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STAFF RECORDS MANAGEMENT IN FEDERAL UNIVERSITIES OF NORTH

WESTERN STATES OF NIGERIA

Article · November 2017

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 STAFF RECORDS MANAGEMENT IN FEDERAL UNIVERSITIES OF NORTH WESTERN
STATES OF NIGERIA

BY

Shukura Sharu Iliyasu

University Library
Bayero University Kano, Nigeria
sharushukura@gmail.com

Bappah Magaji Abubakar (PhD)

Department of Library and Information Science
Bayero University Kano, Nigeria
Magaji02@yahoo.com

Yahaya Abdullahi
University Library
Bayero University Kano, Nigeria
abdulyhy@gmail.com

Abstract

This study examined staff records management in Federal Universities in North Western states of
Nigeria. The study identified the types of staff records generated in the universities, types of facilities
made available for the management of staff records, procedures used in managing the records, and the
challenges associated with managing the records. The records life cycle model through its phases
formed the theoretical foundation of the study. The research adopted cross sectional design of the
survey kind, from quantitative research methodology. Data was collected through a questionnaire
administered to registry personnel responsible with the management of staff records. The findings of
the study indicated that the Federal Universities are generating various types of staff records ranging
from personal/confidential, to benefits program records etc. The study established that the facilities
available for managing the records were manually-based, equally the procedures used by records
personnel in organizing, arranging and filing the staff records were manual, based on numerical
arrangement according to staff identification number. The study revealed a lack of records management
policy, training and carrier development program for registry staff, congestions arising from poor
retention and disposition schedules and lack of modern ICT facilities as problem militating against staff
records management. However the study recommends that there should be restructuring of staff
records management systems, which should include implementing new policies in order to
accommodate the changes brought about by technology. Dedicated budgets should be allocated to the
registries. The budget is to make provision for registry supply and equipment especially modern ICT
facilities and should sure that registry staff are provided with formal training to update their skills and
competences on staff record management and modern technology.

Keywords: Staff Records, Records Management, Federal Universities

1
INTRODUCTION

Human Resource is the most essential and usually the most expensive organizational resource that
needs to be deployed effectively. Human Resource is an essential resource through which
organizational goals are achieve. All public and private organizations, including educational, political,
economical and social institutions employ staff and generate staff records. Universities undertake a
number of common human resource management functions such as human resource planning,
monitoring and policy development; establishment control; recruitment; appointment; performance
appraisal; education; training and staff development; promotions, transfers, secondments, disciplinary
and grievance proceedings; attendance, leave and sickness; separation from employment (through
resignation, retirement or other reasons); pay and allowances. All these activities generate records that
need to be captured and managed in record keeping systems, regardless of whether the records are in
paper or electronic format (International Records Management Trust (IRMT) 2009).

LITERATURE REVIEW

Concept and Significance of Staff Record Management

A record is indispensable asset for the effective and efficient functioning, survival, management and
development of any organization. However, to record a piece of information, an event, or transaction
you simply write it down, photographs it, photocopy it or input it into a computer system or any other
recording medium, so that, in the future people can referred to it for making decision. Therefore,
certificate of individual staff, result of medical examination, letter of confirmation, promotion, staff
documentation, application for leaves and resumption of duty; etc can be regard as records that can
refer to, for making appropriate decision regarding staff and staffing practice in organization. Thus, a
record can generally be define as being something that stand for an evidence of reality and that can be
used to verify state of existence regardless of medium (generated) or characteristic. St Andrews
University (2014) defined records as sets of information which facilitate the business carried out by the
universities and which are thereafter (retained for a set of period) to provide evidence of its transactions
or activities. It further elaborated that; these records may be created, received, or maintained in all
types of recording media including hard copies and electronics. Some will be identified for permanent
preservation in the university archive.

Therefore records can be regarded as universal concept that cut across all kinds of establishments, since
all organization inevitably creates, receive or generate records in the course of undertaking its function.
Parts of this records generated includes staff records. Staff is the entire people who work for an
organization. Staff is an essential resource that needs to be handling carefully. Kurfi (2013) asserts that,
man is an indispensable asset through which organizational goals are attain. International Records
Management Trust (1999) observed, “Every organization employs staff and creates staff records. Staffs
are among an organization’s most important and usually most expensive resources. Like any other
resources, staff is a resource that must be deploying to maximum advantage. The proper management
of staff records can make significant contribution to this objective by ensuring that right information is
available to take decisions and to protect the right of both the employer and the employee.

