Palantir documents, University of California (University of California, Santa Cruz)
| Multi Request | Palantir documents, University of California |
| Submitted | March 14, 2019 |
| Est. Completion | None |
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Communications
From: Caroline Haskins
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the California Public Records Act, I hereby request the following records:
Media reports state that the police departments around the country have made use of Palantir's software (https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2018-palantir-peter-thiel/). Therefore, I am requesting the following records related to the above program:
* Any software and algorithms developed for the implementation of the program. I'm particularly interested in any algorithms that have a public policy outcome, such as providing guidance on a policy or an assessment of an individual. More generally, I would like any software that was developed by or with, given to, used by, purchased or licensed to this agency for implementation of the above referenced program. This would include original source code, any compiled binaries (also known as executables), spreadsheets, program scripts, and other digital materials used to calculate any data in the above program. It would also include the input training data for machine learning algorithms. Collectively, these responsive materials will be referred to as "the software" in the following paragraphs.
* All instructional materials, presentations and presentation materials (including recorded video and audio, PowerPoint files, prepared remarks, and slides formats), and other guidance on the use of "the software." This includes any notes taking during meetings that discussed the use of the software, any explanations (whether internally or externally generated) of how the software works, and any other document that has been used to help explain the use of "the software" to any party, including internal documentation, public relations materials, and executive summaries. This also includes any description of input and output data fields that will aid in understanding the type of information that is submitted to the software, and that is produced by the software.
* A copy of any privacy impact assessments, use policies, standard operating procedures, data retention policies, legal opinions, warranties, non-disclosure agreements, contracts, liability waivers, insurance agreements, Requests for Proposals, Responses to Requests for Proposal, Memorandums of Understanding, Letters of Interest, usage policies, or informal agreements that reference "the software" or otherwise guide it use or the relationship between this agency and the provider or developer of the software.
* A copy of any funding opportunity announcements, grant applications and grantor status/progress reports, reports to legislative bodies, annual reports that mention the use of the Software, as well as audit records, including but not limited to security audits of the software, misuse reports, and reports to oversight bodies.
* A copy of any validation studies conducted with respect to the program or with respect to any software or algorithms used in connection with the program, and a copy of any records pertaining to inquiries for the need of validation studies, or discussion of potential or actual validation studies. By “validation study,” I mean any study designed to assess how accurate the program is in predicting what it is supposed to predict, or to assess whether the program may err in the direction of either under- or overestimating likelihoods or predicted outcomes, or may produce any results that are biased or unexpected in any way.
* For the aspects of the software that require an input, for example, to compute a value, we request a copy of the five most recent sets of data that were used for input, as well as the five most recent outputs of the software, in whatever their native format is. If these inputs or outputs include exempt information, we ask that you exempt only that information which is specifically exempted from law, and provide the other material.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes. It will be used in the course of reporting for Motherboard, VICE’s science and technology website (www.motherboard.vice.com).
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 calendar days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Caroline Haskins
From: University of California, Santa Cruz
March 15, 2019
Dear Caroline Haskins:
Thank you for your message. I write to confirm University of California,
Santa Cruz (UCSC) received your email today. Your correspondence was
forwarded to Information Practices, primarily responsible for responding to
California Public Records Act (CPRA) requests on behalf of the UCSC campus.
Our office will send you a formal request acknowledgement within the
timelines prescribed under the California Public Records Act (CPRA),
including a determination whether disclosable public records are within
UCSC’s possession.
We appreciate your interest in UCSC. If you have questions concerning
UCSC’s implementation of the CPRA please contact Information Practices at
(831) 459-4003 or pra@ucsc.edu.
