Request to Dispose of Records

The University of Texas at Austin is required to retain one copy of every record created through university business processes. This is considered the master record and retention requirements apply to it. Whether a master record is created and maintained within the university or by a private contractor to the university, its life cycle ends with disposition, which takes one of two forms: the record is transferred to University Archives or the record is destroyed.

Before a master record may be disposed, it must meet all retention requirements listed in The University of Texas at Austin Records Retention Schedule (UTRRS) and its disposition requires authorization from the Records Management Officer (RMO).

Disposition Process

The Department Records Management Contact (DRMC) is responsible for coordinating the disposition of departmental records. The DRMC or other departmental staff must submit a Request to Dispose of Records Form and obtain authorization from the RMO prior to destroying or transferring master university records. The disposition process comprises:

1. Identify the master records in your department that are eligible for disposition based on the applicable record series and retention periods found in the UTRRS. The Records Inventory is a useful resource for tracking your department’s records.
2. Complete the request form with the description of the master records that are eligible for disposition.
   • The Request Form Excel Workbook includes tabs for:
     • Introduction and table of contents
     • An overview of the disposition process
     • The Request to Dispose of Records Excel form
       • If you enter a correct UT Item code in the first column of the description of records section, the Record Series Title and retention information will autocomplete.
     • A copy of the current UTRRS used for autocompletion in the form
     • Links to references and resources
   • If you only need only the form without the other tabs in the workbook, you can download a copy of the Request to Dispose of Records Form Only.
3. Upload the Excel request form you created using the online RIMS Request to Dispose of Records Submission Portal
   • As the Requestor you will also be asked to fill out your:
     • Name and EID
     • Department name
     • Department Head name and EID
       • The department head is the person who has the authority and required knowledge in your area to authorize the destruction of records, typically a unit lead or director.
     • Department Records Management Contact (DRMC) name and EID
       • If you are not the DRMC or don't know who is, you can find yours using the Organizational Hierarchy System (OHS); the DRMC will be listed as the primary Records Management and Retention Contact. If your department does not have a DRMC listed in the OHS, you may leave the field blank.
4. Receive the request through DocuSign for signatures once RIMS processes the request and resolves any questions.
5. Receive authorization to dispose via DocuSign once you, your department head, and the RMO have signed the request.
6. Destroy or transfer the records within 90 days of approval.
7. Notify RIMS within 5 days of the destruction or transfer to archives.

Notes

• Do not submit requests to dispose for convenience copies and transitory information; these may be destroyed without submitting a Request to Dispose of Records.
• Do not submit a request until the retention requirement has been met for all records listed. Records will not be approved for disposal in advance of meeting their retention requirements.
• Periodically check this website to make certain you are using the most current request form and UTRRS available. Requests to Dispose of Records must use the most recent version of the UTRRS to determine the retention required for the record.
• In order to dispose of any university record you must reference an entry from the UTRRS. If there is not an entry that describes the records you have, contact rims@austin.utexas.edu.