$1600 for the names of who is on the UOPD’s oversight committee? More than 2 weeks delay for hiring documents on the new VP for Communications Kyle Henley?
One of President Schill’s first acts was to shift reporting of UO’s public records office from Dave Hubin to Greg Stripp, when Stripp was promoted from Jamie Moffitt’s office to the President’s Chief of Staff. Moffitt’s office has been a sinkhole of trust and transparency for many years:
In July the faculty union filed an unfair labor practice against Moffitt’s office, over excessive fees and long delays – as in 6 months – for basic UO financial information. UO’s transparency problem has not improved under Stripp. New UO VPGC Kevin Reed will take charge when he arrives.
The full log of public records requests is here. Two recent requests:
On Wednesday Aug 5, 2015, at 4:28 PM, Thornton, Lisa <[email protected]> wrote:
08/05/2015
Dear Mr. Harbaugh:
The University of Oregon has received your public records request for “copies of any ‘minutes, agendas, reports, and correspondence’ involving ‘boards and councils that function in an advisory capacity, standing and ad hoc committees and councils’ that primarily involve the UOPD. This request covers the period from 1/1/2011 to the present” on 06/24/2015, attached. The office has at least some documents responsive to your request. By this email, the office is providing you with an estimate to respond to your requests.
The office estimates the actual cost of responding to your request to be $1,660.68. Upon receipt of a check made payable to the University of Oregon for that amount, the office will proceed to locate, copy, and provide the records you have requested that are not exempt from disclosure. Your check may be sent to the attention of Office of Public Records, 6207 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-6207.
I note you requested a waiver based on an assertion that release of these documents is in the public interest. The office has performed the three-part analysis of your request, has determined that your request does not meet the public interest test, and has exercised its discretion to deny your request for a fee waiver. Upon receipt of payment outlined above, the office will begin to prepare your requested documents.
No public interest in police oversight? Sure. I followed up on this with an email to PR Officer Lisa Thornton asking how much it would cost for just the names. She never answered.
Hiring documents for new VP for Communications – more than 2 weeks, no response:
On Wednesday Aug 12, 2015, at 10:53 AM
Dear Ms Thornton:
This is a public records request for the following documents relevant to the recent hire of a new VP for Communications
1) Job announcement
2) resumes and cover letters for finalists
3) Search committee members
I ask for a fee waiver on the basis of public interest. I’m ccing Greg Stripp as he should have these document easily at hand.
Mike Gottfredson, Mike Schill, Dave Hubin, Greg Stripp, and Lisa Thornton are just following Chuck Lillis’s orders on public records.
On the board he’s been dancing on the edge of public meetings law since the beginning, one phone call at a time.
We’ve seen some positive steps so far under the Schill administration.
But, to date, on public records and transparency, it seems that we are still seeing more of the shameful practices of the past.