Academic Forms

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Records Retention and Disposition

Policy Statement:

Robert Morris University is committed to effective records retention to preserve its history, meet applicable state and federal requirements, optimize the use of space, minimize the cost of record retention, and ensure that outdated and unneeded records are properly destroyed.

Reason for Policy:

The University requires consistent treatment of records. Maintenance, retention, and disposal procedures for University records must be followed systematically by staff in designated official repositories. Additionally, duplicate copies of these records, retained in locations other than official repositories, must be disposed of when they no longer serve a business purpose. 

This policy is intended to ensure that Robert Morris University:

1. Meets applicable state and federal requirements;
2. Optimizes the use of space;
3. Minimizes the cost of records retention; 
4. Destroys outdated and useless records; and 
5. Preserves the history of the University

Responsibilities: 

The University Policy for the Retention of Records is applicable to all departmental offices of the University.

Each department is responsible to properly retain and dispose of University records as outlined below.
 

Types of Records	Official Repository	Duration (Years)
Academic Action (Dismissal, etc.)	Registrar	5 years
Academic Records (Transcript, etc.)	Registrar	Permanent
Advance Placement	Registrar	5 years
Application for Graduation	Registrar	5 years
Applications for Re-admission	Registrar	5 years
Catalogs	Registrar
Change of Grade Forms	Registrar	Permanent
Change of course (add/drop)	Registrar	5 years
Class Lists	Registrar	Permanent
Change of Major	Registrar	5 years
Class Schedules	Registrar	Permanent
Commencement Programs	Registrar	Permanent
Medical Withdrawal Relevant	Registrar	5 years
Correspondence	Registrar	5 years
Credit by Exam Reports	Registrar	5 years
Curriculum Change Forms	Registrar	5 years
Degree Application	Registrar	5 years
Degree Audit Records	Registrar	5 years
Academic Standing	Registrar	5 years
Grade Submission/ Verification Data (instructors)	Registrar	Permanent
Graduation Lists	Registrar	Permanent
International Student Forms (visa documentation, etc.)	CGE	3 years
Military Documents	Registrar	5 years after graduation or date of last attendance
Veterans Certification Records	VETS Center	3 years after graduation or date of last attendance
Certifications
Name Change Authorizations	Registrar	5 years
Transfer Credit Evaluations	Registrar	5 years after graduation or date of last attendance
Transcripts	Registrar	Permanent
Transcript Request Forms	Registrar	5 years
Withdrawal	Registrar	5 years
Requests and Disclosures of Personally Identifiable Info	Registrar	Permanent
Waivers of Rights of Access (FERPA)	Registrar	Until terminated by student / permanent
Financial Aid Records	FinAid	5 years after last date of enrollment
Federal Aid (Perkins, FSEOG, ACG, SMART, PELL)	FinAid	5 years after end of award
Financial Aid History for Transfer Students	FinAid	5 years from award year
PHEAA Grant Award Reconciliation Rosters	FinAid	5 years from certification date
Audit and Review Reports	FinAid	5 years from award year
Other Records Pertaining to Financial Responsibility / Standards of Admin. Capability	FinAid	5 years from award year
Federal Work-Study Payroll Records	FinAid	5 years from award year
Records Supporting Data on Required Reports, Such as:	FinAid	5 years from award year
-SFA Program Reconciliation Reports
-Audit Reports and School Response
-Pell Grants Statements of Accounts
-Accrediting and Licensing Agency Reports
The Student Aid Report (SAR) or Institutional Student Info Record (ISIR)	FinAid	5 years from award year
Application Data Submitted to the Department of Education or Lender by the School on Behalf of the Student	FinAid	3 years from award year
Documentation of Student's Eligibility	FinAid	5 years from award year
Financial Aid History for Transfer Students	FinAid	5 years from award year
Documentation of Student's Satisfactory Academic Progress	FinAid	5 years from award year
Data Used to Establish Student's Admission, Enrollment Status, Period of Enrollment	FinAid	5 years from award year
Documents Used to Verify Applicant's Data	FinAid	5 years from award year
Documentation Related to the Receipt of Aid, Such As:	FinAid	5 years from award year
-Amount of Grant, Loan, FWS Award; and Calculations used to determine aid amounts
Date and Amount of Disbursements	FinAid	5 years from award year
Documentation of Initial or Exit Loan Counseling	FinAid	5 years from award year
Reports and Forms Used for Participation in the SFA Program	FinAid	5 years from award year
Documentation Supporting the School's Calculation of its Completion/Graduation of Transfer-Out rate	FinAid	3 years from award year
Campus-Based Aid (Perkins Loan, SEOG, and Federal Work Study)	FinAid	5 years from end of award year
Pell Grant	FinAid	5 years from end of award year
Fiscal Operations Report (FISAP)	FinAid	5 years from end of award year report submitted
Perkins Original Promissory Notes	FinAid	Until Loan is Satisfied or documents needed to enforce obligation
Records of Student Accounts	FinAid	5 years from award year
Account Collection Data (Non-Perkins)	Student Accounts	6 years
Accounts Receivable Statements (Bills)	Student Accounts	3 years
FFEL Loans All Other Documents	Student Accounts	5 years after end of award
Paid Grant Reconciliations	Student Accounts	5 years from date of document
Perkins Payment Records	Student Accounts	5 years after end of award
Perkins Personal Data Forms	Student Accounts	3 years from date when loan is paid in full
Student Refund Policy and Schedules	Student Accounts	6 years
Residency Verification	Student Accounts	6 years after submission
Tuition and Fee Charges	Student Accounts	6 years
1098T	Student Accounts	7 years (online)

