Out of the Park: Clear Files, Clear Minds

Summertime and the Records Cleanup is Easy

Summer has always been the best season to finally tackle that records project you’ve been putting off for a while. Often we hear from people that it actually takes them less time than they thought it would!

Use this resource to help get your project off on the right track: Plan Your Shared Storage Location Clean-up

Here’s a good process to follow:

• First delete your transitory records
  • How can you tell if it’s a draft?
    • It’s a contract that was never signed
    • It is labeled something like policy_DRAFT v04_2024.07.16_Almostfinal.doc in the file name
    • 
  • How can you tell if it’s a duplicate?
    • The header or the footer indicates it was printed or saved from a website or database
    • You know that someone else in your unit manages those types of records and what you have is a courtesy copy
    • There’s a signature that looks like a photocopy
• Then check out our General Records Retention Schedule to map how long to keep what is left
• Having trouble mapping what you have to the retention schedule? Consider the following:
  • Look at how the folders are labeled and what it is saved next to
  • Who was last responsible for these materials and what was their job role?
  • Does it look like the materials are tied to a specific personnel file, grant, or budget?
    • Investigate in the correlated office or system when that person left, that grant ended, or a specific project stopped
• If you really have trouble determining what records series applies to your materials in question email us: recmgt@uw.edu

Step Up to the Plate with Smarter AI Use

The University of Washington is supportive of the responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI). In light of recent questions received from our office as well as the recent decisions by UW-IT to block certain AI tools due to data privacy and security concerns, our office wants to remind users of their responsibility around the use of these tools. In addition to our Records Management Guidance on the topic we encourage users to review the UW-IT General Use Guidelines around GenAI use.

These guidelines include the following:

• Only UW-approved services and applications (UWare) may be used with UW data.
• Do not use AI meeting assistants or other GenAI platforms, outside those provided through UWare, without consulting UW-IT first.
  • Data that is not intended for public dissemination should be used with GenAI only after that GenAI has been reviewed and approved by UW-IT.
• You are ultimately responsible and accountable for your use of GenAI and all outcomes derived from it

Incoming: End of Fiscal Year

With the end of another University fiscal year, the end of a biennium, and the first biennium-close since UW transitioned to Workday Finance, this summer is the perfect time to wrap up your files and get them organized. Review our Financial Records section of the General Schedule for reminders of the types of content you may be storing locally and the retention periods associated with them. Now is the perfect time to look back at previous bienniums and fiscal years of ages past and think “Do I need to retain this anymore?” Contact our office for assistance with identifying records and interpreting our retention schedules.

General Schedule Updates

Effective Immediately

We have made updates to the two following series to broaden their scope beyond just security camera scenarios and to encapsulate broader physical security monitoring.

Security Incidents

Security Monitoring – No Incidents

Sneak Peak - Zoom

Keep your eyes peeled for our July newsletter for updates regarding Zoom AI Companion Features. After extensive review of the product, UWIT announced Zoom AI Companion will be available starting Wednesday June 18th, 2025. Our office will update our resources accordingly at that time.