2
Soveing, (1984) defined staff records as “record that contain initial application forms, results of
physical examination, interviewers notations, test scores, periodical appraisals, transfer and promotions,
disciplinary actions, releases and retiring wages, salaries, taxes paid, contributions and similar items”.
Some or all the following information may also be included in a staff file: full name, address, telephone
number, age and gender, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, membership in trade union etc. Therefore,
the importance of staff records to universities’ administrators cannot be overestimated, as they contains
all evidential and reliable facts necessary for making decisions regarding staff and staffing issue. These
decisions related initially to the identification of the need/vacancies for the job. Secondly, staff records
helps in selection of appropriate candidates for filling the vacancies. Staff records also help in proper
classification of staff member (placing the staff member in appropriate position, to give his or her
ability to do the job). Determining wages, salary, and pension level, need for and mode of training and
retraining of particular staff member (to develop and update his ability and competencies for the job),
periodical evaluation of staff members, promotion and motivation, warning, query and dismissal from
the job, all these depends on staff records.

Thus, staff records help to ensure justice, transparency, accountability and good governance. Moreover,
this could not be achieved without the culture of records management practice that will check the
records to verify their appropriateness for use, and made them readily available at the right time to the
right person for making right and timely decision. Staff records take many physical forms, each of
which has its own special requirement for treatment, storage, preservation, and use. Until recently most
staff documentation and transaction were accomplished by means of paper document. Appointment,
acceptance and assumption of duty, application for leaves and resumption of duty; letter of promotion,
transfer, warning, query or dismissal from employment, recommendation, CV and other credential of
staff member; result of physical and medical examination; and other written or typed response are still
the largest body of staff records practically available in all Registries of federal universities.

Staff records are sensitive, factual, accumulated, dynamic and voluminous. If care is not been taken
there is tendency of misplacement and lose of vital assets that may affect the overall functioning,
survival and development of the universities. The Regents of the University of Michigan (2014),
International Records Management Trust (2009), Management Study Guide (2013), Yoder (2014) an
economist of Michigan University have characterized staff records as accumulated, dynamic, sensitive,
voluminous, factual and confidential. Similarly Emerson (1984) argues that “staff records pose a
particular problem because of their “bulk, longevity and sensitivity. The Human Resources Department
is the department holding some of the most sensitive data and information in an organization. Human
Resources information is also often voluminous. The volume usually grows with size and complexity
of the organization. Yet the staff record used constantly in labor planning, work force flows,
performance appraisal, organization, staffing of particular department, redeployment, wages and salary
administration.” Universities themselves, the world over are large and complex institutions where
teaching, learning and research activities are sought at their maximum levels. In the course of
undertaking their responsibilities, universities are employing various types of staff to deploy to various

3
departments and units of the universities to undertake various responsibilities and this generate large
quantity of records. Board of Regents, University of Wisconsin System (2015) categorizing its staff
members, stated that, “employees could be employed into Academic Staff, Employees-in-Training,
Faculty, Limited Appointees, Student Assistants, Classified Staff. Each of these categories is unique
with regard to type of work performed, job security, benefits package, and/or ability to organize unions.
Assignment to an employee category is based upon job title and the role of the position”. Therefore,
there is the need for sound administration of human resources in the university, which cannot be
possible without accurate, comprehensive, and reliable information contained in staff records, and this
can only be possible with proper management. Many staff records contain personal information about
individual staff members; they are highly sensitive and confidential. Access to the records, whether
paper or electronic, must be strictly controlled and monitored; strong and effective security measures
are needed to protect the records against loss, damage, unauthorized access or alteration, while in
storage and during their active use in the office. The location and use of paper records needs to be
tracked. Mechanisms need to be developed to identify who has accessed an electronic record, when
they accessed that information and whether any action was taken on, or changes made to the record.
Those who have custody and day-to-day management of staff records must be aware that they have
been entrusted with the responsibility not to reveal information gleaned from the records. Therefore,
there is a need for provision of security measures to ensure that only authorized users (whose by the
nature of their work must have access to staff records) have accessed the records.
Staff records management is the systematic control to the process of generating and maintaining staff
records of an organization from the time they are created up to their eventual disposal. This may
include organizing, filing, storing, securing, and destruction (or in some cases, archival preservation) of
dormant records. Staff files contain the records that document an individual’s employment history
throughout his or her career. These records must be managed throughout their lifecycle, from creation,
through their active and semi-active phase until their final disposal as determined by retention
schedules. Looking at the unique characteristic of staff records, one can infer that staff records are
dynamic- never static. No matter how old the record is it has a date of creation, a use, and a date of
disposition or archiving. The concept of staff records lifecycle denotes the records creation-to
destruction, which is similar to biological birth-to-death.

The goal of staff records management is to ensure that a complete and comprehensive employment
history of each individual staff is readily available for as long as it is needed, and that the information
contained in staff records supports the management, deployment, payment and development of staff.
Other key objectives of staff records management are to support transparency and organizational
accountability and to enable accurate audits by creating and protecting human resource records as
reliable evidence (IRMT 2009).

