Information for VMI Employees

See left menu links under Records Management and consult our FAQ for detailed information. Contact Maj. Jeffrey Kozak, Head, Archives and Records Management, if you need help or have questions.

About Records Management at VMI

Records Management is:
•    The proper maintenance of currently active public records throughout their lifecycle.
•    The proper disposition of public records that no longer serve administrative, legal, fiscal, or historical purposes.
•    The preservation of permanent records. These are retained the VMI Archives once they are no longer active in the office of origin.

All Institute employees are required to properly manage records created in the course of conducting Institute business. Employees must consult the approved Records Retention Schedules, complete the required destruction form, and obtain proper authorizations before disposing of records. 

As a state agency, the Virginia Military Institute must comply with the requirements for records retention and disposition as governed by the provisions of the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia).  Records Retention Schedules and other regulations for all state agencies are created and maintained by the Library of Virginia. In addition, VMI-specific policy is stated in General Order 21, and additional federal and state laws and regulations may apply.

All Virginia state agencies are required to appoint a designated Records Officer to oversee the Records Management Program and to serve as the liaison with the Library of Virginia Records Management Division.  At VMI, the designated Records Officer is the Head of Archives and Records Management. The VMI Archives is located in Preston Library.

Essential Information

• Review the Records Retention Schedules to determine how long records must be retained.
  • Email and electronic records use the same retention schedules and disposal form as paper records. It is the content of a record that determines its retention period; the format/medium is irrelevant. For more information see our FAQ.
  • Non-current/inactive records of permanent historical, legal, administrative, or other long-term value should be transferred to the VMI Archives for preservation when they no longer serve a purpose in your office. Contact the Archives before transferring.
• Follow these instructions for completing the required Certificate of Records Destruction (RM-3 form).
  
  • All legally mandated retention periods must have been met.
  • There can be no pending audits, litigation, or other holds on the records.
  • You must complete a Certificate of Records Destruction.  This form must be approved by the department or unit head (or authorized designated person), AND the Head of Archives and Records Management before any records are destroyed.
• We provide secure, on-site bulk shredding services for most VMI offices (exception: the Archives does not handle shredding for ROTC departments in Kilbourne Hall).  Material requiring confidential destruction may be delivered to the VMI Archives if your department does not have bulk shredding capability in your building.  Follow these instructions for transferring records.