星空无限传媒app

Office of General Counsel

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Illinois Freedom of Information Act?

The Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) provides public access to government documents and records. As a state institution, 星空无限传媒app Illinois University is subject to the Illinois FOIA ().

What should my office do when it receives a FOIA request?

Fax (298-1993), e-mail (wiufoia@wiu.edu) or mail the request to FOIA Officer, 208 Sherman Hall, Macomb, IL 61455. Read through the request to become familiar with the documents and information that the requestor is seeking. The FOIA Officer will contact you to discuss the request and any documents you need to provide.

How long do we have to respond to a FOIA request?

As soon as the request comes to a University employee, the University must respond within five working days from receipt of a request; therefore, if your office receives a FOIA request, it must be forwarded to the FOIA officer immediately.

How can a FOIA request be submitted to 星空无限传媒app?

Request can be e-mailed, faxed or sent via U.S. mail, and must include the requestor's name, contact information, and a description of the document(s) sought. Requests can be submitted by mail to:

星空无限传媒app FOIA Officer
Legal Counsel
208 Sherman Hall
1 University Circle
Macomb, IL 61455-1390

贰尘补颈濒:听wiufoia@wiu.edu听
Phone: (309) 298-3070听

Requests may also be submitted in person at 208 Sherman Hall.

Are there charges associated with a FOIA request?

Per the :

Sec. 6. Authority to charge fees.

听 听 (a) When a person requests a copy of a record maintained in an electronic format, the public body shall furnish it in the electronic format specified by the requester, if feasible. If it is not feasible to furnish the public records in the specified electronic format, then the public body shall furnish it in the format in which it is maintained by the public body, or in paper format at the option of the requester. A public body may charge the requester for the actual cost of purchasing the recording medium, whether disc, diskette, tape, or other medium. If a request is not a request for a commercial purpose or a voluminous request, a public body may not charge the requester for the costs of any search for and review of the records or other personnel costs associated with reproducing the records. Except to the extent that the General Assembly expressly provides, statutory fees applicable to copies of public records when furnished in a paper format shall not be applicable to those records when furnished in an electronic format.
听 听 (a-5) If a voluminous request is for electronic records and those records are not in a portable document format (PDF), the public body may charge up to $20 for not more than 2 megabytes of data, up to $40 for more than 2 but not more than 4 megabytes of data, and up to $100 for more than 4 megabytes of data. If a voluminous request is for electronic records and those records are in a portable document format, the public body may charge up to $20 for not more than 80 megabytes of data, up to $40 for more than 80 megabytes but not more than 160 megabytes of data, and up to $100 for more than 160 megabytes of data. If the responsive electronic records are in both a portable document format and not in a portable document format, the public body may separate the fees and charge the requester under both fee scales.
听 听 If a public body imposes a fee pursuant to this subsection (a-5), it must provide the requester with an accounting of all fees, costs, and personnel hours in connection with the request for public records.
听 听 (b) Except when a fee is otherwise fixed by statute, each public body may charge fees reasonably calculated to reimburse its actual cost for reproducing and certifying public records and for the use, by any person, of the equipment of the public body to copy records. No fees shall be charged for the first 50 pages of black and white, letter or legal sized copies requested by a requester. The fee for black and white, letter or legal sized copies shall not exceed 15 cents per page. If a public body provides copies in color or in a size other than letter or legal, the public body may not charge more than its actual cost for reproducing the records. In calculating its actual cost for reproducing records or for the use of the equipment of the public body to reproduce records, a public body shall not include the costs of any search for and review of the records or other personnel costs associated with reproducing the records, except for commercial requests as provided in subsection (f) of this Section. Such fees shall be imposed according to a standard scale of fees, established and made public by the body imposing them. The cost for certifying a record shall not exceed $1.
听 听 (c) Documents shall be furnished without charge or at a reduced charge, as determined by the public body, if the person requesting the documents states the specific purpose for the request and indicates that a waiver or reduction of the fee is in the public interest. Waiver or reduction of the fee is in the public interest if the principal purpose of the request is to access and disseminate information regarding the health, safety and welfare or the legal rights of the general public and is not for the principal purpose of personal or commercial benefit. For purposes of this subsection, "commercial benefit" shall not apply to requests made by news media when the principal purpose of the request is to access and disseminate information regarding the health, safety, and welfare or the legal rights of the general public. In setting the amount of the waiver or reduction, the public body may take into consideration the amount of materials requested and the cost of copying them.
听 听 (d) The imposition of a fee not consistent with subsections (6)(a) and (b) of this Act constitutes a denial of access to public records for the purposes of judicial review.
听 听 (e) The fee for each abstract of a driver's record shall be as provided in Section 6-118 of "The Illinois Vehicle Code", approved September 29, 1969, as amended, whether furnished as a paper copy or as an electronic copy.
听 听 (f) A public body may charge up to $10 for each hour spent by personnel in searching for and retrieving a requested record or examining the record for necessary redactions. No fees shall be charged for the first 8 hours spent by personnel in searching for or retrieving a requested record. A public body may charge the actual cost of retrieving and transporting public records from an off-site storage facility when the public records are maintained by a third-party storage company under contract with the public body. If a public body imposes a fee pursuant to this subsection (f), it must provide the requester with an accounting of all fees, costs, and personnel hours in connection with the request for public records. The provisions of this subsection (f) apply only to commercial requests.
(Source: P.A. 97-579, eff. 8-26-11; 98-1129, eff. 12-3-14.)

