College of DuPage to vote on new electronic communications retention policy –

DuPage Co., IL. (ECWd) –

The College of DuPage is set to act on the first reading of Policy No. 10-200, which is a new policy concerning the retention of electronic communications.

On page 134 of the Board Packet for  April 7, 2016 (here) is the proposed policy.

One key paragraph in the new policy states:

“Whenever any member of the public expresses an interest in a particular type or kind of public record (e.g., through an FOIA request or at a public meeting), electronic documents in this category should be presumptively preserved. “

Other key item includes, at least, a 90-day notice to the Board of the intended destruction, and most also include a requirement to have their destruction approved by a Resolution of the Board in an open meeting.

It is refreshing to know that this Board is taking steps to prevent the destruction of records when those records may be the subject of litigation/FOIA and without notice to the Board and public.

This Policy comes on the heels of a suspension of record destruction authorization by the Local Records Commission (here), after reports of the feverish ramping up of destruction authorizations since 2013 (here) in spite of FOIA requests, calls for transparency, litigation (here), and local, state, and national investigations.

This policy adoption is a true sign of what good governance is all about.  Clearly those responsible for this policy saw the concerns raised and took immediate action.  This should be a case study as to how public officials should operate.

Thank you to those taking appropriate steps to address the problem.

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