A Wisconsin appeals court recently ruled that notes made by school district officials during an investigation into hazing allegations are not public records under state law.
Tag: public records
U. of Memphis: Names of alumni implicated in hazing are confidential under FERPA
The University of Memphis banned Zeta Phi Beta sorority from campus for three years for code-of-conduct violations including hazing, physical abuse and “conduct dangerous to others.” University records obtained by the Daily Helmsman student newspaper indicate that alumni as well as current students participated in the abuse, which took place at the home of a former… Continue reading U. of Memphis: Names of alumni implicated in hazing are confidential under FERPA
Ohio Supreme Court rules in favor of student journalist, opening private university police records
In a 4-3 decision, the Court ruled the Otterbein University Police Department can be compelled to produce public records because it employs sworn, state-certified police officers, who have the same arresting authority as municipal police or a county sheriff.
Texas Legislature votes for transparency in private university police departments
Sen. John Whitmire said he introduced the bill after Rice University denied his request for information about an incident in 2013 where a surveillance video showed two Rice University police officers beating a suspected bicycle thief with batons.
Illinois AG: FERPA does not excuse colleges from turning over email directories
An Illinois college refused a reporter's open-records request for the campus email directory. But the state Attorney General says the directory is a public record. Since the FERPA student privacy law doesn't forbid turning it over, state law requires disclosing it.
Are body-mounted cameras the answer for transparency in police departments?
Despite a promise of increased transparency in police activities, state public records laws may shield the footage from the public. Footage likely won’t be released if it is part of an ongoing investigation or if certain details, such as the identities of victims in sensitive situations, cannot be redacted.
In Texas, access delayed: Public records appeal process invites abuse
Texas law starts with the assumption that a requestor is owed records within 10 days. But asking the attorney general for an opinion stops the clock and can push the agency’s response time back by a month-and-a-half — which makes the process vulnerable to manipulation by an agency seeking to run out the clock on a deadline-sensitive request.
Former Idaho State U. employee, alumni charged $1,235 for public records about university president’s home renovations
A family was charged $1,235 when they requested information about the upkeep and renovation costs of the Idaho State University president’s house. But after a three-week online fundraising campaign, the family raised enough money to cover the bill.
FERPA Fib of the Year, 2014 Edition
It’s fitting that the 365-day stink-bomb that was 2014 ended with the U.S. Department of Education wadding up the last remaining shred of its credibility on FERPA and pulling the flusher with both hands. It was that kind of year. Like Pavlov’s dogs at suppertime, school and college legal departments reflexively yapped “FERPA” anytime a… Continue reading FERPA Fib of the Year, 2014 Edition
Connecticut joins consensus that school security videos are not confidential FERPA records
Connecticut has joined at least two other states in ruling that school surveillance videos can be released as public records without violating the federal FERPA privacy statute. The ruling is a win for common sense and a setback for the U.S. Department of Education's FERPA literalism.