SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
Archives and Records Management Department

Records Retention Schedules and Disposal Authorities (RRSDAs)

Student Files - Graduate Students
RRSDA 1999-038

Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR):
All Academic Faculties, Departments, Schools, Institutes and Centres

Retention Periods

	Active (in office)	SemiActive (records centre)	Total	Final Dispostion
OPR paper files	CY student graduates / last registers + 2 years	3 years	CY student graduates / last registers + 5 years	Destruction

CY = Current calendar year; CFY = Current fiscal year; CS = Current semester; S/O = Superseded or obsolete

Description

Series comprises records made or received in documenting a studentÕs graduate academic history from admission to graduation.

Records may include correspondence, memoranda and email; application forms, statements of interest, transcripts, interview forms, referees' letters, TOEFL results, letters of acceptance and letters of intent; program approval forms, course add / drop forms, change of grade forms, senate appeal forms, supporting documentation, and decision letter; scholarship and award application forms, supporting documentation and letters of decision; exchange program application forms, letters of permission, and transfer credit forms; disciplinary correspondence and notices; progress reports and evaluations; approval of supervisory / examining committee forms, thesis abstracts, approval forms and announcements, thesis defence reports; application to graduate forms, recommendation for award of degree forms, and graduation reports.

Notes

Applicants apply directly to the department. Departmental Graduate Studies Committee forwards recommendation of acceptance to Registrar's Office (for Masters programs) or Dean of Graduate Studies (for Doctoral programs) for approval; in the event of disagreement, departments may appeal to Senate Graduate Studies Committee. Unsuccessful applicants may appeal to the Senate Committee to Review University Admissions.
The official student academic record is stored on the student information database system (SIMON) maintained by the Registrar. SIMON is not covered by this schedule and has not yet been scheduled.
The official record of graduated students is the list submitted to Senate and approved and maintained with the papers of Senate. See RRSDA 1997-002, Senate Agendas, Minutes and Supporting Papers.
For the files of unsuccessful applicants, apply RRSDA 1999-066, Unsuccessful / Unsolicited Application Files.

Retention and Filing Guidelines

Organize alphabetically by student name.

Use only for academic records relating to academic performance. Do not file student employment records here Ð see RRSDA 1999-045, Personnel Files: Teaching Support Staff Union (TSSU) Employment Files.

Upon expiry of the active retention period (i.e. year student graduates or last registers + 2 additional years), box files and transfer to the University Records Centre (URC) for semi-active storage for an additional 3 years. Keep a list of files transferred in the event that a retrieval is required.

Within each file, it is recommended that records be organized (e.g. use dividers) according to the following categories (not all will apply in each case):

Admissions
[Use for application forms and supporting documentation, adjudication reports and recommendations, letters of acceptance.]

Awards / Financial Aid
[Use for records relating to student funding and awards and honours.]

Co-op Work
[Use for records relating to application, placement and evaluation of co-op work.]

Correspondence
[Use for general correspondence between student and department or correspondence and memoranda about student.]

Course Work
[Use for transcripts, grade reports, exchange program applications, transfer credit forms, change of grade forms, course add / drop forms.]

Progress Reports / Evaluations
[Use for regular updates and reports, if department requires these.]

Supervisory / Examining Committee
[Use for records relating to planning, selection of supervisors, supervision and defense of major research projects and theses.]

Disciplinary Notices
[Use for records relating to student misconduct and disciplinary measures imposed Ð do not use for employment-related incidents.]

Approved by the University Archivist