Records Policy

1. All records that are generated by or received in the course of official college business conducted by College offices and employees are College records and the property of Hope College. Included within the term "records" are all documentary materials regardless of media (paper, diskette, audiotape, etc.) or characteristics (printed, typed, manuscript, audio-visual or machine-readable).


2. No College records may be destroyed or otherwise disposed of without the approval of the official in charge of the originating office and the College Archivist.


3. The Archivist shall survey all records created by and in the custody of each administrative and academic department on the campus. In cooperation with each office, schedules shall be prepared for the retention and disposal of all records. Pursuant to responsibilities, the Archivist shall have the right of reasonable access to and examination of all disposable current College records, excepting the contents of restricted documents.


4. All material of enduring value, when no longer in current use in the office to which it pertains, shall be transferred to the College Archives.


5. Selected office files should be transferred to the Archives as they have been arranged in use, since their organization reflects the functions and activities of the office that created the records.
   In addition, the Archives shall collect and preserve published works by Hope College faculty, staff and alumni.