B 60 05 Records Management

1. The normal operation of denominational organizations and institutions results in the production and accumulation of a large volume of files and records of varying degrees of administrative and historical value. In order to preserve documents of permanent value and to avoid the unnecessary preservation of unneeded materials, each organization will find it advantageous to establish a records management program.

2. Administrators of all organizations should evaluate the legal, financial, and cultural worth of various types of files and records produced in all offices. The political vicissitudes through which the world is constantly passing seriously affect property rights, for example, and demand the proper preservation of denominational property records. Corporate papers and board minutes not only tell the history of an organization but may be called upon in cases of litigation. Many other documents and general files that seem to be of little value beyond their initial retention period grow rapidly in historical value as time passes and even serve future administrators in restudying issues and problems.

B 60 10 Records Retention

1. Each organization and institution shall establish a records center, that is, a storage place to protect records from fire, deterioration and unauthorized access. This records center shall house those noncurrent documents or files designated for either short-term or permanent storage. The records center is not to be used for the storage of current files, that is, those that are consulted several times a year in the normal course of business.

2. A records retention schedule, available from the General Conference Office of Archives, Statistics, and Research, shall be considered by the respective denominational organizations and institutions and, with revisions that may be indicated by local need or varying legal requirements, adopted by their governing boards or committees. . . .

B 60 15 Transmittal of Vital Records

1. All organizations and institutions shall give special attention to the preservation and security of their own vital records, such as articles of incorporation, constitution and bylaws, minutes of boards or governing committees, property records and other legal documents.

2. The secretary of each division shall forward to the General Conference Office of Archives, Statistics, and Research a true copy of the articles of incorporation of all legal bodies within the division, the division committee minutes, and board minutes of division institutions.

3. The treasurer (or designated officer) of each division shall forward to the General Conference Office of Archives, Statistics, and Research properly indexed and identified copies of property records....

4. A designated officer of the Treasury of the General Conference shall forward to the General Conference Office of Archives, Statistics, and Research copies and data relating to property holdings of the General Conference and of General Conference institutions as specified in paragraph 3 above.

B 60 17 Ownership of Records

1. When an organization records ideas and information on paper or other medium, it retains the ownership of that record. Both the information and medium on which it is recorded are a resource to be protected and preserved, or destroyed, according to approved records management principles.

2. All records, files, and documents (including correspondence) created by the employee in the course of employment are the property of the employing organization and shall at all times continue in the ownership and control of the employing organization for its use, preservation, or destruction according to its records management policies.

a. The term "records" includes, but is not limited to, information recorded on paper, film, electronic media or sound media, as well as charts, drawings, and maps.

b. Excluded from this policy are materials closely related to an employee's professional career or graduate education such as sermons and sermon files and graduate research materials.

3. In addition to the informational value of organizational documents, files, and other records, some items have a literary value. Although this value also resides with the employer, it may, by written agreement, be vested in the employee or shared with the employee.

B 60 18 Literary Property Interests

1. Ownership--Literary property interests in any work prepared on the job by an employee within his/her employment shall vest the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists or other legal church entity. The General Conference Corporation or other legal entity shall hold title to any responsibility for royalty or reimbursement other than the regular salary and benefits earned by the employment.

2. Exclusion--This is not intended to cover sermons and graduate-study materials....

GC Working Policy, 1995-1996

* This policy is listed as B 145 in the 1999-2000 GC Working Policy, and as B 150 in the 2000-2001 GC Working Policy.