Villanova University Records are the various documents produced, generated or received and accumulated in the various offices and departments.

Records Policy

Official University records includes all recorded documentation in all formats produced, generated or received and accumulated by any employee of Villanova University while engaged in the conduct of official University business in offices, departments, schools, institutes, centers, committees and the like. These University records are the property of Villanova University and as such are subject to submission to the University Archives. Documents include all forms of recorded information, such as: correspondence, financial statements, minutes of meetings, policy statements and procedure manuals, reports, literary publications, photographs, sound recordings or other recorded information, regardless of media or characteristics, created, received or maintained by the University in the course of University business. A document becomes a record when it is placed in an organized filing system for use as evidence of information. It becomes archival when transferred to a repository for preservation and research use. University records belong to Villanova University rather than to the employee of the University. See Villanova University Archives Collection Development Policy.
 
Semi-official records include the records and publications of University sponsored student, alumni/ae, and faculty associations and organizations, which relate to some aspect of University life.

Purpose of University Records

Records serve three major purposes:

  1. They serve an administrative record of the recent activities of an office or department, and thus assist department members with the day to day operation of the department or office
  2. They serve as a legal record
  3. They serve as an historic record of the activities of an office or department and the University as a whole.

University Archives Role in the Disposition of University Records

University records have legal and historic value that the Villanova University Archives is concerned and involved in their organization and disposition. The primary mission of the University Archives is to collect, appraise, organize, describe, preserve and make accessible institutional records and other materials of enduring value in all formats that reflect the history and development of Villanova University. The Archives collects, University records, including, but not limited to, the records of administrative office; academic departments; faculty, administrative and student committees; faculty and student organizations; college and student publications; photographs and slides; memorabilia and other ephemeral materials. This purpose and the authority for the University Archives to act as the official repository for the University records were approved by the President of Villanova University on October 5, 1987 (Statement of Authorization for Archival Collection and Preservation of University Records.)