Find retention policies

MIT’s retention schedules and policies identify Institute records, define their retention periods, and outline actions to take once retention is met: records are either transferred to the Institute Archives or destroyed.

Additional things to know:

• Your office or DLCI may create or receive records that are not yet covered: please contact us at rmprogram@mit.edu for guidance.
• The Records Management Program works with administrators to develop retention schedules – and update existing ones – for approval by the Institute Records Committee.
• “Non-records” can be destroyed without an approved retention schedule. These include duplicates, drafts, and communications that do not relate to the functional responsibility of your office (for example, meeting announcements, reservations, and acknowledgements).
• Do not use retention schedules and policies to destroy records that are currently part of – or that you are aware are going to be part of – any legal action or proceeding, litigation, audit, investigation, or review. Any documents – including email – covered by a preservation request must remain accessible until further notice from the Office of the General Counsel.