Deletion of User Areas and Email

[witch]

I have searched but can't find quite what I need.
After an occasion last year when I deleted the email account of the outgoing head as soon as he left, incurring his wrath when he tried to access it during the summer - the school want an official policy about deleting staff and student user areas, and emails
Has anyone got a policy or any ideas?
I was thinking that I should delete things for staff 2 weeks after they have left (that would be when I come back after Christmas, Easter etc) and the year group who have left would be deleted one term later - giving the next school a chance to access any work they need.
What do you think?

[Geoff]

As far as email goes, you have an obligation under RIPA to keep it for 6 months.

As for the actual school work, check with your exam board. They are the only people who are likely to request old work. We keep stuff for a year.

[elsiegee40]

As Geoff says, you have an obligation to keep it... but not to allow free access to it. I disable access to acounts immediately someone leaves and request permission from SMT to delete both email and home drive data after 12 months. This isn't documented, but probably should be.

[witch]

Can you direct me to the RIPA information? I can't find anything that tells me I have to keep email info for a specified time
Exam boards don't come into it as this is a first school - I think 12 months is adequate

[Geoff]

Here's a PDF.

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2003/draft/5b.pdf

The language used is angled towards a traditional ISP. However it's fairly easy to follow.

[witch]

I still can't see where it says I have to keep the email data - and it is a code of practice, anyway and not a legal requirement?
Our email is provided by RM - would they keep the data?

[Geoff]

Ah, and this is where it gets complicated. As a public sector agency you have to implement RIPA. But RM doesn't as it's a private company. As to them it's voluntary, unless they get a nasty letter from the Home Secretary.

[elsiegee40]

Not sure if this is the right bit:
The Data Retention (EC Directive) Regulations 2007 No. 2199

From what I have seen, it would appear that the retention period is 12 months, but that the act does not currently apply to email (?)

[matt40k]

We keep each month backup tapes, both email and files, for 5 (odd) years.

Benefit of tapes over hdd!

[witch]

Thanks for that
Couldnt keep backup tapes - I've only got five!!!

[matt40k]

So did we!! We took the document to the head and said we need more tapes, you have any idea how much that costs?

LTO-4
1 per month (12)
1 per week (3)
1 per day (4)

Email + Data = 38 Plus tapes wear so we had to get replacements, another 4

So really each year we have to buy about ~20 tapes to completely comply with UK law. Shame really, if LTO-4 came down more in price we might of ordered 5 years in one go (5 yrs being the life of the servers)