FILING SYSTEM

Why Organization should have a Filing System Filing means keeping documents in a safe place and being able to find them easily and quickly. Documents that are cared for will not easily tear, get lost or dirty. A filing system is the central record-keeping system for an organisation. It helps you to be organised, systematic, efficient and transparent. It also helps all people who should be able to access information to do so easily. It is always a pleasure when someone looks for something and is able to find it without difficulties. In our organisations we work in groups. We receive and send out documents on different subjects. We need to keep these documents for future reference. If these documents are not cared for, we cannot account for all our organisational activities. Everyone who needs to use documents should know where to get them. What do we file We file documents that are sent to us by other people or organisations. We also file records of all our organisational activities. These can be letters, memos, reports, financial records, policy documents, etc. When do we file This depends on how busy your office is. In very busy organisations filing is done at least every day and usually first thing in the morning. In a small or less busy office you could file once or twice a week. The maintenance of such an extensive system of records as outlined above will require careful organization. In general, records will be kept by the staff whose responsibility includes the area concerned. Thus, financial information will be kept in the Bursars or Bursars assistant files, while course information will be Academic Managers responsibility. Inevitable some information will be needed by more than one person, in which case duplicates can be stored in different filing systems. The systematic classification and filing of material is crucial for efficient retrieval purposes. Much depends on the way in which the administration is organized and how responsibilities are allocated and work carried out. There is little point in setting up categories in a filing system, however logically conceived, if they dont reflect the actual work of the people who will make use of the system.

Like any classification scheme, there will be general categories, sub-divided into more specific ones, as in the list of records given above. An example may make this clear. Material on courses will need to be classified into past, present, and future courses. Courses Past Syllabus Class lists Reports Present Syllabuses Class lists Timetables Materials Social programme Future Syllabuses Staffing projections Costings Planning, setting-up and running procedures Syllabus 1) The syllabus is a course-planning tool. It helps the instructor prepare and organize the course. Taking the time to construct a detailed syllabus will help you define the course goals; plan the course structure and assignments, exams, review sessions, and other activities; and determine how much time you should devote to particular topics. 2) The syllabus is a prospectus that answers a question on the minds of many students on the first day of class: why should I take this course? The syllabus communicates to students a clear idea of the course content, your approach to teaching it, and what they can expect to do and to learn in completing the course requirements. The syllabus should also stimulate interest in the course topic by indicating why the topic is important or intriguing. Keep in mind that colleagues, administrators, and others interested in the course will read your syllabus. Thus, the syllabus provides an opportunity for you to communicate with a larger audience about the course and its significance to broad educational goals. 3) The syllabus is a reference guide. It provides students with a compendium of information that they will consult throughout the course, including logistical information such as course name and number, prerequisites, and instructors name and contact information, as well as due dates, exam times, and course requirements and policies. 4) The syllabus is akin to a contract, in that it sets out course requirements and policies regarding grading, academic integrity, student conduct, attendance, late work, and other issues.

Students are responsible for reading and understanding the syllabus, the terms of which they implicitly agree to abide by when they take the course; encourage students to ask questions to ensure that they understand the course policies and requirements. You should include a caveat, however, indicating that you may make changes and adjustments to the document throughout the course, as needed.
Class List Class list provides information on each student registered for a specific class. Each student is listed in alphabetical order. For example: Name, Institution, Program, College, Department, Degree, Grade Mode, etc. You may also view his/her address and phone information.

Timetable With this timetable you know: The owner of the timetable. The number of days. The number of periods. The subjects scheduled. The teachers. Day and time of free lessons. Before we can create the timetable, we need to get this information: Basic Information: The number of days. The number of periods. A list of all teachers. A list of all subjects. A list of all classes in the school. Information for each Class: A list of subjects taught to the class. The number of lessons each subject is taught. The name of the teacher who will teach each subject to a class.

Because information on courses will also involve such matters as student accommodation and travel, some information will be split between two or more parts of the administration. Thus, enrolment, payment, joining, and accommodation arrangements will be filed in that part of the Bursars section which deals with such matters. If members of the teaching staff require such information, they will then have to refer to the appropriate member of the administrative staff. Obviously, there will have to be a system for cross-checking and keeping each other informed. For instance, the Academic Manager will need to know how enrolments are

proceeding for forthcoming courses because staffing and resourcing the course will depend on student numbers. The need for cross-checking, plus the desirability of avoiding duplication of effort, makes the use of a computer-based system very appealing. A good system will make it possible to enter much of the information outlined in the previous sections only once or twice at most. This will reduce the possibilities of error while at the same time making it possible for different members of the administration to call up information as and when they need it.