So much for student autonomy.
The ASUO Senate is a public body that deals with $12 million in student money. Their emails are — surprise, surprise — public record.
So I put in a public records request for all emails from May 25, 2010 until now:
November 16, 2010
Mr. Fielding
Ombudsperson
ASUO Senate
EMU Suite 4
1228 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403Dear Mr. Fielding,
Pursuant to the Oregon open records law, ORS 192.410 to 192.505, I write to request a digital copy of all email correspondence sent to senate@uoregon.edu or asuosenate@lists.uoregon.edu from May 25, 2010, to present. If you do not maintain these public records, please let me know who does and include the proper custodian’s name and address.
I agree to pay any reasonable copying and postage fees of not more than $5. If the cost would be greater than this amount, please notify me. Please provide a receipt indicating the charges for each document.
If you choose to deny my request, please provide a written explanation for the denial including a reference to the specific statutory exemption(s) upon which you rely. If some of these records are disclosable and others are exempt, please provide the disclosable records and let me know the exemption(s) preventing disclosure of the rest.
Please understand that we seek these records for the purposes of public interest, and we hope that the spirit of openness in Oregon government will prevail.
Thank you for your assistance.
Sincerely,
Alyssa Diamond
Managing Editor
Oregon Commentator
EMU Room 319
1228 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403
From Mr. Ian Fielding, I received this response:
Jubilant Jalousean Jannocking Journalists,
Ex-senator Diamond, you recently contacted me via a lovely letter to have access to all Senate emails from May 25th 2010 onwards. I ensure you that are [sic] senate conversations are absolutely enthralling. As a former senator, and current prestigious journalist, I can understand your lust for this information.
Franklin, you seemed to echo the aforementioned similar sentiments of Ex-Senator Diamond. After all, who would want to miss out on experiencing the exhilarating rush of deciphering senate emails!
I want to make sure both of your requests are fulfilled so you can join me, and my fellow senate members, in analyzing fun issues!
In order to receive this information we will need you both to fill out an official public record request for this information. I have taken the liberty of providing you a link to the appropriate webpage to do so:
http://www.oregon.gov/DOC/public_record_requests.shtml
We also will need you to cover the costs that it will take to provide you with this substantial amount of information. If the cost is inaccessible I will look to find ways to make it more accessible.
If you have any further questions or need additional aid in this process feel free to contact me!
Much love,
Ian Fielding
Senate Ombudsperson AKA The Sergeant in Arms
Hey journalism students — what’s wrong with this picture?
I spoke to Franklin today (ASUO reporter for the Ol’ Dirty) and apparently he went to Ian to whine about the fact that I got access to information he didn’t have, and thus I was able to scoop him. LOL to that.
My response to Ian:
Ian,
Uhh . . . that is a link to the department of corrections website. You sure that’s where you wanted to send me? The letter I sent you WAS an official public records request. With reference to the statutes and all.
Please let me know exactly what else you need from me. I am willing to cover costs up to $5 without any other correspondence, but if it is going to be more than that, you have to tell me why, and provide a reciept. Also, please keep in mind that I requested a digital copy, not printed copies.
Thank you,
Alyssa Diamond
Ran into ASUO Senate President Zachary Stark-MacMillan in the EMU a little while ago, and he said something about how the ASUO is an entity of the UO, so they’re going to have to run the request to UO’s general counsel.
So much for student autonomy, I guess. (Alternate statement here – wah wah wah wah wah.)
I’ll keep you updated on how it goes.
