ShredFest 2026 another huge success
ShredFest 2026 another huge success
For ShredFest this year, you could not have scripted better weather for the attendees and the volunteers. The sunny skies and mid-70’s temperatures contributed to another huge success, not only for the University but also for the communities we call home. This was year number 16 for the annual shredding event, and unlike the rain and wind of last year, conditions could not have been better for both days.
The event, co-sponsored by IT Services and the Office of General Counsel, was held in Middletown and Hamilton on Monday, May 11, and in Oxford on Tuesday, May 12. A total of 113 people attended this year’s ShredFest, which is a decent increase over our attendance last year. We were also able to collect around 9,500 pounds of paper to be shredded, which is nearly 1,000 more pounds than we did a year ago, and we have to believe the weather had a lot to do with that.
According to John Virden, Assistant Vice President, Security, Compliance, & Risk Management, and Chief Information Security Officer, outdated paper documents can pose a significant risk for identity theft. “Anything that has a signature, an account number, a social security number, or medical information poses a risk. During ShredFest, people drop off old bank statements and checks, ATM receipts, credit card receipts, address labels from junk mail, old utility bills, and outdated tax forms, just to name a few items.”
Randy Hollowell, Manager of Communications and Customer Advocacy within IT Services, says that providing an annual shredding service for the campus and for the community helps to reduce the risk of data loss and provides a secure way to dispose of sensitive documents. “When people drop items off at the event, they tell us it gives them a sense of relief to finally get rid of old documents they no longer need and peace of mind that they are being disposed of securely,” he said.
Continuing this year was also the opportunity for community members to drop off batteries, printer cartridges, and small electronics for recycling or proper disposal. In total, there were about 35 pounds worth of batteries, 50 pounds of small electronics, and 10 pounds of printer cartridges.
“This is also really a community-focused event,” Hollowell added. “Folks around Oxford, Middletown, and Hamilton remember that ShredFest is coming and save their documents.”
“I always look forward to this every year,” one ShredFest attendee commented.
ShredFest was held at the Oxford, Middletown, and Hamilton campuses. A mobile shredder provided by ERTH Systems Shredding was on hand to provide secure, on-site shredding of both University and personal documents. Representatives from IT Services and the Office of General Counsel assisted with the shredding process, as well as worked with attendees to make sure all University documents had reached the proper retention limit and that the Records Disposal forms were completed.
Preparations for the next event are already underway. Specific dates and times for Oxford and the regional campuses are still being finalized.
If you cannot wait to shred documents, there are several options.
- For University documents, visit the Records and Retention website and follow the stated process, which includes completing the Request for Records Disposal form. Please be aware that the University is currently under a litigation hold, so departments, faculty, and staff should be retaining most University documents.
- For personal documents, several area banks, including LCNB National Bank, provide shredding events throughout the year.
Electronics Recycling
If you have a need to recycle university-owned computers or peripherals, please use the Request Recycling form.
For information about where to recycle personal electronics such as computers and televisions, as well as fluorescent light bulbs and batteries, please visit the Butler County, Montgomery County, and Hamilton County recycling websites.