• Current NDSU Records Retention Schedule

The NDSU Records Retention Schedule is maintained by the Records Management Division of the North Dakota Information Technology Department. You can click on one of the Agency/Division in the bookmarks column on the left side of the page to go directly to that section of the schedule. You can also "drill down" to the individual SF2042 form describing each record series by expanding the divisions (click on the "+" for the specific division). The SF2042 forms are listed by "Records Control Number", one of the columns in the schedule.

Retention Schedule Columns

The columns shown from the NDSU Record Retention Schedule include:

1. Functional Area - The NDSU agency number (235) followed by the functional area number and name, a general grouping of the records series by area. The 22 functional areas are also listed in the bookmarks column to allow you to "jump" to a specific division by clicking on it. Note: on some forms this field is referred to as the division.
2. Records Control Number - (RCN) A structured six digit number as defined in the ND Subject Classification System document. You can expand one of the agency/division links in the bookmarks column by clicking on the "+" and then you can click on the specific RCN to see its approved description on the state form 2042.
3. Record Series Title - A brief title for the series.
4. Record Series Description - A more complete description of the various types of records that are included in the series. You can search these using the Adobe Acrobat reader search.
5. Office of Record Retention - How long the "office of record" (primary responsible office) will keep the records before disposal. The Abbreviations Used for Record Retention Schedules contains a listing of the various abbreviations. For example, "6ACFY" means the records would be disposed of six years after the current fiscal year.
6. Office of Record Disposal - The disposal method used by the office of record when the retention period has ended.
7. Copyholder Retention - Similar to the column "5" but applying to copyholders of the records in the series. If no copyholder retention is listed then all copyholders must dispose of the records no later than the "Office of Record Retention" shown in column 5.
8. Copyholder Disposal - Similar to column "6" but pertaining to the copyholders of the records in the series. If no copyholder disposal is listed then copies of confidential records must be shredded. Others may be recycled.
9. Confidential - Whether or not the record series may contain confidential information as indicated in the record series description documents (SF2042).

Eric J. Miller, Internal Auditor and Records Management Coordinator, NDSU.recordsmanagement@ndsu.edu