Your Responsibilities

Good Recordkeeping...

  • Contributes to the smooth operation of the University by making information available when it is needed for decision-making and operational activities.
  • Provides precedent, background information and analytical material for new staff or colleagues working on similar projects.
  • Creates a complete record of official actions that will remain with the University for future use by others and may later be transferred to the University Archives as a historical record.
  • Ensures accountability.
  • Ensures that electronic records, especially those generated by desktop applications will be available to all authorised personnel.
  • Protects records from inappropriate and unauthorised access.

  • For managers

    Managers must ensure that University policy is implemented within their area of responsibility. This may be achieved by:

    • Maintaining awareness of current University policies and procedures in relation to recordkeeping; privacy and Freedom of Information (FOI);
    • Ensuring staff understand how the policies and procedures affect their work;
    • Providing staff with the relevant staff development opportunities;
    • Incorporating defined recordkeeping responsibilities into Position Descriptions;
    • Ensuring the appropriate recordkeeping system (Content Manager) is used;
    • Seeking expert advice when in doubt.

  • For all staff including academic staff

    The following are requirements for recordkeeping that affect all staff:

    The State Records Act requires University staff to "make and keep full and accurate records" of their business activities. This applies equally to the paper and electronic environment.

    Simply stated, staff have a number of basic obligations regarding records:

    • Make records to support the conduct of your University activities;
    • Create records that may not otherwise be created.  Documenting decisions and their reasons builds up a record of precedents, which can be used by other staff when making similar decisions. Resultant records will also enable explanation or justification, and responsibility for decisions, events or transactions and for actions in relation to these events or transactions.  Activities that do not by themselves result in the creation of records should be documented - this includes
      • taking of minutes
      • file notes of telephone discussions, conferences or other oral decisions.
    • Register records into the University's Electronic Document and Records Management System (EDRMS) - Content Manager.
      • Ensure records are attached to the correct file.  These provide evidence of business activity through an indentifiable sequence of events.
      •  Failure to capture records into Content Manager can result in records being subject to arbitary destruction or which cannot be located when required.
      • Do NOT keep corporate records in private emails, drives etc outside of the University's EDRMS, Content Manager.
    • Do NOT destroy University records without authority to do so from the Manager, University Archives & Recordkeeping.
      • Failure to maintain records for the period of time necessary to meet accountability or recordkeeping requirements can contribute to loss of accountability and the University's corporate memory.
      •  Unauthorised destruction of University records can result in a $10,000 fine or two years imprisonment. This penalty is applied to the responsible staff member.
    •  Protect the privacy of the personal information contained in University's records.
    • Ensure that all information contained in University records is objectively expressed, correct, up to date and not misleading.
      • Members of the public, staff and students have right of access to University records which  may be sought under the University's Freedom of Information Policy. When writing about an individual, assume that they will read the document.
      • University records may also be accessed by external agencies, and so should reflect the highest standards of professional behaviour by all staff.
    • Ensure all student related matters are filed electronically in Content Manager in the Student's file (as mandated by General Manager, Student Services, July 2009).