Collection Policy
The DePaul University Archives preserves and provides access to university records of historical value. The history of DePaul can then be saved and studied by those with need to access the information, whether they are university personnel seeking documents they created in the past, alumni and students looking for yearbooks or student newspapers or researchers engaged in historical studies.
The preservation of and access to these records in archives means that university personnel can transfer papers to archives for permanent retention for future use and that researchers can locate information about the university and its history. In carrying out the activity of preserving materials for use, the archives appraises, collects, organizes, describes and provides tools for accessing materials that have permanent legal, fiscal, administrative and historical value that are no longer needed by the office that generated these records.
Materials added to University Archives collections include:
- Accreditation reports and supporting documentation, such as North Central Accreditation reviews and reports, and individual unit accreditation agencies for Schools of Business, of Education, etc.
- Annual reports, correspondence, reports and planning documents, minutes, subject files and other significant documents of all governing bodies and administrative and academic units of the university, such as: Board of Trustees, Deans Council, Presidents, Vice Presidents, Library, Academic departments, etc.
- Annual Budget final reports.
- Biographical information of faculty, administrators and staff.
- Official departmental correspondence.
- Minutes, memoranda and reports of all academic and administrative committees, such as the faculty council and its committees.
- Publications distributed in the name of the university, including annual reports, catalogs, bulletins, class schedules, yearbooks, student newspapers, university directories, alumni magazines, alumni directories, conference proceedings, school and division newsletters.
- Publications produced by faculty members during their tenure at DePaul. This may include monographs, journal articles, musical compositions, set designs and artwork in the format appropriate for the public distribution of the work in question.
- Summary statistical information such as annual enrollment records generated for internal and external university use.
- Theses or dissertations produced as part of the degree requirement for a master's or doctoral program.
- Audio-visual materials documenting the history of the university, including photographs, films, audio and videotapes.
Artifacts and memorabilia such as fragments of buildings, banners, posters, insignia, etc. - Records of student organizations, including student publications for these organizations.
- Personal papers of faculty, administrators and staff.
Academic and administrative files NOT ADDED to DePaul University Archives:
- Draft copies of plans or reports.
- Lectures given at DePaul by individuals not associated with DePaul.
- Multiple copies (more than two) of any publication, program, flier or form produced by the depositing individual or agency.
- Personnel files on faculty, staff or students or any files containing confidential and personal information, such as:
- Resumes received in application for positions.
- Any document containing salary information attached to individual names.
- Course evaluations or analysis with specific mention of names of faculty or students.
- Resumes received in application for positions.
- Raw statistical data gathered for whatever purpose. This includes raw enrollment stats, course load information, individual or departmental survey information and donor amounts.
- Research materials gathered by faculty or staff, such as:
- Photocopies of research materials from other repositories collected for personal research use.
- Faculty class lecture notes.
- Slides taken to provide general background information from books or other publications. Slides of original artistic or theatrical productions are retained.
- Student papers other than theses or dissertations.
- Transaction documents:
- Financial transaction documents, including but not limited to cancelled checks, invoices, ledger reports, petty cash vouchers and/or receipts or any non-final budget report (including budget requests).
- Information transaction documents: information request forms, items-mailed forms, application for any items, ticket stubs and gate receipts, copies of credit card slips for payment.
In order to provide interim access to files sent to archives, materials should be identified as to originating department and nature of files. Archives staff will advise on the retention of any files, and are prepared to assist in the transfer process. Before arranging the physical transfer of materials to archives, please contact Kathryn DeGraff, University Archivist, John T. Richardson Library, Room 314.