If staff records are not properly managed and used in productive manner, human resource
administrators are likely to make misguided decision in which could bring about disastrous
consequences which may have negative effect to the overall functioning of the universities. Some of
these could be related to placements and promotions (e.g. promotions beyond terminal point,
underutilization of competent staff and possible placement of deadwoods in vital areas and schedules,
contradictory policies and decisions, extra legal or even illegal pronouncements, wrong declaration and
action, etc). To make informed decisions regarding staff and staffing issues, administrators need
sufficient background information contained in staff (accumulated) files, which will allow valid
4
decision- making. Frustration and inefficiency occur when the individual responsible for making
decision is unable to locate the information contained in records necessary to efficiently develop and
evaluate alternatives. Consequently, without efficient records management practice, decision makers
cannot easily locate records.

Atulomah (2011) and Ugwunze (1992) observed that universities in Nigeria generate large quantity and
quality records in their day-to-day activities but many files are duplicated in numbers within and across
units without control over their creation, causing data redundancy and wasteful spending. Nigerian
university administrators are frequently worried about the frightening rate of misplacement and even
loss of vital records and the slow speed at which needed records are retrieve from storage (Popoola and
Oluwale, 2007). Iwhiwhu (2014) posit that poor records management caused serious impediment in
several aspects of public organizations (universities included). This has negatively affected prompt
payment and employment practices, revamping of administrative functions and organizational
structures. He further argued that administrators find it ever more difficult to retrieve the information
they need to formulate, implement, and monitor policy and to manage key staff and financial resources.
More than many other records in the organization, staff records directly affect the individual staff
members and their families. Staff records document the contractual relationship between employer and
employee and the employee’s career history in the organization. The information held in these records
is used to make decisions about suitability for promotion, transfer or, in some cases, disciplinary action.
These records will also be used as authority to determine pay and other benefits, including pension
entitlements for the individual staff members and dependent family members. It is therefore extremely
important that staff records are accurate and complete.

Staff records also serve the needs of the individual staff members. They guard people’s rights and
entitlements, provide evidence of their progress and employment history and serve as an authoritative
source of accurate information about them. When staff records are not managed properly, it becomes
very difficult and time consuming to calculate pension benefits. In Nigerian universities, delays in
paying pensions affect almost every civil servant in retirement, from the most senior to junior.
Improving the completeness of staff records can speed up this process and bring material benefit to a
large number of people. However, unfortunately staff records management program is still overlooked
and under-funded at institutional level. An effective staff records management program does not cost, it
pays. It pays by supporting transparency and accountability, enabling accurate audits, creating and
protecting staff records as reliable evidence and protecting against litigation

Statement of the Problem

It was revealed that staff record management program in Nigerian Universities was below standard, as
individual staff members are frequently worried about the terrifying rate of misplacement and even loss
of the records and the sluggish speed at which needed records are retrieve from storage. These are
negatively affecting prompt payment and other entitlement; denying the right of individual staff
members in several aspect of employment. Administrators find it very difficult to timely retrieve the
information they need to formulate, implement, and monitor policy and to manage human and financial
resources. When staff records are not managed properly, it becomes very difficult and time consuming
to calculate pension benefits. In Nigerian universities, delays in paying pensions affect almost every
civil servant in retirement, from the most senior to junior. Improving the completeness of staff records
5
can speed up this process and bring material benefit to a large number of people. Despites these
advantages an extensive literature search by the researcher revealed that academically, the area of staff
records management is overlooked. Akpohonor and Iwhiwhu (2007) observed that archives and
records management professionals pay little or no attention at all to the subject of managing staff
records, even though these files are substantial. In comparison to financial records, which have clear
retention period, staff records do not seem to have well developed retention period”. Based on the
above submission, it therefore becomes essential to conduct a study to empirically find out the types of
staff records generated by Federal universities in Nigeria, the facilities and procedures for managing the
records, and the challenges associated with the management of these records in order to empirically
find a way forward.

In addressing these issues this study reviewed significant number of related literature and gather
empirical findings to draw a trustworthy conclusion, adopting the Records Management Lifecycle
Model, which addresses challenges, associated with the management of staff records. The overall
expectation of this study is to be able to reduce the existing gaps on the management of staff records in
federal universities of North West zone of Nigeria.

Objectives of the Study

The objectives of the study were to:

1. Determine the types of staff records generated in federal universities of North West zone,
Nigeria.

2. Identify the types of facilities made available for managing staff records in the federal
universities under study.

3. Examine procedures used in the management of staff records in universities under study.

4. Identify the challenges associated with the management of staff records in the universities

Research Methodology

The survey research method was used. Cross-sectional design was employed for the study which
allows the researcher to easily, and quickly collect data from the respondents to analyze, interpret to
prove and/or disprove assumptions and findings that already established by many scholars or
researchers in the field of records management on issues regarding staff records management. Their
findings are to be analyzed in order to create new theory (conceptual framework) that can improve the
system of staff records management in Nigerian universities. The population of this study comprised of
registry staff saddled with responsibilities of managing staff records in federal universities of North
West zone, Nigeria. The universities have a total number of 171 registry staff with the responsibilities
of managing staff records.

