In the 2024 survey we asked if people would be interested in having a Work Learn student help their unit conduct records management projects. Many of you were enthusiastic about that idea, in fact, this question received decisive community support, but there were also questions regarding the differences between an Assessment and Governance projects. You wanted to know what services are free of charge and what are paid for by the unit. This post will explain more in depth what each project entails and what’s different about them.
Ursus Wehrli’s rendition (right) of René Magritte’s “Golconda” (left), 2015
Assessment process
Assessments are useful when the unit/department is having issues such as:
- Difficulty finding records
- Lack of storage space
- Questions around when to get rid of something
- Need to re-organize files
- Desire for records management advice
The Records Management Office (RMO) will meet with you and discuss your unit’s needs, then conduct a high-level inventory of your files, including a mapping of how the files are managed and named. After that, we will then discuss issues and concerns with you and provide guidance on how to proceed, including a Recommendations document with our advice and suggestions (which could include a Governance Project). It is a free service offered by the RMO. More information on how an Assessment Process works can be found here.
Governance projects
Governance projects are most often paired with iSchool WorkLearn or Co-op students and could happen either after an Assessment project or on their own. A Records Governance project evaluates your unit’s digital records and ensures they are being managed effectively (they are easy to find, organized, consistent, etc.) and comply with UBC standards and regulations (they are connected with disposition schedules and stored in the right place). The student will create a plan with timelines and milestones, do a complete inventory, develop a folder architecture with access protocols, naming conventions and crosswalks, and train staff on naming conventions and the RM compliant organization system. This is a paid project, since the unit will be responsible for hiring and onboarding the WorkLearn or Co-op student, however, the Records Management Office will assist with developing the job description, vet candidates, and co-supervise the student and support the project free of charge to the the unit.
Kitagawa Utamato’s “House cleaning in preparation for the New Year”, (1796-1799)
Step 1: Hiring process
- To begin, contact the Records Management Office. The RMO will discuss further what the project will look like, what outcomes can be expected, and will provide you with the work model and the Work Learn/Co-op job description template.
- The requesting unit (or department) develops sections of the job description based on the template and posts the position on the Work Learn and the Co-op website.
- The RMO and the unit evaluate the candidates, create a short-list, and interviews the students.
- The unit prepares the onboarding, workstation, access to records storage, and all other requirements for their new employee.
- What is the difference between a Work Learn student and a co-op student?
- A WL student would be available for up to 10h/week during the Fall/Winter terms and 20h/week during a Summer term. A Co-op student has a more flexible work length duration, from a minimum of 12 weeks up to 32 weeks of full-time work.
- The rate for graduate students starts at $26.02/h (subject to change).
Step 2: The project
- Based on templates, the student will create a plan with timelines and milestones for the project.
- The student will produce, analyze and evaluate an inventory of the records in the unit utilizing tools provided by the Records Management Office.
- Building on the inventory, the student will develop (on paper) the folder architecture, retention schedules, access protocols, naming conventions for files and folders, and a crosswalk to link the old system to the new system so nothing gets lost.
- The student will socialize the governance proposal and get sign-off.
- At the end of the process, the student will hold a workshop to train the unit’s faculty and staff on what has been changed, how they can use all the documentation (including the crosswalk), and what they should do moving forward to maintain the standards held by the RMO and UBC.
- The implementation of the new system is typically done in conjunction with UBC IT.
At the end of each project the students write about how their experience was and share some insider knowledge. This year we had Silver’s post go up, and reading about her experience with the Centre for Community Engaged Learning was entertaining, inspiring and helpful. If you’re curious about the nitty gritty stuff and some unexpected things that might appear during one of these projects, definitely give Silver’s post a read, and we have many other student testimonies in out blog archive.
We hope this short guide was helpful in explaining these two services. Please contact us if you’re interested in either the Assessment or the Governance Project, we would be happy to assist you. In the meantime, if you have any questions please check our recent blog posts and the Guidelines and Best Practices page.