April 25th: Starting Late, Doing Many Things
First and importantly: Class Will Be Starting at 6:30 next Monday. I have a conflict at 6:00, but I should be freed of it in a fairly efficient fashion. Apologies in advance. Also, I won’t be available during my standard office hours, but drop me a line if you need to see me.
Even with a delayed start there are so many things will be going on during class next Monday, a full list would be exhausting, but let’s try it anyway:
–3rd Assignment due at start of class; email me if you have any questions. Remember this is a “Reflection” on any aspect of Records Management that can be (but doesn’t have to be) linked to the panel presentation. I like variety, so delight me!
–We’ll take a brief tour of Alfresco’s RM components and its functionality. I’ll be upfront in acknowledging that I am by no means an expert in the workings of the system, but I’m happy to walk through it. You can learn more about the software at http://www.alfresco.com/products/records-management/.
–We’ll have an Extra-Credit Opportunity that is optional for one and for all!
–I’ll provide guidelines (maybe even a “Rubric”!!!) on the 4th and Final (Group) Assignment.
–You’ll have the remainder of class (I’m hoping at least an hour) to work in your groups on this project. I do sincerely hope you’re able to make great progress on it during this time. The last thing you need at the end of the semester and the last thing I want you to have is another group project to try to schedule time to get together and work on.
And our last class will be May 2nd. We’ll have group presentations and then a brief time for reflection and assessment. And probably tears and tissues as well. I know you’ll miss records management (but trust me, it’ll likely be back in your professional lives at some point!)
Please let me know if you won’t be able to make either of these last two classes. If there are extenuating circumstances, we can work something out.
Hope everyone’s doing well as April showers bring the end of the semester. Again, email me with any concerns or questions you might have.
Class, April 11th
This week we will be discussing Discovery and Vital Records Programs. Slides are here: 456_Class10_SPR11_0411_Discovery.
I’ll also be returning your memos at the start of class. I finished going through them and was quite impressed. Good work, folks.
Please do let me know if you have any questions on the final assignment–RM commentary. I stress that this is an opinion piece (with the expectation that they be substantiated opinions) and not a research paper. You can discuss any aspect of RM that strikes you as worthy of discussion. It really is up to you–surprise and delight me!
Also, after this coming week we are scheduled to have three classes left. I’m considering canceling class on May 9th due to conflicts with other campus events. It might have some slight implications for the preceding class session, but we can discuss as a group.
Hope everyone’s finding some way to enjoy the weekend! See you Monday night.
Reading for next week’s class on E-Discovery
As an addition to next week’s readings on the syllabus, please also take into consideration this recent piece from the NYTimes: Armies of Expensive Lawyers, Replaced by Cheaper Software.
I’ll be in touch with slides for the class later this weekend.
Class, 4/4: RM panel discussion; & info on assignment 3
As I mentioned last class, next week’s class will be a panel discussion featuring three real live Records Managers: Michael DeVanna from Blue Cross/Blue Shield; Jill Snyder from NARA; and Elizabeth Copenhagen from Harvard.
Among the topics for discussion will be: their programs’ mission, goals and objectives; what obstacles and/or strategic opportunities they see in the near term; what skills they feel Records Managers should have; and the role of outreach and education in their programs. There will be an opportunity to ask questions. Despite what the syllabus says, you do not need to do any research before the panel, just be attentive and thoughtful.
This panel can serve to inform your third assignment, a 3-5 page consideration of “some aspect” of Records Management. I’m giving you very free reign in choosing the specificity and scope of this assignment. The paper can draw from lecture, readings, your research, the panel participants . . . just about anything! Be as creative as you have the energy and drive to be.
March 28th: The Records Retention Exercise
In class this week, you will all be playing the role of a newly hired records manager at a small college doing his/her due diligence by conducting office visits and designing retention schedules and filing guidelines.
There will be two settings, dealt with in turn:
The Parking and Facilities Office, staffed by Mrs. Purdy, a dedicated staff member celebrating her 35th year of employ this spring.
and
The Office of the Dean of the College, staffed by Chet, an enthusiastic recent college graduate
More information tomorrow at 6 . . .
Last minute tips on your assignment #2
Hi all,
Hope your work on assignment #2 is progressing well. A few reminders:
Stay focused on the problem(s) presented, and don’t seek to overcomplicate the solutions. A system that requires numerous caveats and “if-then / not if-not then” statements at the presentation stage will never be as likely to realize cooperation as a straightforward (but accurate and thorough) solution.
A memo is a call to action, not an exercise in academic writing. Be persuasive!
Do not go over the stated word limit (although you can certainly go under provided you respond thoughtfully and thoroughly)
Your retention schedules should be complete but again, not burdensome. The layout and info presented by Tufts (http://dca.tufts.edu/?pid=59) provides a good, solid example.
Citations are not needed, barring utter plagiarism on your part. If necessary, clear in-text citations will suffice.
I’ve faith in all of you to convince me. Looking forward to reading them over.
Assignments are due at the beginning of class, double-sided and legible of course.
Email me with any questions.
Tonight’s slides
The formatting is a bit wonky in spots . . . apologies. The joys of moving between platforms & software (as you likely know).
See you tonight.
456_SPR2011_Class07_0321_OrganizingForAccess
This week’s slides . . . coming Monday.
I know your collective breath is bated for this week’s slides on the exceptionally thrilling topic of Arranging Records to ensure their Access, and they’ll be coming tomorrow–Monday–morning. I’ve moved to a Mac world at home and it seems Keynote doesn’t let me export them in as friendly fashion to PDF as I would like. Apologies for the delay, but trust me, it’ll be well worth it.
As always, if you’ve any questions about class or the current assignment, come by during my office hours at 5:00. Just please drop me an email so I can be expecting you.
Cheers!
Week Six Presentation
Our next class covers Record Keeping Systems, Information Systems, Document Management Systems, Enterprise Content Management Systems, everything short of the Endocrine System. I am going to try to make it less of a slog that the above eye-glaze-worthy sentence would lead one to believe. No promises, but I’ll try and ask everyone else to try too.
The powerpoint is here, for those of you who just can’t wait: 456_Class06_SPR11_0314_RecordKeepingSystems.
Hope everyone has a good week off. Please do note that I will be away from my email and hence unreachable between March 5th and 12th.
Reading Assignments for Week 6, Recordkeeping Systems
A few changes to the syllabus for Week 6.
Please replace the State of Michigan Report listed with NARA’s
E-Gov Electronic Records Management Initiative: Recommended Practice: Developing and Implementing an Enterprise-wide Electronic Records Management (ERM) Proof of Concept Pilot, 2006. Available here: http://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/pdf/pilot-guidance.pdf,
Also, please strike the Sedona Guidelines from the readings for Week 6. (I’m perplexed as to why I put them there, to be honest). We’ll cover them later in the semester.
