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Access to Information Act (ATIA): "The principle-based legislation that provides the right to access records held by Alberta public bodies. Under section 2, the purposes of the Act are to:

• allow a right of access to records held by public bodies subject to limited and specific exceptions,
• allow a right of access to an individuals own personal information about themselves, subject to limited and specific exceptions, and
• provide the for independent decision made by public bodies under this Act to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner."

Administrative Record: Records that document the internal, support-related functions of the University. See also Operational Record. 

Archive: The process of transferring records to the Â鶹ÊÓƵ Archives, including appraisal and accessioning. 

Also known as Â鶹ÊÓƵ Archives, UAA, University Archives.

Authenticity: An authentic record is one that can be proven to be what it purports to be; to have been created or sent by the individual purported to have created or sent it; and to have been created or sent at the time purported.

Also known as legal review.

Authority Review: Citations relevant to the retention period and disposition action for a record type on a Records Retention Schedule.

See also Records Retention Schedule.

Business Rule: The specific rules and logic that govern how records are managed within a unit or organization. These rules include steps taken to make recordkeeping effective within the policies and procedures of both human-driven and automated processes. 

Certificate of Destruction: Formal documentation demonstrating that particular records have been securely destroyed. A certificate of destruction must be retained by the Unit as evidence for the disposition activity performed. 

Also known as a destruction certificate. 

Closure Criteria: "Criteria that dictates when the record is no longer considered in its active phase. Criterias can be the end of the Current Year (CY), the end of the Fiscal Year (FY), and Event Trigger (ET) which is further defined in the Records Retention Schedule, or Lifetime of either the related asset or the University."

See also Records Retention Schedule, Record Lifecycle.

DEF

Destroy: see Secure Destruction.

Disposition Authority: "A type of inventory which contains a list of records to be sent to their appropriate final disposition (archive/destroy/transfer). The disposition authority must include: a description of records being dispositioned; the quantity of records being dispositioned (for both physical and digital records); the date range of records; the eligible records retention criteria being applied, including all legal authority that is cited in the retention rules. One disposition authority should be created for every unique retention rule to be dispositioned. The disposition authority is to be retained permanently with the certificate of destruction, if applicable."

Also known as Disposition Inventory. 

See also Final Disposition, Certificate of Destruction. 

Draft: Preliminary versions and working materials created, collected, and used in the preparation of more substantial drafts or final documents. Once the final version of a document is completed and stored in an approved information management system (as the official record), most drafts and working materials will not be required. The definition of drafts as transitory records DOES NOT INCLUDE drafts of legal documents (contracts, agreements, etc.); policy instruments (directives, standards, procedures, guidance, strategies, frameworks, etc.); drafts that provide information at key decision points not included in the final version of the document; drafts that provide evidence of new/significant decisions, reasons or actions or formal approvals; working notes and notebooks used to record details to support other activities such as investigations, inspections or field activities; and raw data.

Duplicate: Exact copies of documents where nothing has been added, changed or deleted, and the official record has been stored in an approved information management system. Duplicates do not contain unique information. The definition of duplicates as transitory records DOES NOT INCLUDE copies containing unique information with business value not found in the official record, annotated copies providing evidence of significant input; duplicate records such as backups and security copies created for the purpose of business continuity and disaster recovery; or imaged source records.

Electronic Approval: "An electronic approval replaces an actual, physical hand-written signature or mark to indicate that a person adopts and/or approves the statements and/or intentions recorded in the record being signed. There are various types of electronic approvals including click to consent, email approval, electronic forms and electronic signatures. The types of electronic approval that are appropriate for the transaction is dependent upon various considerations including applicable laws, risk of the transaction, platforms and service costs, and savings resulting from adoption of an electronic approval. "

Electronic Record: A record that exists at the time a request for access is made or that is routinely generated by a public body that can be any combination of texts, graphics, data, audio, pictorial or other information represented in a digital form that is created, maintained, archived, retrieved or distributed by a computer system. (Access to Information Act A-1.4 2024 s.1(f))

Electronic Signature: Electronic information that a person creates or adopts in order to sign a record and that is in, attached to or associated with the record. (Electronic Transactions Act, S.A. 2001 c E-5.5)

Also known as eSignature.

Employee(s): A person who performs a service for the public body as an appointee, volunteer or student or under a contract or agency relationship with the [University] (Protection of Privacy Act, SA 2024, c P-28.5, s.1(h))

Enterprise-Wide eSignature Products: Products that have been purchased for use by the University at large to fulfill eSignature functions. These products are considered the standard application for eSignatures, unless there is a specific reason for a different software to be implemented.