6
Table 1: List of Federal Universities in North Western States of Nigeria

S/N Name of University State Year Number of Registry staff

Established responsible for
management of Staff
Records

1. Ahmadu Bello University, Kaduna 1962 45

Zaria

2. BayeroUniversity Kano Kano 1975 58

3 Usman Danfodiyo University Sokoto 1975 36

4 Federal University, Dutse jigawa 2011 15

5 Federal University DutsinMa Katsina 2011 17

6 Federal university Gusau Zamfar 2013 ---

a

7 Federal University Birnin Kebbi 2013 ---

Kebbi

TOTAL 7 171

Questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection for this study which was administered by the
researcher with the help of research assistant. The data collected was analyzed and presented using
descriptive statistic in forms of frequency and simple percentage.

Findings and Discussions

Response Rate

7
A total of 171 copies of the questionnaire were administered to the respondents out of which 160
(96.37%) were retuned and found usable. The retrieved copies of questionnaire were sorted out,
categorized and analyzed as follows:

Table 2: Types of Staff record Generated in Federal Universities in North West zone of Nigeria

8
Types of Staff Records Yes No

f % f %

Initial application for employment with the institution and

154 96.2 6 3.8
supporting documentation supplied by third parties

Copies of Appointments and Acceptance letters together

with medical/ bio metrics and educational certificates, 160 100.0 _ _
probation / confirmation of Employment

Requests for training along with Approval, study leave, _ _

including correspondence relating to travel, travel
160 100.0
documents and insurance s well as Post-training Reports
and Certificates

Records relating to the individual employee's marital

151 94.4 9 5.6
status and change of Name due to marriage

Application and response for annual or casual leave,

151 94.4 9 5.6
maternity leave

Records documenting Complaint/Disciplinary raised

by/against staff, the institution's response, action taken and 151 94.4 9 5.6
the outcome

Termination of Employment by Voluntary Resignation,

Redundancy, Death, retirement (including on medical 158 98.8 2 1.2
ground) or dismissal

Remuneration and Rewards (e.g. Bonuses, Merit Awards,

151 94.4 9 5.6
Long Service Awards, and Recommendation Letter).

Records documenting deceased pension entitlement and

benefits, notification, negotiations and results relating to 146 91.2 14 8.8
individual staff death certificate, compensation terms

Application for union or Government loan and

151 94.4 9 5.6
authorization details regarding the loans

performance-related pay; travel, subsistence and foreign

158 98.8 2 1.2
allowances
9

Records documenting Employees' Authorization for Non-

154 96.2 6 3.8
Statutory Payroll Deductions
Findings from table 2 reveals that records relating to appointments and contract signed by the
universities with conditions of employment together with evidential documents regarding medical and
educational qualification, probation/confirmation, and promotion of an individual staff member are the
major types of staff records generated in federal universities of North West zone of Nigeria
(160:100%). This finding corroborate with Akporhonor’s (2010) that, appointment, periodic appraisal,
confirmation, promotion, are the major types of staff records generated in both federal and state
universities. These records document the contractual affiliation between universities and individual
staff member. They provide an account of the individual staff career, which in turn provide the
authority to determine pay and other benefit. The focus of these records is indirectly pay this is due to
the fact that payroll control and procurement are the two major areas of university expenditure most
vulnerable to misappropriation and payroll control is, therefore, a highly significant issue for all
university administrations. Staff records therefore, must be accurate and complete and they must be
trustworthy to both the universities and their staff members.

The findings also reveals that majority of these records are generated manually in a form of paper. This
confirmed the finding of Akphonor and Iwhihu (2007), IRMT (2009) that paper-based records are the
records that are mostly generated in Nigerian universities. However this has negative implication in
terms of timely access and use as traditional paper-based records systems even if well organized and
complete, cannot easily provide the information management needed to manage the human and
financial resources, and to develop policies and plans based on accurate and current data. The
expectation has been that computerization will not only improve HR processes but will also provide
more accurate, consistent, timely and usable information (IRMT, 2003).

Proper records retention and disposition is a key to effective records management program. It ensures
that records are present when needed for litigation, audits, day-to-day business purposes, or historical
research, but that unneeded records do not take up costly storage space (Bowen 2006:7). Table 2 shows
that majority of staff records retain for at least 40 years expected to be the maximum period of staff
tenure in the university and some few years after resignation or retirement of individual staff member.
This finding corroborates the finding of Akporhonor and Iwhiwhu (2007), International Records
Management Trust (2009), The Library of Virginia’s (2014) where they stated that staff records have
long retention period. Therefore, there is a need for durable storage facilities to protect the staff records
during their retention period both in active, through semi active to inactive storage up to their final
retention period as determined in retention schedule.

