Los Angeles Unified recently approved a plan to automatically destroy electronic mail after one year’s time. This has disaster written all over it.
The administration’s theory is that the district will save on the cost of storing the Email. Officials say only non-essential records will be destroyed. Email designated as “business records” will be retained. My concern is who will be responsible for making the essential vs non-essential determination. Without the proper knowledge or training, vital public records will be permanently lost. And, after the “lost” IRS Email scandal in DC, I would expect a governing body to err on the side of caution.
When it comes to record destruction, I prefer the old fashioned method of requiring individuals to hit the delete button and to shred paper files. If an issue arises later, there’s documentation of who destroyed the records. Accountability. What a concept. “Computer glitch” has become too convenient an excuse lately.
FWIW, federal grant program and financial records (including Email) need to be retained for three years after the date the final expenditure report is submitted to the federal funding agency. Save all your files. Don’t let the machines ruin your audit trail.
Read the complete story.
