Records Retention & Disposition

CU Boulder follows a strict policy to ensure that university records are retained and disposed of in accordance with federal and state laws.

Records retention is the systematic management of university documents designed to meet legal requirements, optimize use of space, minimize cost, preserve the history of the university, and destroy outdated and useless records, through the deliberate identification and retention of necessary documents and the destruction of outdated and useless records in a documented and secure process.

Is your department disposing of records?

  You must fill out and submit a Records Disposition Log.

When university records are to be disposed, departments are required to complete a records disposition log and send it to the Campus Controller's Office. Disposal of electronic records must also be recorded according to the state.

More Information


  • Establishes the university's principles and processes for the retention and disposal of all university records.

  • Departments should use this schedule to identify records that qualify for disposal.

Need to shred paper documents?

  • CU Recycling
    CU Recycling may be used for shredding small quantities of paper documents.

  • To complete shredding jobs that are too large for CU Recycling, a PSC approved vendor with a mandatory state price agreement is required. Select Document Destruction Services.

Questions or Comments?

  • Policy Questions: Mark Berge; Assistant to the Chancellor; 303-492-8909
  • Disposition Logs: fiscalcompliance@colorado.edu
  • Sponsored Projects: ocgcompliance@colorado.edu