Table 3: Facilities made Available for the Management of Staff Records

10
Facilities for Tracking and Yes No
Controlling the Movement of Staff
Record
F % F %

File Tracking Register 146 91.2 14 8.8

File tracking card 64 40.0 96 60.0

Barcode _ _ 160 100.0

Staff records should be properly

Scanner _ _ 160 100.0 maintained so that they can be
available to authorized users when
required. Before a registry staff or
Computer system _ _ 160 100.0 record manager issues staff files
or records he or she ought to
ensure that there is a system in
Facilities used in Organizing the F %
Staff Records place to ensure movement of
those records and that they can be
tracked from the point they leave
Folder 119 74.4 41 25.6 the registry to the time they are
returned and shelved or kept in
their right place. Table 3 shows
File 144 90.0 16 10.0 that File tracking registers are
used by 146 (91.2%) respondents;
Computer system 76 47.5 84 52.5 64 (40%) respondents are using
file-tracking cards in tracking and
controlling the movement of staff
File card 81 50.6 79 49.4 records/files in and out of the
registries, they never use barcode,
scanner or computer system to
Printer 84 52.5 76 47.5 track the movement of staff
records/files. The table also
Index 120 75.0 40 25.0 reveals that majority (144:90%) of
the respondents use file in
organizing the staff records
Catalogue 102 63.8 58 36.2 followed by 120 (75%), and 119
(74.4%) respondents who used
index and folders respectively. In
Database Management System addition, 104 (65%) respondents
104 65.0 56 35.0
(DBMS)
use Database Management
System (DBMS), and 102 (63.8)
Storage Facilities respondents use catalogue
respectively. Printer and file card
were also available for organizing
Cabinets 147 91.9 13 8.1

Box files 111 69.4 11 49 30.6

Lock 125 78.1 35 21.9

staff records in federal universities of North Western states of Nigeria as used by the majority
(102:63.8%) respectively.

The table also shows that almost all (147:91.9%) respondents use cabinets for storing staff records
followed by 125 (78.1%), and 122 (76.2) who use lock and drawers respectively. In addition, the table
shows that majority (111:69.4%) of the respondents use box file, and top of table to store staff records.
Steel shelves are also use for storing staff records as ticked by 108 (67.5) of the respondents. Back up
studies are those of Akporhonor and Iwhiwhu (2007).

More than half (101:63%) of the respondents in table 3 indicated using portable facilities such as flash
drives to store staff records, followed by 98 (61.2) who use computer system. In addition, 97 (60.6)
respondents use CD ROM, followed by 41(25.6%) and 31 (16.9%) respondents use mobile shelves and
magnetic tape respectively. Lastly, 27 (16.9%) were the least and they use optical disk and online
storage. Almost all (151:94.4%) respondents are using dispatch book, followed by 110 who use
dispatch rider.
Management of Staff Records Yes No
97 (60.6) respondents use computer network, followed by 86 (53.8%) who use E-mail and Handset
respectively. Less than half (76:47.5%) of the respondents use Internet to distribute staff records to
authorized users. Only 64 (40.0%) respondents use F intranets even though they
% have f proven% to be
effective.

Filing
Based onmethod
this analysis, one can infer that, traditional/manual facilities are still the dominant systems of
organizing staff records in federal universities of North West zone of Nigeria. This has negative
implication on the effective and efficient management of staff records. The finding corroborated the
Flat filing methods 64 40.0 96 60.
findings of IRMT (2009) that, in African countries (Nigeria included), paper-based filing systems
managed by traditional registries have deteriorated in some cases to the point of collapse.
Vertical filing method 110 68.8 50 31.2
Table 4: Procedure Used for the Management of Staff Records

Arrangement Methods
113 70.6 47 29.
4
Alphabetical 103 64.4 57 35.6

Numerical 116 72.5 25 15.6

Geographical 32 20.0 128 80.0

Alphanumerical 135 84.4 43 26.9

Chronological 86 53.8 74 46.2

Subject-based 112 70.0 48 30.0

12

Preservation of Staff Records

Proper handling

Fire Extinguisher in case of Fire Outbreak 31.

110 68.8 50
2

De acidification of the Records 73.

43 26.9 117
1

Periodic Fumigation of the Records storage 38.

99 61.9 61
premises 1

Application of Pesticides and Insecticides 73.

