Records; evidence of an organisation's business activities
The University (and you!) have a legal responsibility to make sure that these records are managed effectively, retained for the required period of time, and then disposed of appropriately.
Records can include things such as mail and email; minutes and agendas; contracts and agreements; records created in our electronic business systems; staff and student records; lecture materials; and research data.
Records may be stored in myriad devices, including paper documents in a filing cabinet; documents in your email, shared drives, computer or mobile device; web sites; learning and teaching materials on Blackboard etc.
- Record Appraisal and Advice
- Sending Records to Records Services
- Records Storage Spaces Risk Assessment Tool for University Elements - for evaluating the suitability of storage areas for general use and/or for storage of official University records.
- Do I need to keep this? - Recordkeeping flowchart.
- Managing Corporate Records at Griffith University - Information Sheet
- Check out Griffith's Information Management Framework website
How to guides
Records Management Guides:
We provide a consultation service to provide guidance on the type of records to be maintained by your element and how long they must be retained.
Student Services Exams & Timetabling Schools and Departments
What is a record?
- A record is any information that is created, received and maintained as evidence and information by an organisation or person in pursuance of legal obligations or in the transaction of business. (Australian Standard ISO15489 - Records Management)
Why create records?
There are many reasons why we create records including:
- To provide evidence of business actions and decisions
- One of the main reasons we create records is to provide evidence of business actions and decisions. This is especially important in areas of frequent and regular staff movements and turnover. Records contribute to the corporate memory of the organisation.
- Financial and accounting purposes
- Principal accounting records such as invoices, purchase orders, tender documents need to be kept in order that Griffith can account for how it spends the public funding it receives.
- To preserve significant objects
- Assists us in retracing historical decisions and events that are significant to the culture of the University. It also assists in providing facts surrounding precedent-setting events.
- Legal obligations
- Simply put, we keep records because we have to! Laws such as the Public Records Act 2002 and the Right to Information Act 2009 apply to records maintained by Griffith University. In addition, University rules such as the Griffith University Records Management Policy are based on the legislative requirements to which we must comply.
Is this a corporate record?
- Does it form part of a University transaction?
- Does it add value or support to an existing document?
- Does it show how a transaction was processed?
- Does it show how a decision was made?
- Does it document a change to policy, procedure or methodology?
- Does it show when or where an event happened?
- Is it a formal draft of a submission, agreement or legal document?
- Is there a statutory requirement to keep the document?
- Is this document essential for the rapid re-establishment of business in the University?
- Does it fall within the functions and activities contained in the retention and disposal schedules?
Classifying records
Once identified as a record, the University's Business Classification Scheme is used to allocate a record type to the record which can then be used to determine how long the record needs to be kept.
Resources
RM8
The following resources are provided to assist staff in Records Services staff and other identified elements when entering information into RM8.
- Record naming conventions
Records Services works with business elements to ensure appropriate record naming conventions at both file and document level. This assistants with retrieval of records over time through consistent naming methods. - Data entry conventions
When entering data into RM8, it is necessary to follow set guidelines to ensure that data is able to be retrieved through known formatting. - Security caveats
Security restrictions are applied to records as appropriate to the sensitivity and content of the information within the record. - Business Classification Scheme
Once identified as a record, the University's Business Classification Scheme is used to allocate a record type to the record which can then be used to determine how long the record needs to be kept.
Record naming conventions Business classification scheme
CRDS
- Business Classification Scheme
Once identified as a record, the University's Business Classification Scheme is used to allocate a record type to the record which can then be used to determine how long the record needs to be kept. - Business Processes
These Business Processes provide guidance on all aspects of records management activities within CRDS. - Student Records - Information for CARMS (SharePoint)
These Business Processes provide guidance on all aspects of records management activities within CRDS.
Business process Business classification scheme
Contact us
Records services
- Office hours: 8:30am to 4:30pm
- (07) 3735 7870
- For file requests, please email your request to filerequests@griffith.edu.au
- For all general records enquiries email records-services@griffith.edu.au
Location, Delivery and Postal Address
Records Services, Griffith University
Bray Centre (N54) Room 2.40
170 Kessels Road
Nathan QLD 4111