Who has the right to inspect public records?

The Freedom of Information Act requires public bodies to make public records available "to any person."

What types of records are exempt from public inspection?

Public records that are exempt from inspection and copying include: information specifically prohibited from disclosure by federal and state law; files and personal information about students; personnel files and personal information about employees; test questions, scoring keys, and other academic examination data; information received by a college or university related to the evaluation of faculty members by their academic peers; course materials or research materials used by faculty members; and much more.

  • Private information 鈥� 鈥淧rivate information鈥� is exempt from disclosure under FOIA. FOIA defines 鈥減rivate information鈥� as 鈥渦nique identifiers, including a person鈥檚 social security number, driver鈥檚 license number, employee identification number, biometric identifiers, personal financial information, passwords or other access codes, medical records, home or personal telephone numbers, and personal e-mail addresses.鈥� Under FOIA, 鈥減rivate information also includes home addresses and personal license plate numbers, except as otherwise provided by law or when compiled without possibility of attribution to any person.鈥�
  • Personal information that, if disclosed, would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, unless the disclosure is consented to in writing by the person who is the subject of the information. Under FOIA, the 鈥渦nwarranted invasion of personal privacy鈥� means the 鈥渄isclosure of information that is highly personal or objectionable to a reasonable person and in which the subject鈥檚 right to privacy outweighs any legitimate public interest in obtaining the information.鈥� Disclosing information that relates to the public duties of public employees is not considered an invasion of personal privacy.
  • Law enforcement records that, if disclosed, would interfere with a pending or reasonably contemplated proceeding or that would disclose the identity of a confidential source.
  • Information that, if disclosed, might endanger anyone鈥檚 life or physical safety.
  • Preliminary drafts or notes in which opinions are expressed or policies are formulated, unless the record is publicly cited and identified by the head of the public body.
  • Business trade secrets or commercial or financial information that is proprietary, privileged or confidential and disclosure would cause competitive harm to the person or business.
  • Proposals and bids for any contract, until a final selection is made.
  • Requests that are 鈥渦nduly burdensome.鈥�

Can denials be appealed?

Appeals of a decision to redact information from, or deny access to, public records should be submitted to:

Public Access Counselor听
Office of the Attorney General听
500 South 2nd Street听
Springfield, IL 62706

Fax: (217) 782-1396
贰尘补颈濒:听publicaccess@atg.state.il.us