AUM Records Management: FAQ

General Questions

Why do I have to shred my documents?

As a public university, AUM must comply with records retention schedules that have been established by the State of Alabama . Following established records management practices and participating in regular campus-wide record purges will help departments and offices valuable time and free up space, and will save the University as a whole from unnecessary costs.

How do I determine what gets shredded?

Before destroying any records, a Records Disposition Form must be completed and sent to Archives & Special Collections for approval. This will ensure that the records have past the scheduled retention date required by the state and federal governments.

What about items of special interest but are not essential to my office?

Archives & Special Collections actively collects materials that document the history of AUM. If you come across items that you think may be of interest to us, contact the Archives via email at archives@aum.edu.

Shredding Services

How often can I send materials for shredding?

AUM maintains a contract with a bulk shredding service that visits the campus every 6 weeks. If your department/office routinely destroys records containing sensitive personal information about faculty, staff, or students - you may request to have a shredding bin delivered to your location.

Is there a fee involved?

There is no fee for having a shredding bin located in your office. There is, however, a charged based on the weight collected at the time of service that will be billed directly to your department/office. If your department/office does not need a bin, but does need to purge a large quantity of records on a one-time basis, this can be done when the shredding vendor visits the campus. There is a per box charge for this service. Currently the per pound rate for bulk pick-up is $0.085 with a 400lb minimum. If the minimum is not met then the price is $34. Contact Archives & Special Collections for more information. Contact PPS@aum.edu for more information.

What are the procedures for shredding?

• The Records Disposition Form needs to be completed whenever a department/office destroys University records.

• Use the AUM General Records Schedule listed below to find the proper title for the records to be disposed. Include the record titles, the quantity, and number of boxes for each item.

• Once the form has been completed, return it to: Samantha McNeilly/Archives & Special Collections; 802 Library Tower or email smcneill@aum.edu . You will receive a signed copy of the form back within a few days.

• Please, Do Not Destroy Any Records until receiving a signed copy of the form. There may be special instructions included on the form. Archives & Special Collections may also contact you if there are items listed on the form that we are interested in retaining for permanent preservation.

• Once items have been cleared for shredding contact the Archives & Special Collections to set an appt. to pick up/drop off materials; unless you have a shredding bin located in your department.