Sincerely,
Denise Dolezal
Information Practices Director
[snip]
---------- Forwarded message ---------
*From:* requests@muckrock.com <
requests@muckrock.com>
*Sent:* Friday, March 15, 2019 12:43 PM
*To:* gherbran@ucsc.edu
*Subject:* California Public Records Act Request: Palantir documents,
University of California (University of California, Santa Cruz)
University of California, Santa Cruz
PRA Office
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
March 15, 2019
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the California Public Records Act, I hereby request the
following records:
Media reports state that the police departments around the country have
made use of Palantir's software (
https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2018-palantir-peter-thiel/). Therefore,
I am requesting the following records related to the above program:
* Any software and algorithms developed for the implementation of the
program. I'm particularly interested in any algorithms that have a public
policy outcome, such as providing guidance on a policy or an assessment of
an individual. More generally, I would like any software that was developed
by or with, given to, used by, purchased or licensed to this agency for
implementation of the above referenced program. This would include original
source code, any compiled binaries (also known as executables),
spreadsheets, program scripts, and other digital materials used to
calculate any data in the above program. It would also include the input
training data for machine learning algorithms. Collectively, these
responsive materials will be referred to as "the software" in the following
paragraphs.
* All instructional materials, presentations and presentation materials
(including recorded video and audio, PowerPoint files, prepared remarks,
and slides formats), and other guidance on the use of "the software." This
includes any notes taking during meetings that discussed the use of the
software, any explanations (whether internally or externally generated) of
how the software works, and any other document that has been used to help
explain the use of "the software" to any party, including internal
documentation, public relations materials, and executive summaries. This
also includes any description of input and output data fields that will aid
in understanding the type of information that is submitted to the software,
and that is produced by the software.
* A copy of any privacy impact assessments, use policies, standard
operating procedures, data retention policies, legal opinions, warranties,
non-disclosure agreements, contracts, liability waivers, insurance
agreements, Requests for Proposals, Responses to Requests for Proposal,
Memorandums of Understanding, Letters of Interest, usage policies, or
informal agreements that reference "the software" or otherwise guide it use
or the relationship between this agency and the provider or developer of
the software.
* A copy of any funding opportunity announcements, grant applications and
grantor status/progress reports, reports to legislative bodies, annual
reports that mention the use of the Software, as well as audit records,
including but not limited to security audits of the software, misuse
reports, and reports to oversight bodies.
* A copy of any validation studies conducted with respect to the program or
with respect to any software or algorithms used in connection with the
program, and a copy of any records pertaining to inquiries for the need of
validation studies, or discussion of potential or actual validation
studies. By “validation study,” I mean any study designed to assess how
accurate the program is in predicting what it is supposed to predict, or to
assess whether the program may err in the direction of either under- or
overestimating likelihoods or predicted outcomes, or may produce any
results that are biased or unexpected in any way.
* For the aspects of the software that require an input, for example, to
compute a value, we request a copy of the five most recent sets of data
that were used for input, as well as the five most recent outputs of the
software, in whatever their native format is. If these inputs or outputs
include exempt information, we ask that you exempt only that information
which is specifically exempted from law, and provide the other material.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and
this request is not being made for commercial purposes. It will be used in
the course of reporting for Motherboard, VICE’s science and technology
website (www.motherboard.vice.com).
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and
this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform
me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer
the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or
CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I
look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 calendar
days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Caroline Haskins
Filed via MuckRock.com
E-mail (Preferred): requests@muckrock.com
Upload documents directly:
https://www.muckrock.com/accounts/agency_login/university-california-santa-cruz-487/palantir-documents-university-of-california-university-of-california-santa-cruz-70551/?uuid-login=800e136a-6696-4b91-9a73-f87dd4c14518&email=gherbran%40ucsc.edu#agency-reply
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For mailed responses, please address (see note):
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Somerville, MA 02144-2516
PLEASE NOTE: This request is not filed by a MuckRock staff member, but is
being sent through MuckRock by the above in order to better track, share,
and manage public records requests. Also note that improperly addressed
(i.e., with the requester's name rather than "MuckRock News" and the
department number) requests might be returned as undeliverable.
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Information Practices
Office of Campus Counsel
University of California, Santa Cruz
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
Voice: (831)459-4003
Fax: (831)459-2760
Email: pra@ucsc.edu
Web: www.ucsc.edu
http://infopractices.ucsc.edu
Mailstop: Chancellor's Office
From: Caroline Haskins
Thank you! I look forward to hearing back.
