Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1984 [PAGE 602]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1984]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

593

ment of its purpose, organization chart, total operating budget, and approximate number of employees. The Freedom of Information Act also charges the University as a public body with responsibility for establishing procedures which: (1) Describe the methods whereby the public may request public records; (2) Indicate the times and places where such records will be made available and the persons from whom they may be obtained; (3) Publicize a standard scale of fees calculated to reimburse only the actual cost for reproducing and certifying public records. T h e University may deny a request for public records on the ground that the records are exempt from inspection and copying under the Freedom of Information Act. Requests for all records falling within a category may be denied if compliance with the request would be unduly burdensome for the University and if the burden outweighs the public interest in the information. The person who has been denied access to any public record may then appeal to the president of the University. If the president does not grant the request, the person may file suit against the University and the court will decide whether the University should produce the records. The following rules establish procedures which are to be followed in the inspection or copying of the University's records, but do not say which records are subject to inspection and copying. Substantive questions of that nature will depend on interpretations of the State statute. After procedural rules are adopted by the Board of Trustees, they will be filed with the State of Illinois Administrative Code Unit in Springfield as "Internal Rules" of the University. T h e rules will become effective upon such filing and will be published in the Illinois Register. The Task Force to advise the President on the Freedom of Information Act has recommended adoption of the following "Rules Governing Access to Public Records of the University of Illinois." I concur. Rules Governing Access to Public Records of the University of Illinois Section 5151.10 Purpose These rules shall govern access to public records of the University of Illinois and its subsidiary bodies under the State Records Act and the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. Section 5151.20 Definitions (a) "Head of the public body" means President of the University of Illinois. (b) "Public Records Officer" means an employee of the University of Illinois designated by the President of the University to perform the duties specified in Section 5151.30 of these rules. (c) Terms defined in the Freedom of Information Act shall have the same meaning in these rules. Section 5151.30 Public Records Officers (a) There shall be one public records officer on each campus of the University of Illinois. The public records officers are responsible for ensuring appropriate University response to requests for access to records under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act and the State Records Act. The designation of public records officers shall not be construed to prohibit officials who have in the past been authorized to make records or information available to the public from continuing to do so. (b) Public records officers shall: (1) Implement these rules governing access to public records.