Using the Records Center

The University Records Center is located in the Purchasing and Stores Building, 330 Agronomy Road, Suite 160. This location serves as the box storage space, box viewing area, shredding room, and staff offices. This is a secure facility.

Roles and Responsibilities:

Everyone at Texas A&M has a role to play in records management. Everyone who creates, receives, sends or files documents in any format must determine whether or not these are records documenting the business activities of the University. Records must be maintained in a system that allows access to the right people at the right time throughout the life cycle of those records.

Records Retention: 

Please refer to the TAMU System Records Schedule to determine the length of time your records need to be retained.
To send records to the University Records Center for storage, they must be in a standard records storage box or voucher box with a secure lid. A Records Storage Form must accompany the boxes. Complete instructions are included on the form.

Boxes in storage can be requested or viewed by authorized departmental personnel at any time.  Please call 458-1470 or email RMDesk@lib-gw.tamu.edu in advance so we can have your boxes waiting for you. If you are sending someone not on the authorization form, such as a student worker, to view or pick up your boxes, please let us know the person's name by phone, email, or letter. Anyone requesting boxes may be asked for a photo ID.

You will be notified in writing when boxes in the University Records Center are due for destruction.  No records are destroyed without the department's approval.  We will store your records as long as they have administrative, legal, financial, or historical value.  However, we do ask that you inform the Records Center if your records need to be stored for a longer period of time than is indicated on the TAMU System Records Retention Schedule.

Records Disposition:

To send records to the University Records Center for shredding, we request that they be in records storage boxes or in equivalent sturdy boxes of the same dimensions (1.2 cubic feet) with a secure lid and which weigh no more than 35 lbs.  A Records Destruction Form is required. Complete instructions are included with the form. Please put assigned box numbers on the Records Destruction Form AND the boxes. We also request that the boxes contain records that actually require secure disposal, as opposed to recycling. Any non-paper items, such as photos, video or audio tapes, computer disks, or plastics, that are sent to the University Records Center are directed to a commercial vendor for proper environmental and secure disposal.

Records can also be destroyed in your department by staff or a commercial vendor.  To provide documentation of this activity, complete the Records Destruction Form and check "Request for Departmental Destruction." Send the completed form to Records Management before destroying records so we can check to be certain that you are following the proper retention guidelines.

Archival Records:

Some records are required to be retained in the University Archives or reviewed by the archivist before destruction. These records are marked on the retention schedule with an A or R. Departments may have additional records that they feel are of historical significance to the University. You can contact the University Archivist Dr. David Chapman at the Cushing Memorial Library, 979-845-1951. Boxes in storage indicated as having archival value will be evaluated by the University Archivist at the end of their retention period, and the contents will be retained or destroyed at his discretion.

Delivery Schedule:

During Fall 2008, we will be doing pickups and deliveries from 8:30am-3:30pm Monday-Thursday and 8:30-10:00am Friday. We will try to accomodate your schedule. Boxes can also be delivered to the Records Center, but please call before coming to be sure that someone will be there to receive the boxes. If you have any questions or need assistance, please call 458-1470 or email RMDesk@lib-gw.tamu.edu.

Boxes: 

We usually have a few used records storage boxes available. Please call 458-1470 or email  RMDesk@lib-gw.tamu.edu to check on availability.
Due to the closing of the University's Stores operation, white boxes printed with "Texas A&M Records Management" are no longer available. Office Max carries sturdy storage boxes (#P5OM97213, #P5OM97207 or #P512775). Please use these boxes or equivalent maximum strength boxes for sending records for storage. Do not use single-wall boxes for storage (Office Max calls these "basic strength"). Please put assigned box numbers on the forms AND the boxes.