Files Management

Records Management provides the following Filing Rules as a service To the University staff.

Student Records

To ensure consistency and uniformity, the following rules should be observed in the alphabetical arrangement of student records:
Names are transposed in filing. The surname is filed first, followed by the first name or initial, and middle name or initial. In alphabetizing individual names, remember that "nothing" always precedes "something". A surname only should be filed before the same surname accompanied by a first name, or first name and middle initial. For example:
- Brown
- Brown, A
- Brown, Andrew
- Brown, Andrew J.
- Brown, Andrew Joseph
Treat hyphenated names as a single unit. For example:
- Bulwer, Thomas
- Bulwer-Lytton, Edwin
- Bulwerton, James
File abbreviated names as full names, but file nicknames as written. For example:
- Wilson, Wm. file as Wilson, William
- Wilson, Billy file as Wilson, Billy
File names with prefixes as a single unit, regardless of whether or not the prefix is separated from the surname. For example:
- Alfred De Livre file as De Livre, Alfred
- Marie LaChaise file as LaChaise, Marie
- Kurt Vandamme file as Vandamme, Kurt
- Gail Van den Bossche file as Van den Bossche, Gail
Treat appendages indicating seniority as separate words filed at the end of a name. For example:
- Trent, Thomas, Jr.
- Trent, Thomas, Sr.
- Trent, Thomas, III

Records pertaining to community colleges, junior colleges, colleges and universities should be filed under the distinctive name of the institution. For example:
- University of Michigan file as Michigan, University of
- Yale University file as Yale University
- University of Texas at Austin file as Texas, University of, Austin
Names of hospitals, libraries and museums should be filed as written. For example:
- Crouse Memorial Hospital file as Crouse Memorial Hospital
- University Hospital file as University Hospital

Avoid abbreviations whenever possible by filing records under the full name of the organization. For example:
- AAUP file as American Association of University Professors
- ALA file as American Library Association
- MLA file as Modern Language Association
Distinguish between individual chapters of the same organization by specifying location. For example:
- Syracuse Chapter AAUP file as American Association of University Professors, Syracuse University
Associations whose names include the phrase "Board of" or "Bureau of' should be filed as written. For example:
- Board of Graduate Studies file as Board of Graduate Studies

File records pertaining to the United States Government according to the distinctive name of the agency or department. For example:
- United States Government, FCC file as United States Government, Federal Communications Commission
File records pertaining to corporations under the official name of the organization. For example:
- ABC file as American Broadcasting Company
- GE file as General Electric Company
Prefix the location of a newspaper when it is not part of the name as written. For example:
- The Free Press file as Detroit Free Press
Reverse the names of hotels and motels to make the most distinctive word appear first. For example:
- Hotel Lexington file as Lexington Hotel
- Hotel Syracuse file as Syracuse Hotel