New Mexico Register / Volume XXXIV,
Issue 20 / October 24, 2023
This is an amendment to 5.100.6 NMAC Section
16 effective 10/24/2023.
5.100.6.16 RECORD MAINTENANCE AND RETENTION
POLICY:
A. Each regionally accredited college or university registered
by the department shall provide a records maintenance and retention plan. The plan shall consist of a records
maintenance and disposal schedule that is in compliance with the functional records retention and
disposition schedule in 1.21.2 NMAC, the records retention schedule set by the
department, regulations of any other authorizing agency, or laws, regulations,
and rules of any other authorizing jurisdiction or territory, whichever is
longest in time. If another authorizing
agency of the institution requires a longer period of retention than that of
1.21.2 NMAC, the longest retention period shall prevail. [The plan must include a description of how
records will be maintained in the event of closure, which includes, but is not
limited to, designation of a custodian of records, digitization, and a process
for obtaining transcripts from the custodian of record.]
B. Each institution [must] shall submit a
certification of compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations
that govern records management for closed [institution] institutions.
C. Each institution shall report the
percentage of all student transcripts since inception of the institution that
are not digitalized at the time of application. If there are non-digitalized
transcripts, the institution shall submit a plan to the department which
describes how the institution will digitalize all student transcripts within a
twelve-month period.
D. Each institution shall provide information regarding the custodian of
records and the process for obtaining transcript records through the custodian
at the time of application.
E. If the department determines the
plan for processing transcripts is not satisfactory, the institution shall:
(1) hire a professional digital
credential firm to manage its student transcripts; or
(2) submit all of
the student transcripts within a twelve-month period to the department in a
specified format and agree the department shall become custodian of record upon
receipt of the transcripts.
F. If the department becomes the
custodian of record for an institution, it will be at no cost to the
institution.
G. If the department becomes the custodian of record for an
institution that is in operation, the institution shall periodically submit
updated transcripts to the department in a specified format. The submission
schedule shall be based on end dates of programs offered by the institution.
H. The department may contract with a
professional digital credential firm to service the transcripts.
[5.100.6.16 NMAC - N, 12/26/2017; A, 12/11/2018; A, 10/24/2023]