Completing Records Dispositions

State Records Center (SRC) staff implement records disposition in one of two ways:

At least sixty days before a scheduled disposition date, we will email your RMO a “Records Disposition Notification”. 

 

The Records Disposition Notification report indicates which containers on your transfer lists are scheduled for disposition. In addition, the detailed report indicates whether disposition will be by destruction (code D) or by transfer to the State Archives (code T). Your RMO is responsible for reviewing and comparing information on the Records Disposition Notification to information on the transfer list.

 

Your RMO is required by State Regulations to confirm with the SRC as soon as possible that the Records Disposition Notification has been received. The SRC will dispose of the records on the destruction date if no extension has been requested by your RMO or authorized agency personnel.

If you want to postpone a scheduled disposition, notify the SRC via email, records@nysed.gov, at least fifteen days prior to the original disposition date, indicate which containers you need to retain longer, and specify a new disposition date. The minimum length of time record retention can be extended is 6 months.

 

Ideally, you should postpone a scheduled disposition only if the records are required for an audit or litigation. You can, however, temporarily postpone disposition to meet an immediate, temporary administrative need. We encourage state agencies to work with the State Archives’ Scheduling and State Agency Services Unit to amend an existing RDA if destruction is regularly extended. 

You can arrange for the Archives' wastepaper contractor to pick up and securely destroy trailer load or more of records currently in your agency and scheduled for destruction. Send only those records that are eligible for destruction under Archives-approved RDAs. Remove all non-recyclable materials from the records (binders, hanging folders, electronic media), and clearly mark “Destroy” on the containers before sending them to the contractor.

 

See Wastepaper Contract or ask your RMO for a copy of the current wastepaper contract.

 

If you have less than a trailer load of records or do not have appropriate loading facilities, you may deliver obsolete records directly to the wastepaper contractor or to the State Records Center for disposition.