Best,
Caroline
From: University of California, Santa Cruz
VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL
March 22, 2019
Caroline Haskins
Motherboard VICE
Re: Request for Information under the California Public Records Act
Dear Caroline Haskins:
I write to acknowledge receipt of your California Public Records Act (CPRA)
request received in our office on March 15, 2019. Your correspondence was
forwarded to Information Practices primarily responsible for responding to
California Public Records Act (CPRA) requests on behalf of the UCSC campus.
After a reasonable search, University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) has
determined that no records exist responding to your request for:
"Media reports state that the police departments around the country have
made use of Palantir's software (
https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2018-palantir-peter-thiel/). Therefore,
I am requesting the following records related to the above program:
[1] Any software and algorithms developed for the implementation of the
program. I'm particularly interested in any algorithms that have a public
policy outcome, such as providing guidance on a policy or an assessment of
an individual. More generally, I would like any software that was developed
by or with, given to, used by, purchased or licensed to this agency for
implementation of the above referenced program. This would include original
source code, any compiled binaries (also known as executables),
spreadsheets, program scripts, and other digital materials used to
calculate any data in the above program. It would also include the input
training data for machine learning algorithms. Collectively, these
responsive materials will be referred to as "the software" in the following
paragraphs.
[2] All instructional materials, presentations and presentation materials
(including recorded video and audio, PowerPoint files, prepared remarks,
and slides formats), and other guidance on the use of "the software." This
includes any notes taking during meetings that discussed the use of the
software, any explanations (whether internally or externally generated) of
how the software works, and any other document that has been used to help
explain the use of "the software" to any party, including internal
documentation, public relations materials, and executive summaries. This
also includes any description of input and output data fields that will aid
in understanding the type of information that is submitted to the software,
and that is produced by the software.
[3] A copy of any privacy impact assessments, use policies, standard
operating procedures, data retention policies, legal opinions, warranties,
non-disclosure agreements, contracts, liability waivers, insurance
agreements, Requests for Proposals, Responses to Requests for Proposal,
Memorandums of Understanding, Letters of Interest, usage policies, or
informal agreements that reference "the software" or otherwise guide it use
or the relationship between this agency and the provider or developer of
the software.
[4] A copy of any funding opportunity announcements, grant applications and
grantor status/progress reports, reports to legislative bodies, annual
reports that mention the use of the Software, as well as audit records,
including but not limited to security audits of the software, misuse
reports, and reports to oversight bodies.
[5] A copy of any validation studies conducted with respect to the program
or with respect to any software or algorithms used in connection with the
program, and a copy of any records pertaining to inquiries for the need of
validation studies, or discussion of potential or actual validation
studies. By “validation study,” I mean any study designed to assess how
accurate the program is in predicting what it is supposed to predict, or to
assess whether the program may err in the direction of either under- or
overestimating likelihoods or predicted outcomes, or may produce any
results that are biased or unexpected in any way.
[6] For the aspects of the software that require an input, for example, to
compute a value, we request a copy of the five most recent sets of data
that were used for input, as well as the five most recent outputs of the
software, in whatever their native format is. If these inputs or outputs
include exempt information, we ask that you exempt only that information
which is specifically exempted from law, and provide the other material."
Thus, UCSC now considers this request fulfilled and will close the file.
If you have questions concerning UCSC’s implementation of the CPRA please
feel free to contact Information Practices at (831) 459-4003 or pra@ucsc.edu.
Sincerely,
April Exner Nycum
Information Practices Analyst
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Information Practices
Office of Campus Counsel
University of California, Santa Cruz
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
Voice: (831) 459-4003
Fax: 831-459-2760
Email: pra@ucsc.edu
Web: www.ucsc.edu
http://infopractices.ucsc.edu <http://inforpractices.ucsc.edu>
Mailstop: Chancellor's Office
Files
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