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Record Keeping Tips for Department Chairs
Introduction
The responsibilities of a Department Chair include academic leadership, department administration, faculty supervision and support, student support and advocacy, communication and representation, personnel and policy management, and chair transition and legacy.
Keeping accurate records is necessary to ensure accountability, to support sound decision-making, and to promote legal compliance.
The following tip sheet has been developed by the Archives and Records Management Department (ARMD) to support Department Chairs with their record-keeping responsibilities and to promote a culture of record-keeping amongst departmental staff.
Best Practices
Be Consistent
- Use clear naming conventions for documents. Consult the Standard Naming Conventions for Electronic Records for guidance.
- Establish, or follow, a file classification plan to organize your records. Consult the Model File Classification Plan for guidance.
Ensure Security
- Use university-approved, secure platforms (e.g., SharePoint, MS/Teams, department Share Drive). Consult the list of supported applications from ITS.
- Consider taking the Infromation Security Essentials Course.
Be Familiar with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act
- Consider taking the FIPPA Training.
Document Decisions
- Keep clear records of departmental decisions (e.g., hiring, promotions, curricular changes).
- Save supporting documentation to show process transparency.
Understand Records Retention and Disposition Requirements
- Understand which records to retain and which records to destroy.
- Consult the Records Retention Schedule and Disposal Authorities (RRSDAs) for a complete list of all records schedules at SFU.
- Important RRSDAs to be aware of include, but are not limited to:
- RRSDA 1996-004 Personnel Files: Academic Employees
- RRSDA 1999-002 Course Files
- RRSDA 1999-003 Committee Files
- RRSDA 1999-024 Competition Files: Academic Employees
- RRSDA 2023-004 Budget Records
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
| Concerns | Solutions |
|---|---|
| Using non-Â鶹ÊÓƵsystems for official record-keeping (e.g., google-docs, Gmail, WhatsApp). | Instead use Â鶹ÊÓƵapproved systems and applications for record-keeping. |
| Relying on individual drives (e.g. OneDrive) or email for official record keeping. | Instead, departmental records should be created, stored and maintained in official systems. |
| Failing to separate confidential documents from general documents. For example, inter-filing graduate student employment records with graduate supervisor records. | Instead, follow (or develop) a records classification plan and file records related to employment supervision (i.e., RA/TA records) separately from records related to academic supervision. |
| Discarding records too soon, especially records related to grading, grade appeals, tenure and promotion case files, and academic searches (including failed searches). | Instead, follow approved RRSDAs. |
Final Tips
- Set aside once a semester to review and file records (including email) according to a file classification plan.
- Train department staff on proper records management.
- When transitioning out of the role, ensure a clean handoff of records to your successor.
- Additional questions should be directed to the Records Management Archivist, Shamin Malmas, smalmas@sfu.ca.