Records Management Best Practices: Five Considerations For Colleges And Universities

By Ian Llado, Account Manager, Optical Image Technology

Educational institutions often operate in a heterogeneous records environment— they need to manage both paper and electronic documents. As a result, they may enact different procedures to address FERPA, HIPAA, and other compliance initiatives. Without standardized processes, it is not uncommon for records management practices to differ between departments, campuses, and even faculty within a single institution. In some cases, long-standing paper-based procedures have not been adapted to reflect advances in technology. Obviously, colleges and universities have to address compliance mandates. And in order to process work efficiently, institutions need to be able to manage student, administrative, and back-office records.

Establishing a records management strategy within an academic environment can be a challenge—especially if there is a misconception that students will not benefit from it. Implemented correctly, a records management strategy can lead to improvements in student services and overall organizational efficiencies.