43 26.9 117
1

41.
Regular File Conversion and backup 93 58.1 67
9

38.
Using Virus Detection Software Program 99 61.9 61
1

29.
Using Fire-Proof Cabinets/shelves 113 70.6 47
4

29.
Regular Dusting of the Records Environment 113 70.6 47
4

34.
Durable File Jacket 105 65.6 55
4

34.
Security guard 105 65.6 55
4

29.
Air conditioning of the records environment 113 70.6 47
4

Dispersal (placement of copies in several 93 58.1 67 41.

locations)
13
 9

Table 4 also show that majority (110:68.8%) of the respondents adopt vertical filing method more than
flat filing. 116 (72.5%) respondents use numerical arrangement in organizing staff records, followed by
135 (84.4%) who use alphanumeric arrangement. In addition, 112 (70.0%) respondents use subject
based arrangement followed by 103(64.4%) who use alphabetical arrangement. Less than half
(86:53.8%) of the respondents use Chronological order, and 32 (20.0%) were the least who use
geographical arrangement to organize staff records. This finding corroborates with Akporhonor and
Iwhiwhu (2007) that alpha-numeric arrangement is a major method of organizing staff records, and the
finding disagree with finding of Abdurrahman (2015) that alphabetic and subject filing are the major
system of organizing university records. The findings complied with assumption made by IRMT (2009)
that errors are reduced when staff files are arranged and stored in numerical order. In addition, the
finding also proved The Library of Virginia’s (2014), paper titled Virginia Public Records, where it
stated that, numerical arrangement provides quicker comprehension of numerical sequences over
alphabetical, has the ability to add new files without disturbing existing arrangement, and it allows
easy identification of misfiled or out-of-sequence numbers.

Table 4 also indicated that majority (113:70.6%) of the respondents indicated preserving staff records
through proper handing, using fireproof cabinets, and air conditioning of the records; followed by
110(68.8) who use fire extinguishers, and 105 (65.6%) adopted the use of durable file jacket and
security guard. In addition, 99 (61.9%) respondents adopt periodic fumigation and virus detection
software program to preserve staff records, followed by 93(58.1%) respondents who adopted regular
file conversion and backup, and dispersal method (placement of copies in several location). The least
(43:26.9%) of the respondents specified de acidification and application of pesticide insecticide as a
method they also use to preserve the records respectively.

Archiving Staff Inactive Records

Archive is a method of transferring inactive records to a central repository (either physical or electronic
repository) in order to preserve and provide access to those records. Archives are repositories
specifically designed for preservation, storage, and use of archival records. An inactive staff records
that are retained for their continuing historical value in the university context includes the staff files of
distinguished public servants, including employees notable for their achievements, may be worthy of
permanent preservation in the Archives. As stated by International Records Management Trust, (2009),
“the personnel files of distinguished public servants, including employees notable for their
achievements and those whose misdeeds may be of future interest, may be worthy of permanent
preservation in the National Archives. Decisions will need to be made on a case-by-case basis. Such
files are eventually opened to public use according to retention and disposal schedules, for example 100
years from the individual’s date of birth or five years after his or her death, whichever is later”. Going
down to university system, University of Sydney (2008) confirmed that, the Records Authority requires
staff files for certain classes of employees to be retained permanently as archives. The staff files of
14
senior officers of the University, including Vice-Chancellors, Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Pro-Vice-
Chancellors, Deans, Professors, Registrars and some other senior staff fall within this category. Table 5
shows places the universities use for storing their staff inactive (archival) records for historical purpose

Table 5 Archiving Staff Inactive Records

where do you keep Staff F %

Inactive Records

Central repository 18 11.2

University archive 138 86.2

National archive 4 2.5

Findings in table 5 reveals that staff archival records are
stored in the universities instead of transferring them to
Who Manages Staff Inactive archival institution that created specifically for archival
Records (historical purpose) records for public use. This shows
that the overall process/procedures of archiving staff
records in the universities was below standard; the
An Archivist 20 12.5
procedures are without recourse to the general principle
and standard of records management lifecycle that
Librarian 5 3.1 standardized and assigned responsibilities regarding the
proper management of records. However, may be the
universities are not to blame; because on the other hand,
Clerical officer 39 24.4 Archival Institutions are reluctant to accessioning staff
records in their custody, arguing that these records
occupy valuable office space, which cannot be justified
Records Manager 96 60.0
(Republic of South Africa, Circular, 1963). This is may
be due to the fact that, of all the records generated in
Disposal Method organization staff records pose greatest problem in their
handling because of their bulkiness, sensitiveness and
longevity. Application of portable ICT storage will go a
Burning 64 40 long way in storing archival records and making them
available to users and this necessitated the provision of
adequate fund. The fund should make provision for
Digitizing 15 9.375
registry supply and equipment, regular training program
for registry staff to update their skills and competences
Shredding 60 37.5 on staff records management proper, adequate
accommodation and durable storage facilities,

Pulverizing 15 9.375
15

Selling 6 3.75
formulation and implementation of newly analyzed policy that guide the overall process of staff records
management proper.

