Information Technology Services

Wickes 216 (989) 964-4685

ITS Policies - Faculty & Staff E-Mail (GroupWise):

Background:

The University has to meet both functional (user oriented) and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requirements with regard to e-mail archiving for faculty and staff.  Pending a formal overall records retention policy that encompasses hard copy and digital records, this interim e-mail archiving policy below has been adopted.  When a formal overall policy is adopted, the mechanics described below will remain the same; only the number of years involved may be altered.

For purposes of this policy, GroupWise meetings, tasks, and reminders will be handled exactly like e-mail.  All references to archiving e-mail below, will be considered to mean e-mail, meetings, tasks and reminders.

Policy:

The University will implement an archiving system, described as follows: 

  1. All date references are based on the date the e-mail was created.

  2. ITS will automatically archive all GroupWise e-mail that is over 180 days old (or over 6 months old) into the archive. For example: on November 1st, 2006, anything older than May 1st, 2006 would be archived.

  3. E-mail messages will be archived from any and all folders. 

  4. E-mail messages will be archived under the same folder name they were under at the time they are arhived (e.g. sent).

  5. The archive is accessible only via WebAccess, which provides access from anywhere on the Internet.  No access is available via the GroupWise client or any other client.

  6. The archive would hold up to 7.5 years of e-mail.  As of  December 31st, 2006,  this would include 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, and 1999.  Note that 2006 would only include the first six months as the last six months would still be in the live GroupWise database.

  7. Managers may request searches of the archives for former employees with Records Officer approval.  The SVSU Records Officer is the Vice President of Administration and Business Affairs.

  8. The Records Officer may request a search of the archives via Network Services to meet FOIA requests.

 

Annual Procedures (in January 2007):

 

  1. The oldest year in the archive will be deleted (currently 1999).

  2. Before any deletion, the archive would be backed up to tape (and held one year).

 

Implementation:

 

  1. ITS will internally test the system to its satisfaction. 

  2. The system will be phased in across all administrative divisions. 

  3. The system will be phased in across the colleges.