FOI's... ever use them?

FIO and 990 forms are powerful tools.
They should be used after formally requesting the information.
Then, request the information stating the intent of using an FOI.
(At some point in here, be sure your Managing Editor or Editor knows your requests and intentions.)
If, said request is denied, the Attorney General or Secretary of State's office will see your diligence and 99% of time will allow the FOI.
Now, if your request is the 1%. Your Editor was aware of your actions. The institution was aware of your intentions. The Attorney General or Secretary of State was aware of your intentions and actions.
You're covered, and if your paper or chain would like to pursue a Federal Denial Claim, your ass and case are covered.
Just a lil help.

 

here's a link might help:

http://www.rcfp.org/

 

I use FOIAs all the time. In fact, some ADs prefer you do it just to make sure you're serious about the information. They'd rather not have to spend a couple of hours researching a document for you so you can nod your head and say "cool" and maybe not use it at all, which is a lazy right we all enjoy.

I cover a major Division I university, and I have filed about 10 this school year alone. The best way to get information is to find the public custodian of documents and send requests to that person. That way, especially if you're covering a smaller college, you don't have an SID or associate AD who's scared to death of doing the wrong thing and cause more problems for you or themselves. It sounds much more challenging than it is.

Remember public universities use tax money to pay for postseason gifts for athletes, expensive dinners for boosters and bonuses for coaches who take teams to subpar bowls. You should at least inform the public where their money goes. Besides, it's a well-read story every time, maybe even an award-winner.

 

Use 'em, and love 'em. FOIs are very good friends.

Not sure if the law's the same everywhere, but in Georgia, a public institution had three days to comply after receiving a request. I made sure to include that at the end of my request letters, as, you know, a friendly reminder. Wrote up a very effective form letter that I only had to revise with the name/address and specific documents I was requesting.

Almost always got a response.

As far as "what for" ... I had a public high school that was constantly being accused of, ahem, making it a little easier for some very, very good athletes to transfer in to the school from other county high schools and other places. Filed quite a few FOIs for the transfer forms, for a copy of the 88-page investigation that the state association conducted, and for plenty of other related documents (including budget sheets, booster club docs, school board meetings, you name it.)

 

For people who had done this: where do FOI and FERPA cross paths? The school can't release any information on a kid, right? Does this apply to colleges as well, since the students are of legal age?

 

In my experience, the school just redacts certain information that they're not obligated to release. That includes SS numbers and the like. (And yes, IIRC, that applies to colleges, too. They're still students, even though they're at least 18.)

But the school still has to release the documents, if the law requires it to.

 

FOIAs are good thing to use every now and then. If nothing else, they remind the schools you deal with that you know your rights.
And if I covered college sports, I'd get to know 990s very well. Foundations, booster clubs, etc., are often incorporated as nonprofits and have to reveal all kinds of interesting stuff in these forms. For that matter, nearly all private colleges are nonprofits, so they file these, too, though it may be hard to drill down to the athletic department level. Only problem is they're usually kind of dated. Right now most institutions can give you their 2004 form, maybe '05. Most are online, though, at www.guidestar.org.
And whoever mentioned bond prospectuses must have used to be a business reporter, because they're gold mines. When you're asking a bank for money, you have to tell them practically everything, and so practically everything is in those documents.

 

Coaches and administrator salaries is a biggie you can FOI for. Severance packages for coaches who are fired, etc. etc.

 

Whoops...thought the thread was about the other FOI ... Fruit Of Islam.

 

don't forget 501c3 - a nonprofit registered with the Sec of State or Attorney General - required to file annual data - booster clubs may file under 501c3

 

This is great info for all journalists to know. Keep the good info coming.

 

I've had'em tell me the "it's against the law" thing, too. Right. They don't call it the public sector for nothing. Some of them will be happy to give you the information, so long as it looks like they didn't necessarily do it willingly. They can hide behind FOIs on their side, too.