Record Keeping Tips for Student Organizations

At SFU, student organization provide opportunities for students to develop skills, build a community, explore interests, and enhance career prospects through shared activities, academic support and advocacy. 

The following tips have been developed by the Archives and Records Management Department (ARMD) to support student organizations to be good record-keepers. 

Best Practices

Be Proactive - Consider what records to keep for the organization's future members. Ask yourself:

• What documents might be useful for someone just getting started in the group?
• What projects or events could be valuable in planning similar endeavors?
• What records would be of interest to someone reconstructing the history of the group and its activities?

Be Objective

• Records, especially meeting minutes and formal proceedings, should be factual, brief, and business-like. 
• Avoic unnecessary subjective comments or opinions. 
• Always date records. 

Be Organized

• Consider following the sample folder structure found on page 3. 
• Avoid generic folder names like "Misc". 
• Consult the Standard Naming Conventions for Electronic Records for guidance. 

Ensure Continuity

• Since student leadership changes frequently, establish a system for passing records to incoming officers. 
• Store records on a shared, group-owned cloud drive or device that remains with the organization, not on individual personal accounts. 
• If you have paper records, do not store them at home. 

Essential Records to Maintain

Governing Documents

• Keep updated copies of the group's constitution, bylaws, and policies and procedures. 

Meeting Documentation

• Retain agendas, meeting minutes (including who was present, when it occured, and decisions reached), and task lists. 

Financial Records

• Maintain copies of all invoics, receipts, and bank statements for up to six years
• Keep documentation for all donations and grants, including meeting minutes approving donations and letters requesting tax receipts. 
• Keep budgets and audited financial statements 

Operational Records

• Keep work pans, event planning records, membership lists, and a database of online credentials (usernames, passwords). 

Other Records

• Preserve items that reflect the group's culture and history, such as correspondence, event photographs, videos, flyers, and scrapbooks. Consider dating these records and identifying members who appear in them. 
• Use pencil and print clearly on the back of physical photographs.
• Use descriptive file titles for digital photographs. 

Storage and Security Best Practices

• Store records digitally in a shared document hub, such as a cloud storage service, to ensure accessibility and backup. See OneDrive FAQs for more information. 
• Protect sensitive information (e.g., personal data, financial details with strong passwords and access controls. Visit Tips for Safe Computing for more information. 
• If physical recrods are kept, store them in a cool, dark, and dry place. 
• Records should be kept locked, if possible in a fireproof cabinet. 
• Regularly back up all critical digital data, following the 3-2-1 rule (three copies of data, on two different storage types, with one copy off-site).

Archiving

Records created by student organizations are part of SFU's history. The Archives and Records Management Department has a standing donation agreement with the Student Services Society to acquire records from student clubs and organizations. Visit Donate Records to learn more or contact us at archives@sfu.ca. 

Sample Folder Structure

Governance
Use this section of the file folder structure to organize records related to the governance of your oganization. These records have long-term value and should be transferred to the Archives. 

• Annual General Meetings
• Annual Reports
• General Meetings
• By-Laws and Policy Documents

Committees and Working Groups
Use this section of the file folder structure to organize records created by any committees. Create separate folders for each committee and divide them based on different activities (see below). Committee records have long-term value and should be transferred to the Archives. 

• Committee [Name]
  • Meeting Minutes
  • Reports
  • Special Projects

Communications
Use this section of the file folder structure to organize records related to communications and marketing activities, such as newsletters, social media accounts, or website management. These records have long-term value and should be transferred to the Archives. 

• Newsletters
• Social Media 
• Website

Events
Use this section of the file folder structure to organize records related to any events that your organization hosts. Create separate folders for each event and list the year of the event in the event title (for example, MentorshipProgram_2025-2026, MovieNight_2026-05-30). Event records may have long-term value, discuss whether or not these should be retained with the SFU Archives. 

• Event [Name-Year]
  • Advertising
  • Catering
  • Registration
  • Receipts
  • Room Booking
  • Survey
  • Event Photographs

• 2025-2026
  • Accounts Payable
  • Accounts Receivable
  • Audited Financial Statements
  • Budget