University
Archives & Records Center

Guidelines for the Administrative Assistant

Each department, office, center, or service should have an administrative assistant who works closely with the University Archives, serving as a liason between the office and the University Archivist.  Responsibilities include:

  1. Once a calendar, academic, or fiscal year, check to see that documents have been transferred to the Archives, as per the records retention schedule:
    1. correspondence
    2. minutes
    3. items of enduring value produced during the year
  2. Transfer electronic records via the secure Archives dropbox, email, or Google document access.
  3. Maintain a file of duplicate Records Inventory and Transfer Form for reference when departmental records need to be retrieved from the Archives
  4. Keep the head of the office aware of interaction between the office and the University Archives program
  5. Educate other staff members regarding University Archives procedures and policies, including electronic and standard filing methods.
  6. Periodically furnish the University Archives with a current description of the functions of each office in the group. Administrative assistants should work with the University Archives to:
    1. Maintain a current list of record series used in the department
    2. Keep the retention schedule up to date with changes in record series or changes in applicable laws or regulations
    3. Inform University Archives when a new record series is created
    4. Identify vital records and ensure their safety
  7. Assist in the smooth transfer of records between staff moving in and out of the office
  8. Arrange or assist with retrievals from the University Archives
  9. Work with the University Archivist in solving problems relating to the filing, discarding, and preservation of records
  10. Provide authorization for others to use records in the University Archives or coordinate the request for access with the head of the office
  11. Provide authorization for the destruction of those records of the office, stored in the University Archives, that do not need to be kept permanently