The University of Texas at Tyler is committed to managing its records including its Archives as outlined in the Records Retention Policy 2007-2010 and its University Records Management Policy.

The University Archives is the official repository for those records of enduring value that are created by the University of Texas at Tyler. Included herein are not only administrative records, but documentation pertaining to student organizations and departmental activities.

"Record" means any kind of recorded information, regardless of the physical form or characteristics, and without restricting the generality of the foregoing, includes correspondence, files, registers, indexes, bound volumes, maps, plans, drawings, diagrams, photographs, films, paintings, pictorial and graphic works, microforms, sound recordings, video tapes and machine readable records received or created, or deposited, on file and held by any organization or person, public or private.

The University Archives, which date from 1973 to the present day, currently comprise the institutional archives of the University. As the University Archives grows and develops, the collecting scope will be rounded out to meet a functional approach to archival management, and will focus on collecting – in addition to institutional materials – those materials relating to aspects of student life and faculty development and research.

Books/published materials and artifacts are generally not acquired by the Archives unless there are special or compelling reasons for them to accompany acquired archival records. Books and artifacts may, however, be accessioned through the Special Collections (manuscripts or books) function of the department.