Quick Link: Certificate of Records Destruction

Central Ohio Technical College and The Ohio State University at Newark follow The Ohio State University General Retention Schedule. This Certificate is used in coordination with the approved Ohio State University General Records Retention Schedule OR a unique Departmental/Unit Records Retention Schedule approved by the University Archivist. Any other retention schedule does not support or justify records destruction. Retain one signed copy for your records. 

COTC Transfer of Records to Archives

Some records created by COTC departments and units have enduring historical value and should be transferred to the Archives once they have served their useful life as dictated by the records retention schedule. If you have determined that records should be transferred to the Archives, please follow the procedures below:

• Check your Records Retention Schedule. Do not send records which the schedule instructs you to destroy. If you do not have a schedule call the Archives (740-366-9306) first--before packing the records .
• Inventory each box by listing the titles of each folder. The Archives will use your inventory to find the records. Therefore, it is essential that the inventory be as specific, accurate, and comprehensives as possible.
• Indicate the name of the transmitting office and the number of boxes (Example: 1 of 5, 2 of 5, etc.). 
• Send the inventory to the Archives (John L. & Christine Warner Library) or include it in the first box.The inventory should have the name of the office and the name of the person preparing the inventory.

COTC Retrieval of Records from Storage

Until such time as a record is actually destroyed, it can be retrieved from the Archives. 

 

COTC Transfer of Records for Shredding

A record created by an Central Ohio Technical College department or unit that has served its useful life as dictated by the records retention schedule must be shredded. Records Officers need to abide by the following destruction procedure for records which are due to be shredded.

• Check your Records Retention Schedule. Do not shred records which the schedule does not instruct you to shred. If you do not have a schedule, call the Archives (740-366-9306) before packing the records. Also, any record under litigation cannot be destroyed until the litigation issue is resolved.
• Records Officer emails or calls Receiving to request a pickup for items to be shredded. 
• Units are strongly encouraged to conduct a records purge of their departmentally stored records at a minimum of an annual basis. A Certificate of Records Destruction must be completed and sent to Archives prior to the actual destruction of the records to ensure complete compliance to the stated guidelines. 

Records Destruction

Please consult the appropriate retention schedule prior to completing the "Certificate of Records Destruction."

In some instances, even if the retention schedules indicates it is time to dispose of the records, circumstances may dictate further retention. The most common reason for postponing disposal of the records is that there is pending litigation. Until the litigation is resolved the records must be retained, and a hold is placed on the disposal of the records.