Disposal of Staff (redundant) Records

Retaining everything is not good records management practice. Even if storage is cheap, managerial
costs are much higher than the storage, and that mount up over time. In addition, the largest costs are
when the universities are in litigation or a regulatory inquiry where they have to produce information. If
their mountain of information is much larger than it needs to be, it is risky. There are costs for going
through all these, and there is the possibility that records they did not need to keep can harm them.
Records Disposition is the final and usually important stage in the records management lifecycle. Once
the life of staff record has been satisfied according to its predetermined period and there are no legal
holds pending, it is authorized for final disposition, which may include destruction, burning, transfer,
or permanent preservation. The findings in table 6 indicated that burning and shredding are
predominant method for disposing redundant records of staff. This finding agreed with Akpohonor &
Iwhiwhu, (2007), Usman and Udensi (2014), that burning and shredding are the two major m ethods for
disposing staff records in Nigerian universities. The finding also disagree Abdurrahman’s (2015), that
pulverizing and pulping are the two methods used in disposing records in universities

Table 6 Disposal of Staff (redundant) Records

Disposal methods Yes No

f % f %

Burning 140 87.5 20 12.5

Digitizing 32 20. 128 80

Shredding 121 75.6 39 24.4

Pulverize 33 20.6 127 79.4

Selling 6 3.8 154 96.2

Challenges Associated with the Management of Staff Records

16
The researcher also sought to establish major challenges facing the management of the records in
federal universities of North West zone of Nigeria in order to find a way forward. The responses from
the questionnaires revealed a number of challenges militating against the management of the records,
which presented in table 7

Table 6 Problems Associated with the Management of Staff records

Problems Encountered in the Management of Staff records Yes No

f % f %

Lack of Records Management Policy 110 8.8 50 31.2

Inadequate Fund 110 8.8 50 31.2

Lack of support from the Management 79 49.4 81 50.6

Lack of Modern Information and Communication Technologies 129 80.6 31 19.4

Lack of regular training program for Records Personnel 129 80.6 31 19.4

Congestion-arising from poor records retention and disposal

122 76.2 38 23.8
schedules

Lack of conducive atmosphere 122 76.2 38 23.8

Lack of enough space to accommodate the records 144 90.0 16 10.0

Lack of durable storage facilities 111 69.4 59 36.9

Lack of retrieving tools to help in locating the specific Records 111 69.4 59 36.9

Table 7 shows that majority (144:90.0%) of the respondents have indicated lack of adequate space to
accommodate the records, followed by 129 (80.6%) who indicated lack of regular training program for
17
records personnel and lack of modern Information and Communication Technologies. Congestion
arising from poor records retention and disposition schedule, lack of conducive atmosphere and lack of
durable storage facilities, and lack of retrieving tools to help in locating the specific records are also
challenges militating against staff records management as indicated by 122 (76.2%) and 111 69.4%)
respondents respectively. Table 4.6 also reveals that more than half (110:68.8%) of the respondents are
of the opinion that, lack of records management policy and inadequate fund are also challenges
associated with the management of staff records. In addition, less than half (79:49.9%) of the
respondents are of the view that lack of support from the Management are also militating against proper
staff records management. The finding also corroborates with Iwhiwhu (2007) that records
management programmes or policy on records is not available in Nigerian universities; hence, the
administration of records is without recourse to the principles of records management. Specifically, the
findings also confirmed the finding of Akporhonor and Iwhiwhu (2008), in similar research, that, there
is no University Records Manual, no records retention and disposition schedule; personnel handling the
records are not trained in records management, inadequate facilities for the preservation, storage, and
retrieval of records, no filing manual, inadequate computers to manage the volume of records generated
and the attitude of administrators towards records and records management constitute the problems of
records management in Nigerian universities.
This finding also signified that the process of staff record management in Nigerian Universities is
below average. This shows that there is no policy that can make provisions for necessary requirement
for effective staff records management, if there is the policy; the finding shows that there is no
adherence compliance to this policy. Odlyzko (2000) and Rebore (2005) see records management as
the management science of controlling the quantity, qualities and costs of records and it encompasses
the procedural system operations, space, equipment and staff required to administer the records.
Therefore, Nigerian universities have a long way to go in respect with staff records management

Suggestion and Recommendation (Conceptual Framework)

