University Archives Unit

Introduction

The purpose of this system is to establish the premises on which the University Archives will be implemented and to serve as a guide for all USJ Units.
The Archives serves as the institucional memory of the University and plays an integral role in the management of the institution’s information resources in all formats. To fulfill the responsabilities of that role, the archives identifies, acquires, and maintains records of enduring value that chronicles the development of the institution and ensure its continued existence. The archives documents the process of institucional evolution by retaining both the evidence which shapes decisions and the decisions themselves.
To comprehend and understand well the importance of an archive in an Institution, we do present a short description.
The archives primarily serves users throughout the institution. Allowing greater access to information produced, contributing to the academic and administrative efficiency and preserving the institutional memory, as reference, information, fiscal, legal, evidence or research source.
Administrative and Academic units have ready access to the permanent record, which includes:
Documents in whatever form and from whatever time, which provide evidence of transactions and decisions essential to the functions of the institution, preserved on a stable environment for those offices which may require them.
Materials which define and enhance the image of the institution, essential to the activities responsible for fundraising and outreach (e.g., public relations, admissions);
Faculty use the archives for research in collections that provide unique materials, which document the wide range of intellectual history.

The mission of the University Archives Unit will be to support the University’s decision-making process at all levels and to perpetuate its collective memory.

  1. By determining what evidence is essential, ensuring that the institution creates such evidence, and making that evidence accessible to users regardless of location or format;
  2. By preserving essential evidence of the institution;
  3. By providing information that promotes the mission of the institution internally and to the community;
  4. By supporting teaching and enhancing the curriculum appropriate;
  5. By supporting the research of the Faculty, students, and others scholars through access to information;
  6. By promotion further understanding through discovery and dissemination of knowlwdge.

The objectives are specific actions and timelines for achieving the goal.

  1. To ensure that the University is following the correct archival and record management procedures according to the relevant international standards for archives and records management, good practices and complying with the local legislation.
  2. To promote all department’s efficiency by supporting the implementation of good practices in records management and support data collection for their daily operations and strategic management.
  3. To ensure that relevant documents, either in printed or digital form, for the efficient management of the University are properly recorded, efficiently retrieved and when obsolete, their disposition, either elimination or long-term preservation is done according to the relevant standards and laws.
  4. To guarantee that the University’s Information and Records enables the implementation of a global Knowledge Management System making the information produced and received by USJ useful for the daily operations and the strategic management of the University.
  5. To preserve the History of the University and to perpetuate its collective memory by ensuring the long-term preservation of all printed and digital documents with historical, cultural, legal, financial or other relevant values.

The evaluation of documents is the process of analyzing files or documents in order to establish deadlines to remain on file or disposal in accordance with the values assigned to them. ‘’Temporality table of documents’’ created by University Archives Unit.
Classification plan of the Institution, must be prepared in accordance with the organizational structure of the institution and can be numeric, alphabetic or mixed, should follow a functional classification.
Functional Classification is a records classification system that arranges records based on the functions of the institution and the activities that are required to carry out the functions. At the activity level, record series can be identified, classified and scheduled for retention according to use, legislation or regulatory requirements and historical relevance.
Once a record series is identified, the retention and disposition for the series can be established. A variety of criteria are evaluated to determine the retention.
First requirement:
How long are the records required by the creators to effectively complete their tasks?
Second, legislation or regulated requirements:
Are there any legislation or external regulatory that provide information on how long such records are required?
Third, historical or enduring value:
Do the records have any archival or historical significance that requires permanent preservation?
Once these questions are answered, a time frame for retention can be established and the Final Disposition can be determined. The Final Disposition refers to what happens to the record after it is no longer of use to the creating body. It can either be destroyed or transferred to Archives for permanent retention and preservation.
The University Archives Unit will operate directly under the Rector through the University Library. The University Head Librarian will be supervising the implementation and development of the Archives Unit.
The archives unit will operate on the same space of the Library on the second floor of the Library Facilities in Ilha Verde.