The University System of Georgia recently introduced a new Learning Management System Storage (LMS) policy that details the length of time that course materials within the D2L Brightspace environment utilized by USG institutions will be retained. The policy addresses that the LMS is not for permanent storage of course materials and that institutions are responsible for storage outside of the LMS to meet accreditation and USG record retention policy requirements. The policy states that Banner courses will be maintained for 5-years following the semester in which they were delivered and non-Banner courses (e.g. sandboxes, orientation courses) will be retained for 5-years beyond the last access date. Courses beyond either of these specified timelines will be scheduled for deleting. The institution will be provided a list of courses scheduled the semester prior to removal and instructors given 30-days to back up courses. Instructors and institutions can request to have courses excluded when special circumstances warrant an exclusion.
For the initial purge that will take place in July 2025, Augusta University is requesting to exclude all courses delivered within the previous 7-years, aligned with USG Course Records retention requirements, and all courses that have been accessed within the previous 5-years, including both Banner and non-Banner courses. This will allow the institution time to identify and implement a new long-term storage procedure outside of the LMS for continued compliance with all USG policies.
If you are an instructor and you have courses that were offered prior to the 2018 summer semester that you need archived, you need to take action to preserve the materials outside of D2L Brightspace prior to June 15, 2025. Documentation and videos below provide step-by-step instructions for exporting course materials, as well as how to import an archive in the future if it needs to be restored into a new course offering.
Who can I contact if I have questions or need assistance?
The Center for Instructional Innovation (CII) is happy to assist. You can submit a request for assistance or reach out to the Learning Innovation Specialist for your college/school.