University of Oregon Public Records Procedure

Public record requests may be sent to Douglas Park, Assistant General Counsel.

The address to which public record requests may be sent is: Office of the General Counsel, 1226 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-1226; or electronically to gcounsel@jwj.uoregon.edu.

Public record requests should be in writing. Public record requests may be made by email but if received by email, the request is deemed received when read by the recipient. Public record requests made by email should include the term “public record request” in the subject line.

Public record requests seeking copies of documents must contain a mailing address for delivery of responses. Requests for electronic copies of documents must contain an electronic address for delivery of responses.

The University charges a copy fee of 25 cents per page. The University also charges for the actual cost of making public records available. The charge includes, but is not limited to, staff costs for locating, gathering, summarizing, compiling, reviewing, tailoring or redacting the public records to respond to a request. The charge may also include the cost of time spent by an attorney in reviewing the public records, redacting material from the public records, or segregating the public records into exempt and nonexempt records. The fee does not include the cost of time spent by an attorney in determining the application of the provisions of ORS 192.410 to 192.505. If the request is to inspect records, the charge includes the time for records to be prepared for review and the cost of staff time for a staff member to be present while the requester reviews the records to preserve the integrity of the University’s records. If the request is to certify the records as true copies, the charge will include employee time spent in doing so. The charge will also include the cost of sending the records where copies are requested.

The cost of time for each employee is calculated by multiplying the employee's hourly wage calculation (including benefits expenses) by the hours or portions thereof necessary to locate, gather, summarize, compile, tailor, review, redact, segregate, certify or attend the inspection of the public records requested.

If a person makes a written request to inspect a public record or to receive a copy of a public record, the University will respond as soon as practicable and without unreasonable delay. The University may request additional information or clarification from the requester for the purpose of expediting its response to the request. The response of the University will acknowledge receipt of the request and will include one of the following:

(a) A statement that the University does not possess, or is not the custodian of, the public record; or

(b) Copies of all requested public records for which the University does not claim an exemption from disclosure under ORS 192.410 to 192.505; or

(c) A statement that the University is the custodian of at least some of the requested public records, an estimate of the time the University requires before the public records may be inspected or copies of the records will be provided and an estimate of the fees that the requester must pay as a condition of receiving the public records; or

(d) A statement that the University is the custodian of at least some of the requested public records and that an estimate of the time and fees for disclosure of the public records will be provided by the University within a reasonable time; or

(e) A statement that the University is uncertain whether it possesses the public record and that the University will search for the record and make an appropriate response as soon as practicable; or

(f) A statement that state or federal law prohibits the University from acknowledging whether the record exists or that acknowledging whether the record exists would result in the loss of federal benefits or other sanction. A statement under this paragraph must include a citation to the state or federal law relied upon by the University.

This procedure supersedes any other University of Oregon policy or procedure that is in conflict with this procedure.