Also known as ConsignO.

File Plan: A specification of how records are to be organized and managed once they have been created and throughout the records lifecycle, through a combination of business rules and information from a Records Retention Schedule. File Plans include information on the records/information, their storage location and taxonomy, the security and access provisions applied, information about naming conventions and version control requirements, and references to the appropriate retention code noting the Record Type, Closure Criteria, Retention Period, and Final Disposition.

Also known as business rule. 

Final Disposition: Action to be taken on the record type at the end of its lifecycle. This will be Destroy, Archive, or Transfer.

See also Records Retention Schedule, Record Lifecycle.

Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP): "REPEALED JUNE 11, 2025

Under section 2, the purposes of the Act were to: 

(a) to allow any person a right of access to the records in the custody or under the control of a public body subject to limited and specific exceptions as set out in this Act,

(b) to control the manner in which a public body may collect personal information from individuals, to control the use that a public body may make of that information and to control the disclosure by a public body of that information,

(c) to allow individuals, subject to limited and specific exceptions as set out in this Act, a right of access to personal information about themselves that is held by a public body,

(d) to allow individuals a right to request corrections to personal information about themselves that is held by a public body, and

(e) to provide for independent reviews of decisions made by public bodies under this Act and the resolution of complaints under this Act."

GHI

"Health Information (Record):" As defined in the Health Information Act (HIA), diagnostic, treatment and care information and/or registration information collected in the course of providing a health service to an individual, where the information is in the custody or under the control of a custodian as defined in the HIA.

Identifiable Individual: Subject of recorded personal information from which an individual's identity can be inferred. This could include their name, where they live, what they do, or as a result of a compilation of information that relates to only a small number of people.

See also Personal Information.

Imaging: The capturing of paper-based information as electronically stored information. This includes not only capturing an image of the paper-based information, but correctly indexing the images with the addition of relevant metadata for proper storage, retrieval, retention and disposition.

Integrity: The integrity of a record refers to it being complete and unaltered.

Inventory: A high-level survey of all types of records and information created, received and stored by an office. This can include both official and transitory records in both physical and electronic formats. The inventory identifies what information is created and used, where it is stored, and in what formats it is retained. It is not a list of each document or each folder but rather of each filing series or system.

See also Disposition Authority. 

JKL

Legal Hold: The act of identifying, preserving, collecting and producing records related to the subject matter of a legal proceeding. Instructions about the steps to take to meet these obligations will be issued to employees or other affiliates is the associated Legal Hold Notice.

MNO

Naming Convention: Rules applied to naming documents, folders, and files consistently, logically, and in a predictable way that distinguishes them from one another at a glance and facilitates reliable storage and retrieval.

Office of Record: Office that is expected to have the official copy of the record. This is often, but not always, the original copy. For committees which have been formed by a policy or procedure, this is the Office of Administrative Responsibility.

See also Records Retention Schedule.

Official recordkeeping system: A shared filing system where records are captured, organized, accessed, protected, retained, and destroyed in accordance with approved records schedules. These systems comprise of both the electronic or physical recordkeeping location as well as the policies and procedures, defined roles and responsibilities, and ongoing training needed to preserve the integrity, reliability and authenticity of records within the system. An Official Recordkeeping System is trusted to manage records in a way that: ensures users can file, locate, and retrieve records; groups related records together so that a ‘complete’ record of the business activity or case is available; helps prevent duplication and unmanaged accumulation; and makes it possible to apply records and information management rules accountably and comprehensively

Operational: Records that document the core activities and services that fulfill the Univerity's mandate.

PQR

PARIS: "PARIS is an integrated approach by the Â鶹ÊÓƵ for managing University information and records. Records and information management is meant to be simple and embedded into business practices.

PARIS is comprised of Privacy, Archives, Records Management, Information Access, and Data Security. It is a joint initiative between the Information, Privacy, and Records Management Office, the Â鶹ÊÓƵ Archives, and the Office of the Chief Information Security Officer.

Launched in 2020 and led by the University Records Office, PARIS incorporates and addresses intersectional information management issues to allow University Units to identify, accept and mitigate the risks they are accountable for when managing University information throughout its lifecycle. NOTE: Training related to the PARIS program is currently on hiatus. "

Personal Communications: "For the purpose of this policy, personal communication is information in all media and formats that is created, received or accumulated as a result of personal activities that are not related to the mission, administration or operation of the Â鶹ÊÓƵ."

Personal Information: As defined in section 1(q) of the Protection of Privacy Act and section 1(r) of the Access to Information Act, recorded information about an identifiable individual. This includes, but is not limited to, name, address, contact information, demographic information, identifying numbers or symbols, biometric data, health information, and opinions of or about the individual.