Accordingly, extensive literature reviewed by the researcher and the findings from the current study
discovered issues militating against the management of staff records in universities. The finding
identified that records accommodation, use of ICTs, staff capability, and funding were not taken care of
as necessary requirement for the management of staff records. This is line with the view of
International Records Management Trust, (2009) where it ascertain that, in African countries, paper-
based filing systems managed by traditional registries have deteriorated, in some cases to the point of
collapse. It further elaborated that the deterioration of records systems can be the result of a shortage of
funds for equipment and supplies, a lack of training and career development for registry staff, a poor
understanding by managers of the role, functions and importance of record maintenance. This is in line
with the views of Afolabi (2004), Egwuyenga (2009), Usman and Udensi (2014). It is based on these
premises that, Records Management Lifecycle Model were adopted as a theory from which the
researcher proposed Conceptual model as a guide for finding the solution to the problems of managing
staff records
In the conceptual model, the researcher has tried to model some fundamental issues relating to the
management of staff records. The issues modeled in the framework mirror the unique/special
characteristic of staff records which necessities the use of effective and efficient facilities and
techniques in their maintenance. The Regents of the University of Michigan (2014), International
Records Management Trust (2009), Management Study Guide (2013), Yoder (2014) an economist of
18
Michigan University have characterized staff records as accumulated, dynamic, sensitive, voluminous,
factual and confidential. It is equally, therefore essential to have, a modern, robust, dynamic and
innovative system. The system should take care of the issues regarding handling of voluminous records
of staff; authentication of the reliability of these records and operation; complex, and complicated
processing and multidimensional analysis of such records; prompt search and retrieval; mass storage;
timely communication of the information system to the user; responding to the changing needs of users
for information; security and benchmarking. The electronic records management system uses computer
hardware and software, networks resources, and other ICT facilities, mathematical formulae, to deal
with these issues of exceptional significance. Therefore, universities must invest more to replace the
traditional congested method of staff records management with the modern, dynamic, hence electronic
(computerized) records management system, and this required adequate fund and recognition from
university management and other executive officials in order to review, and analyzed the existing
system, and implement program and policy that cater for all the requirement for effective and efficient
management of the records

Characteristics Newly analyzed,

of staff formulated and
records: implemented
Sensitive, policy on Staff
Accumulative, records
Factual, Management
Voluminous,
Longevity, ICT
Application

Support from Efficiency Efficiency

Active Staff in in Human
Management
Records managing Resource
the staff Manageme
Providing nt
Records
Enough and
Semi Active Conducive
Staff Records Accommodati
Staff Training and
Carrier
Development
Non-Active Staff Program
Records
Adequate
Funding
Figure 1: Proposed Conceptual Framework for effective Management of Staff Records

The framework starts by identifying the indispensability value, unique characteristic as well as step-by-
step phases staff records undergo during their lifecycle processes from active, though semi-active to
non-active phase which necessitates the provision of unique policy guidelines specifically analyzed,
formulated and implemented for staff records management. The policy will spell out clearly the
requirements for the effective management of staff records; the nature of staff records to be generated;
the staffing requirements as well as competencies for the management of staff records; the types of

19
facilities that need to be available for effective staff records management, as well as the management
process and the procedures records personnel should follow in the records management proper

20
 References
Akpohonor, B.A. & Iwhiwhu E.B. (2007). The Management of Staff Records at Delta State
UniversityLibrary. Library Philosophy and Practice. January, 2011

Akpohonor, B.A. (2011). Management of Records in UniversityLibrary of the South-South

Zone,Nigeria. Library Philosophy and Practice. 2011. Available Online at http://unilib.unl.edu.LPP
(accessed on 23rd March 2014)

Atulomah, B. C (2011) ‘Perceived Records Management Practice and Decision Making

amongUniversity Administrators in Nigeria’, Library Philosophy and Practice,Vol. 1, No 1, p7-
13.http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/541/ accessed on 18 May 2012

Board of Regents - University of Wisconsin System (201). Employee Category. Office of Human
Resources & Workforce Diversity 780 Regent St. Ste. 224 Madison, WI 53715. Available online at
https://www.wisconsin.edu/ohrwd/hr/emplcat/

Covenant University (2011). Management of Staff Records. KM. 10 Idioko Road, Canaan Land, Ota,
Ogun State, Nigeria available Online at http://covenantuniversity.edu.ng/about-us (retrieved on 23rd
June, 2015)

Iwhiwhu, E. B. (2014). Electronic Records Management in Africa: Problems and Prospects. The
Journal of Electronic Library 23(3) (2005) 345-355.

IRMT. (2003).Principles of records and archives management. London: IRMT

IRMT (2009). Managing Personnel Records in an Electronic Environment. London: IRMT

Odlyzko, A.M. (2000). Justification for setting up an archive at the University of Cape Coast. Records
Management Quarterly. 25(2) 91-100.

Rebore, R.W, (2005). Records Management in the Administration of Colleges and Universities.
College and Research Libraries 4(7):402 – 414

Republic of South Africa, (1963). Circular no. 1 of 1963: Disposal of Personnel File and Service
Records of Officials after Conclusion of Service.

University of Edinburg(2014).Records Management Section. Available online at

reecordsmanagement@ed.ac.uk (retrieved on 15th April, 2014)

Usman, P.A & Udensi, J. (2013). An Assessment of Record Management System in Establishment
Division of Two Universities in Nigeria. International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences 2
(2014) 97-109.

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