The Universities of Wisconsin are committed to the responsible stewardship of its resources which extends to the public records created, received, and maintained in the course of the UWs business. To maintain accountability and to preserve the trust the public and students place in the Universities of Wisconsin, records must be maintained legally and ethically as evidence of our work, decisions, and behavior. Like all state agencies, the Universities of Wisconsin must adhere to Wis. Stat. § 16.61, which ultimately governs the length of time public records must be kept and how these records must be disposed of or transferred to university archives. Unauthorized disclosure, alteration, or destruction of records constitutes a serious breach of public trust and risks legal and reputational harm to UW System.
Records are a basic tool of transacting business on behalf of the Universities of Wisconsin. They are the foundation for accountability. Records management is the process of actively and appropriately managing a record throughout its’ lifecycle. From creation and active use, to filing and storing, to proper disposition. On this page you can find the resources to appropriately manage the records you create and maintain throughout their lifecycle.
The Public Records Lifecycle
