SFU Records Retention Schedule and Disposal Authority (RRSDA)
Financial Aid and Awards subject files

RRSDA number

2014-004

Record series

Financial Aid and Awards subject files

Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR)

Student Services

Retention periods

Records	Active retention (in office)	Semi-active (records centre)	Total retention	Final disposition
FAA subject files	CY file closes + 2 years	5 years	CY file closes + 7 years	Selective retention

CY = Current calendar year; CFY = Current fiscal year; CS = Current semester; S/O = Superseded or obsolete; OPR = Office of Primary Responsibility; Non-OPR = All other departments.

Description, purpose and use of records

Records relating to the administration of the Financial Aid and Awards unit (FAA) of Enrolment Services and the operation of student financial aid programs. The FAA unit awards financial aid and awards to undergraduate and graduate students, including scholarships, awards, bursaries, and work-study opportunities. FAA also administers loans to students that have been awarded by external bodies.

Records may include but are not limited to: correspondence and memoranda; reports and statistics; forms; mailing lists and courier logs; policies and procedures; terms of reference for scholarships, awards, and bursaries; budgets and budget planning documents; audits, financial reports and transaction records; work orders; manuals and documentation; proposals; brochures and publications; project files; legal files; invoices, receipts and vouchers; equipment warranties; and reference files.

Electronic records may include but are not limited to: email correspondence; records stored on shared drive; and databases used to maintain current Terms of Reference for scholarships, awards, and bursaries.

This is a default schedule covering all the FAA records UNLESS a more specific RRSDA applies.

See also:

• RRSDA 1997-013 Competition Files: Non-Academic Staff Appointments
• RRSDA 1999-061 Transitory Records
• RRSDA 1999-003 Committee Files
• RRSDA 1997-003 Senate Committee Records

Authorities

These records are created, used, retained and managed in accordance with the following authorities:

• University Act (RSBC 1996, c. 468)
• Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (RSBC 1996, c. 165)
• 34 Code of Federal Regulations 668.24, RECORD RETENTION AND EXAMINATIONS
• 34 Code of Federal Regulations 682.610, ADMINISTRATIVE AND FISCAL REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS.
• StudentAid BC Administration Manual 2012/2013 Program Year Sect 5
• StudentAid BC Policy Manual 2013/2014 Chpt 1 Sect 3
• Limitation Act (SBC 2012, c. 13)
• Federal Student Aid Handbook, 2013-2014 (U.S), Chapters 7 (Record keeping, Electronic Processes, and Privacy) and 9 (Program Review, Sanctions, and Close-out)
• Canada Student Loan Act (RSC 1985, c. S-23)
• Canada Student Financial Assistance Act (SC 1994, c. C-28)
• Senate Policy Committee on Scholarships, Awards and Bursaries (SPCSAB)

Retention rationale

The records document the administration of financial aid and award programs to undergraduate and graduate students. A total recommended retention period of "CY + 7 years" ensures that the administrative, legal, fiscal, and audit values of the records has passed.

Retention and filing guidelines

Close files relating to the administration, policies, and procedures of financial aid and awards programs when the program has ended or significantly changed, or when superseded.

FILE PLAN

FAA maintains a detailed file classification plan. The Plan provides detailed guidelines for classifying records and applying retention periods tailored to the classification categories. Not all the records covered by this RRSDA need be retained for the full 7-year retention period and these exceptions are noted below (see "WEEDING FILES"). FAA is responsible for maintaining and revising the Plan as needed, using the relevant administrative and operational RRSDAs to apply retention rules and final disposition.

ELECTRONIC RECORDS

Records creators should note that this RRSDA applies equally to paper and electronic records and that they are responsible for deleting any records maintained in electronic form at the expiration of the total retention period (e.g. PDF versions, spreadsheets, database records, e-mail correspondence, etc.). Maintaining electronic copies of records with personal information after the recommended retention period places an undue burden on the University to continue to guard against unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

WEEDING FILES

At the end of the active retention period and before the records are transferred to the University Records Centre, cull and destroy the following documents:

• reports, lists, or logs that have been superseded and have no further value;
• copies of routine 'housekeeping' financial papers such as cheque requisitions, purchase orders, commitment reports and other financial forms which are copies of items retained by Financial Services;
• publications;
• bulletins and brochures;
• routine administrative correspondence with associations;
• draft documents which were superseded by final versions (unless annotated with unique information);
• rough notes and working papers (unless particularly relevant to a decision document or policy).

TRANSFERRING RECORDS TO THE URC

At the end of the active retention period, cull records as instructed above. Then box and transfer the remaining paper files to the University Records Centre (URC). For each box prepare a box contents listing, itemizing all files contained in the box. Always include ONE copy of the file list inside the box sent to the URC taped to the underside of the lid; keep ONE copy for your own records; and send ONE copy (paper or electronic) to the Archives (see Procedures for Transferring Records to the University Records Centre).

Status

RRSDA is in force.

Approved by the University Archivist: 28 Apr 2014

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