Student Clubs and Organizations Records (SCOR)

When evaluating your records, it is important to consider the following questions:

• Does the record impact the understanding of your organization, its work, and its role within the CSUN community?
• Does it represent your organization?
• Would the record be of interest to future organization members, students, or other researchers?

This can be difficult to determine. Imagine you are doing research on your organization, what kinds of information are you most interested in learning?

• Does the record relate to other documents your organization knows it will maintain?

For example, if there are photographs from an event your organization will keep are there also planning or other documents, such as a program or event flyer, that might put the event in context?

If the answer is yes to any of these questions, then you should consider saving/preserving it.   

As you are reviewing your organization’s records, remember: When in doubt, don’t throw it out! Keep the record and if you have questions, feel free to contact the University Archivist.

The following is a partial list of the types of records that typically hold enduring or historical value:​​​​​

• Charters and other founding documents.
• Constitutions and bylaws, agenda/minutes and proceedings, transcripts, and membership lists or rosters.
• Office files: correspondence (incoming and outgoing, including email!) and research or subject files concerning projects, activities, and functions.
• Financial documents, such as annual budgets or reports.
• Historical files documenting policies, decisions, committee and task force reports, and questionnaires.
• Publications: two record copies of all newsletters, member handbooks, brochures, programs, posters, announcements, and other promotional materials issued by your group.
• Organizational histories and/or reports.
• Audiovisuals: photographs, scrapbooks, films, sound and video recordings of the group, members, meetings, and events.
• Certificates of recognition.
• Artifacts (such as buttons, t-shirts, pins and other jewelry, uniforms, and other items used to carry out the mission and activities of your organization.)

The following records can be kept by your organization until no longer needed and then discarded:

• Records of specific financial transactions, like receipts, bank statements, and canceled checks.
• Duplicate copies of publications (the archives typically keeps 2 copies.)
• All other duplicate material: keep only the original copy and any annotated copies.
• Form letters, except for one record copy.
• Replies to questionnaires, if the results are recorded and preserved elsewhere.
• Blank forms and unused printed or duplicated materials.