COP 02-0408: Electronic Data Preservation

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this procedure is to secure and preserve the electronic data located on the departing employee’s computer.

Guidelines

Florida SouthWestern State College (College) acquires, develops, and maintains software, computers, computer systems, and networks for College-related purposes as part of its infrastructure. The College's computing resources and infrastructure are made available to employees in support of the College's mission and to promote the free exchange of ideas among members of the College community and between the College community and the wider local, national, and international communities. This policy governs the preservation and storage of computer data created, maintained or controlled by an employee who is separating from employment with the College.

Procedures

1. Preserving Computer Data
   1. The immediate supervisor of the departing employee is responsible for denying access to the employee’s computer for one working day immediately following the employee’s separation from employment.
   2. If the immediate supervisor is unable or unwilling to comply, notification must be made to the Information Technology Department (“IT”) before the date of separation to coordinate the removal of the computing resource or other appropriate steps as determined by IT to ensure data preservation. To preserve the College’s data on the departing employee’s computer, the following steps are outlined.
2. Voluntary Separation From Employment
   1. Upon being notified by Human Resources (HR) of an impending separation from employment, IT will provide the Employee Departure Request for Data form to the supervisor or department head. The form will also be available to employees upon request to IT, HR, or online.
   2. IT will review the completed Employee Departure Request for Data form with the Information Security Officer and other IT Staff, where applicable.
   3. IT will review the applicable data request with the supervisor or department head and arrange to place data in appropriate network locations, provide access to data, or copies of personal data to the separating employee.
   4. IT will image and/or remove the departing employee’s hard drive following data recovery procedures.
3. Involuntary Separation From Employment.
   1. IT will image/and or remove departing employee’s hard drive or computer the same day as termination or earlier if discussed with supervisor and approved by CIO / appropirate VP / or president, and secure the data as described in Paragraph D, below.
   2. IT will review the data request with the employee’s supervisor.
4. Data /Image and Physical Hard Drive Recovery Procedure
   1. IT will contact the Information Security Officer and, if applicable, review the Request for Data form.
   2. All imaged hard drives will be stored in a secure location on a server designated by the Director of Network Services.
   3. Once removed from the computer, the physical hard drive will be placed in a static bag for storage.
   4. The date, location (building and office), employee’s name, model PC and PC service tag number will be placed on a card within the static bag along with the hard drive.
   5. The recovered hard drive will be delivered to the Information Security Officer for placement in a secure fireproof safe.
   6. Information Technology will promptly install a new hard drive in the deployed PC and load a fresh image for continued use.