Offboarding at UWG
Leaving your department or the University? Before you go… there are a few records management steps to complete prior to your exit. These steps ensure records are maintained for their full retention period and records on destruction hold because of a public records request, audit, or litigation remain accessible until the matter is resolved.
As you meet with your supervisor to plan for your exit, include electronic and paper records in your conversation. Use this resource as a guide in conversations and planning. Best of luck on your next adventure!
Best practices for briefing individuals on their records management responsibilities as a departing employee of the University. These checklists describe essential records management responsibilities and tasks all individuals should complete when leaving employment to safeguard university records and property.
For all records with continuing retention requirements or administrative value in your possession and records on destruction hold because of a public records request, audit, or litigation:
Keep in mind that Inbox, folders, and Sent Mail all must be managed.
Personal Emails and attachments
- Tag all personal emails from your westga.edu account as “PERSONAL”
- Delete all personal emails from westga.edu account
Small batches of emails
- Forward the emails to someone who will be handling them in your absence
Large batches of emails
- Save the emails into folders
- Discuss with supervisor
- Share the folders with someone who will be handling them in your absence
- Have that person copy the folders into their email or a departmental email account
The management of information should be a regular off boarding task any time an individual is preparing to separate from your department or UWG.
Records have the same retention regardless of format. Electronic records can be a particular pain point when a staff member leaves the University. For example, not all files you see in UWG Google Drive are “owned” by you. Many will be shared with you, and appear to be your files, but actually reside in the Google Drive of another individual at UWG. If the owner of the records leaves the University and they are not moved to a different user’s account, the workflow may be negatively impacted due to lack of access. Further, these records are subject to records retention requirements and should be preserved or deleted according to a legally approved records retention schedule. These records may also be on destruction hold because of a public records request, audit, or litigation and must remain accessible until the matter is resolved.
Off boarding includes the migration of electronic records located in an expiring location.
Examples are:
- UWG Google Drive
- Records stored on computer desktop or hard drive (C:)
- Network shared drive
- Flash drive, CD, removable hard disk, etc.
- Laptop, tablet, smartphone, or other mobile device (department-owned or personal)
Save records to a shared location like a network shared drive or Google Team Drive set up under a departmental ID
- Departmentally-managed Google Drive
- Network shared departmental drive
- Collaborative tools
- Departmental websites
If you are the owner, administrator, or permissions manager for any electronic resources your department uses:
- Assign another owner, administrator, or permissions manager; OR
- Write down the department-owned ID and password (never share your personal ID and password, only share login information for shared/departmental and external accounts)
- Provide a list of each electronic resource and how responsibility was transferred to your supervisor
Much of what is printed does not need to be retained and can be disposed of immediately. For paper records that must be maintained, never assume that your colleagues can find them. Use the Off boarding checklist to identify paper records and who should have access to them.
Small batches of active records
- Create a list of what they are and who you will be handing them off to in your absence
(refer to the Records Retention Schedules for help grouping records by series) - Discuss the list with your supervisor
Larger batches and inactive records
- Create a list of what they are and where they are being kept
(refer to the Records Retention Schedules for help grouping records by series) - Hand over the list along with keys to any locked storage locations to your supervisor
Records that are past retention and do not have any continuing administrative value can safely be shredded or deleted.
Remember any destruction of official university records must be documented. Coordinate with your department’s designated Records Management Liaison (RML) to complete the Certificate of Destruction Form.