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Due to a combination of poor environmental conditions, space limitations, and no staff at the University Records Center, we are unable to accept boxes for storage. URM is facing a 40-plus year backlog, and we can only shred a maximum of 200 boxes with our vendor. As a result, we limit the number of boxes we accept for shredding directly from departments each month to prioritize backlogged records.
Our new shredding vendor destroys records directly from boxes, so totes are no longer provided. If you need to shred a large number of records, please email recmgt@gmu.edu to request boxes. We do not have an estimated date for the resumption of storage services at this time.
University Records Management oversees the operation of the University Records Center (URC). Located on the Fairfax campus, the University Records Center is a high-density storage facility holding approximately 14,000 records boxes. The URC also serves as a staging area for regularly scheduled secure paper shredding; destruction services are provided on-site by a third-party vendor.
Storage (This service is suspended indefinitely)
Storage for temporary, inactive paper records is available to Mason offices, schools, and research associates. All paper records coming for storage to the University Records Center must be appropriately arranged in records center boxes provided by University Records Management for both safety as well as preservation requirements. Due to the environmental conditions at the URC, we do not accept non-paper records such as DVDs, CDs, or hard drives. In addition, URM does not store records with permanent retention.
After your office has identified records for storage, please be sure to request records center boxes by emailing the URM team if you have not already done so. Boxes hold approximately one cubic foot of paper. Please pack your records for storage by following our box guide. Boxes that are improperly built, packed, and/or labeled will not be accepted by University Records Management for transfer.
Once boxes are packed with an inventory list of all files included inside the lid, please login to our Infolinx physical records management system with your Mason credentials to enter information for each box and print box labels. All boxes must be added to Infolinx and labels placed onto boxes BEFORE they are transferred to the University Records Center. University Records Management no longer provides PDF box labels for records transfers.
If you are a records coordinator and do not have access to Infolinx, please complete the Infolinx training on MasonLEAPS and reach out to URM for assistance.
Destruction
Prior to destruction, all records – regardless of format – must be approved by the University Records Officer. The same guidelines for entering box information into Infolinx and placing printed labels onto boxes apply to records for destruction.
Records that have met their retention period should be destroyed within a six-month period of meeting the retention date. Records cannot be destroyed if there is an audit, investigation, FOIA request, or litigation under way, even if the retention period has passed. Once these holds have passed, the retention period continues; if the retention period passed during the hold, the records should be destroyed immediately thereafter.
Secure shredding services are available for paper through the University Records Center via a third-party vendor. If you are seeking approval to destroy records deemed eligible by URM to be transferred to the University Records Center or to securely scrub your electronic records, please email the University Records Management team. URM will report the destruction and process the Certificate of Destruction with the Library of Virginia, as required by the Virginia Public Records Act.
Due to environmental conditions at the University Records Center, we do not accept or destroy media. URM will report the destruction to the Library of Virginia, but departments must arrange and pay for their own media destruction services at this time.
To send paper, non-records to the University Records Center for secure shredding, please reach out to URM for boxes, if needed, and provide us with a description of the records you wish to send and the years they span to help confirm their eligibility for destruction.