The University’s Records Management Policy outlines the importance of, and the principles, that underpin records management. We should be thinking about records management at all times but it is particularly important when staff are leaving the University or changing roles.

What shall I do with my documents and files, including Box files and emails?

Records should only be kept for as long as they are required and then can be disposed of. Section 4.2.1 of the Policy sets out the key principles of records management, including when records need to be kept. ‘Master records’ have specific timelines for retention and these are set out in the Master Records Retention Schedule.

University files- If you have any records on your OneDrive, N:Drive, Google Drive, local desktop or other storage, that other staff will need to continue to access after you leave the University or just roles, then you must arrange to move your files into an ITS approved shared storage location, e.g., Box or G:Drive, that is accessible to those colleagues. This same would apply to relevant records and information held in your Sussex email account, that will be needed by other colleagues.

Personal files- If you want to keep any of your personal files you must take copies of them before you leave the University. The best way to do this is to send files as attachments to a personal email address or to download files onto a personal device. 

Adding ownership to Box files

If you have a Box account, make sure that the ownership of every folder you own has been transferred to another colleague, if the record / information will be needed by others. Further guidance is available here How to Change Ownership of a Box Folder.

How do I dispose of records?

All records that are classified as ‘Sensitive’ (e.g. records with personal data, sensitive information, financial data etc.) must be disposed of securely. Paper records should be disposed of using confidential waste disposal. If you require confidential waste bags or bins, you can contact Sussex Estates and Facilities Helpdesk. When paper records only include information that is already in the public domain, they can be disposed of using paper recycle bins. Electronic records should be deleted from IT equipment and servers and IT Services can help with batch deletion of large sets of data.

Changing the owner of older style grp- mailboxes

Older style grp- mailboxes were set up as role-based accounts with a password. These mailboxes always have one owner, the person responsible for it. If you are the owner of one of these older style mailboxes, it is vital that you arrange with IT Services to have a new owner appointed. 

University owned Intellectual Property

In accordance with the University’s Policy on Exploitation and Commercialisation of Research and Intellectual Property [PDF 377.55KB], leaving staff are reminded that University owned Intellectual Property (‘IP’,) as set out at 6.1 of the policy, should be returned to the University on or prior to your departure from the University. If you have any queries in respect of University IP, please discuss with your Line Manager prior to your departure.

Further advice

There is helpful advice and guidance on our records management webpages. If you need further assistance or information that is not covered there, please contact the Information Management team.