 

Notes: 

• The recommended five-year retention period noted in the above schedules should begin with the date of graduation or the date, term or semester and year of last attendance. 
• The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) specifically requires institutions maintain records of requests and disclosures of personally identifiable information except for defined "directory information" and requests from students for their own records. The records of disclosures and requests for disclosures are considered part of the students' educational records; therefore, they must be retained as long as the education records to which they refer are retained by the institution.
• Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) regulations require the university must keep a record used to comply with the reporting requirements for at least one year. Since many items included in foreign students' records are to be retained for at least five years, it is recommended the INS documentation also be retained for five years.
• The Veterans Administration (VA) regulations require the following records must be retained for at least three years after termination of enrollment:
  • Grade reports and/or statements of progress (academic records)
  • Change of course forms
  • Transfer credit evaluation
  • Degree audit records
• The University may be required to retain records for longer periods of time if the records are involved in a Student Financial Aid (SFA) program review, audit or investigation. If the three year retention period expires before the issue is resolved, records must be retained until resolution is achieved.  
• Financial Aid records are normally maintained by Financial Aid Offices.

RMU Website Student Directory Modification

Among the many new features of the RMU website is a Student Directory listing your name, E-mail address, year (Junior, Senior, etc.), degree and field of study.

ALL enrolled students will be automatically included. If you want your name and information excluded for security or other reasons, please complete the form attached below and submit it to Student Support Center at RMU.

Please Note: Alternatively, this process can be completed online by clicking here (Sentry Secured Services login required).

Instructions:

1. Print this form
2. Fill in all applicable/required fields. Print all information, please
3. Mail, Fax or Deliver to the Student Support Center at RMU 

Change of Name, Social Security Number

Name Changes

Initiation of a name change must be documented by presentation of the following: court order, marriage license or divorce decree (Photocopy will be accepted). If documentation is not available, two (2) other documents showing new name (driver's license, social security, passport, etc.) may be accepted. This information must be presented to the Academic Services Office or authorized representative.

One exemption of this policy notes a woman's right to retain her maiden name. In cases where our records indicate a prior name, the change may be made without documentation. When no record of maiden name is indicated, a copy of the marriage license must accompany the request for name change.

Social Security Number Changes

Initiation of a social security number change must be documented by presentation of a Social Security Card to the Academic Services Office or authorized representative.

Instructions:

1. Print the Change of Name, Social Security Number PDF form
2. Fill in all applicable/required fields. Print all information, please
3. Mail, Fax or Deliver to the Academic Services Office in Patrick Henry Center, Moon Campus