Protection of Privacy Act (POPA): "The authority-based legislation that governs the protection of privacy related to personal information in the custody or under the control of Alberta public bodies. Under section 2, the purposes of the Act are to:

• Control the collection, use and disclosure of personal information by a public body,
• Allow individuals a right to request corrections to personal information about themselves,
• Control the creation, use and disclosure of data derived from personal information and non-personal data by a public body, and
• Provide for independent reviews of decisions made by public bodies under this Act and the resolution of complaints under this Act."

Record Lifecycle: The lifecycle of a record is a series of phases starting when it is created or received by the University, through to its use, maintenance and temporary storage before finally being destroyed or archived permanently.

Also known as Lifecycle (of a record)

Record Type: A descriptive title for the grouping of records that share similar functions and identical legal, retention and disposition requirements. Defined in a Records Retention Schedule.

Also known as Record Series. 

See also Records Retention Schedule.

Record(s): A record of information in any form and includes notes, images, audiovisual recordings, audio recordings, x-rays, books, documents, maps, drawings, photographs, letters, vouchers and papers and any other information that is written, photographed, recorded or stored in any manner, but does not include software or any mechanism that produces records.

Also known as Research Records 

"Records Management Coordinator:" An individual designated by an Administrative Head who will represent the records management interests of the unit, serve as the unit contact and provide assistance to the unit to facilitate compliance with this policy and associated procedures.

Records Management Policy: Â鶹ÊÓƵ Policy document that outlines the requirements for the implementation of a records management program at the University.

Records Management Program: "A Records Management Program encompasses the governance and management framework, the people, and the systems required within the University to manage the University’s records as a valuable asset through their lifecycle."

Records Retention Schedule: The formal, recorded approval of a decision to retain or to destroy a record or set of records, together with the justification for that decision; and, it is the official legal instrument used by the University for the disposition of records.

Also known as RRS, retention and disposition schedule, retention schedule, scope notes, classification scheme, disposition authority

Reliability: A reliable record is one whose contents can be trusted as a full and accurate representation of the transactions, activities or facts to which they attest.

Research Records: "Research information assets supporting both research and operational needs. This includes administrative information and records produced for analytic or evidentiary purposes. A systematic investigation designed to develop or establish principles, facts or generalizable knowledge, or any combination of them, and includes the development, testing and evaluation of research"

Responsive: Information that is reasonably related to pending litigation, audit or access to information request.

Retention Period: Period of time that the record must be stored in its inactive phase for business or legal obligations.

See also Records Retention Schedule, Record Lifecycle.

 

STU

Secure Destruction: The act of eliminating or deleting a record beyond any possible reconstruction (ISO 30300:2020, 3.4.7). This includes shredding for physical records and deletion of all copies for digital records. Official University Records can only be destroyed following a retention period as defined in an approved retention schedule.

Also known as Destroy. 

Transitory Record(s): Records of a routine nature having short-term or limited value with no records retention requirement.

Unit(s): Administrative and/or organizational entities including faculties, departments, centres, institutes, administrative units and non-departmental units.

University Record(s): A University record means recorded information in any format within the custody or under the control of the University relating to the operation and administration of the University.

University Recordkeeping Standard: "A composite of all records management requirements, business rules and attributes relating to University records. The requirements, standards, business rules and attributes include, but are not limited to:

• the functional taxonomy and classification scheme based on the University’s business activities;
• the approved records retention and disposition schedules;
• the security and access classification scheme;
• a thesaurus of preferred terms;
• the recordkeeping metadata standard for the University’s electronic records; and
• digital preservation technologies."

University Records Management Committee: A standing committee with campus-wide representation to advise on matters relating to the management of the University’s records.

University Records Office: "Formerly the unit within the University responsible for ensuring the University is in compliance with this policy and associated procedures. The unit also provides guidance with respect to records management practices and procedures. Now the Records Management branch of the Information, Privacy & Records Management Office (IPRMO). "

Usability: A usable record is one that can be accessed, processed, and understood over time.

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Vital Record: Records in any format or form containing information that is (1) essential to the operations of the University, (2) necessary to protect the University’s legal and financial position, and (3) necessary to preserve its claims and rights and those of its stakeholders. Vital records are those records whose informational value to the University is so great, and the consequences of loss are so severe, that special protection is required and justified.

Wet Ink Signature: An actual, physical hand-written signature or mark made in ink to indicate that a person adopts and/or approves the statements and/or intentions recorded in the record being signed.