. Records management is the application of departmental management processes to create, use, maintain, retain, and dispose of state records. Records management also incorporates the adequate protection of state records that are vital, archival, or confidential according to accepted archival and records management practices.

State records may not be destroyed or otherwise disposed of unless approved in writing by the records officer using the destruction form below. Any record subject to federal audit must be retained until the expiration of the audit period or the period specified in Records Retention Schedule, whichever is later. The schedule has identified some of these records. It is the responsibility of the Department Head/Account Custodian to identify any additional records that are subject to federal audit and ensure they are retained accordingly.

A state record may not be destroyed if any litigation, claim, negotiation, audit, open records request, administrative review, or other action involving the record is initiated before the expiration of the retention period. The record must be retained until the completion of the action and the resolution of all issues that arise from it, or until the expiration of the retention period, whichever is later (Section 441.187(b), Government Code).

For more information on the System Records Retention Schedule, please contact the Records Management Office.

Record Retention Schedule

Records Destruction Form