Records Disposal

Disposal Schedule

Records may be disposed of ONLY when the approved record schedule retention period has passed. Use the Records Schedule List below to search for a department record to identify the retention period and disposal method. The schedule lists the schedule number, record description, and method for disposal. All records must be recorded on a Confidential Disposal or Transfer to Archive form and submitted to the Records Officer prior to disposal. Any record with the disposal method identified as "Transfer to Archives" cannot be destroyed.

View Records Schedule (.pptx) [NEED TO ENSURE ACCESSIBILITY]

*Record Schedules are valid for 10 years. State agencies are statutorily required to provide record schedules. These are maintained by the Records Office and made available to employees to manage records.

Record Destruction

After the retention period has passed, the record schedule's disposal method will determine how you will dispose of it. There are two methods of record disposal: recycle and destroy confidentially.

Confidential Destruction Process

The Records Officer will coordinate a bi-annual confidential record destruction for the campus. Once you receive the communication, complete the Confidential Disposal Process. Records cannot be disposed of without this process.

1Confirm Records Ready for Disposal

Review your department's Record Management Plan (RMP)'s Inventory Management Worksheet (.xlsx) [NEED TO ENSURE ACCESSIBILITY and the Records Schedule (.xlsx) [NEED TO ENSURE ACCESSIBILITY]. Records that may be destroyed include:

• Convenience copies no longer needed by the department
• Official records (paper, email, electronic) past their retention period date
• Records without pending record requests, audits or lawsuits that would require retention
• The Record Schedule Disposal Method is "Destroy Confidentially"

2Document Record Disposition

Document the records ready for disposal on the Confidential Disposal Form (CDF). 

• Copy information from your Inventory Management Worksheet onto the CDF.
• Verify the record schedule number is listed, retention period, and disposal method is listed.
• Include any electronic records ready for disposal as well.

Complete Confidential Disposal Form [CONVERT TO ONLINE FORM]

3Obtain Approval

Obtain approval signature from your department supervisor and email the Confidential Disposal Form to the UW-Green Bay Records Officer. Once the record schedule and retention period have been confirmed, the records office will send you an Outlook calendar appointment as a placeholder with directions to bring your records to the Mail Room Loading Dock on the assigned day for collection.

4Prepare Records for Disposal

For electronic records, you may delete these records at this time. For paper records, you don't need to remove staples or paper clips before placing records in boxes. DO NOT purchase new boxes for this process; they will be destroyed. Binders or hanging folders are not allowed and should be removed before placing records in the disposal box. 

5Bring Records to the Mailroom Loading Dock

On the designated date and time, take your records to the Lab Sciences Mailroom Delivery Dock to be destroyed. The Records Officer (or designee) will be available if you have questions. You must stay with your records until they are loaded onto the truck.