Public Universities records requests (University of Illinois at Chicago)

November 13, 2023

Via electronic mail

Caroline Haskins

Insider

chaskins@insider.com<mailto:chaskins@insider.com>

requests@muckrock.com<mailto:requests@muckrock.com>

<mailto:requests@muckrock.com>

Re: FOIA Request 23-1416

Dear Caroline Haskins:

I am responding to your request dated and received in my office on November 6, 2023, under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in which you requested from the University of Illinois Chicago:

“1) From October 8, 2023 to October 11, 2023: Any emails, including any attachments to said emails, to or from the following individuals...
a. The university Dean(s)
b. The university President
c. The university Chancellor(s)
d. The university Provost(s)
e. The director of university Communications
f. The director of university Alumni Affairs
...that mention any of the following terms:
—“Israel"
—“Gaza"
—“Hamas
—“Palestine"
—“Palestinian"
—"Students for Justice in Palestine"
—“SJP"
—“Chabad
—"Hillel”.”

I am writing to invoke an extension of the deadline for responding to the request under the following section(s) of the FOIA, which allows for additional time when:

* 140/3(e)(ii) the request requires the collection of a substantial number of specified records;

* 140/3(e)(vi) the request for records cannot be complied with by the public body within the time limits prescribed by paragraph (c) of this Section without unduly burdening or interfering with the operations of the public body;

* 140/3(e)(vii) there is a need for consultation, which shall be conducted with all practicable speed, with another public body or among 2 or more components of a public body having a substantial interest in the determination or in the subject matter of the request.

I am taking the additional five days allowed by law to review information. The revised deadline will now be November 20, 2023.

Sincerely,

Kirsten Ruby
Director, External Relations and Communications
and Chief Records Officer

November 20, 2023

Via electronic mail

Caroline Haskins

Insider

chaskins@insider.com<mailto:chaskins@insider.com>

requests@muckrock.com<mailto:requests@muckrock.com>

Re: FOIA Request 23-1416

Dear Caroline Haskins:

I am responding to your request dated and received in my office on November 6, 2023, under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in which you requested from the University of Illinois Chicago:

“1) From October 8, 2023 to October 11, 2023: Any emails, including any attachments to said emails, to or from the following individuals...
a. The university Dean(s)
b. The university President
c. The university Chancellor(s)
d. The university Provost(s)
e. The director of university Communications
f. The director of university Alumni Affairs
...that mention any of the following terms:
—“Israel"
—“Gaza"
—“Hamas
—“Palestine"
—“Palestinian"
—"Students for Justice in Palestine"
—“SJP"
—“Chabad

—"Hillel”.”

Information responsive to your request is available and attached. These are public records numbering 82 pages. Portions of these records have been redacted or withheld pursuant to the following section(s) of the Act:

* 140/7(1)(b) that exempts from disclosure “Private information, unless disclosure is required by another provision of this Act, a State or federal law or a court order.” This includes personal addresses, personal email addresses, cell phone numbers, and University Identification Numbers (UINs).

* 140/7(1)(c) that exempts from disclosure “Personal information contained within public records, the disclosure of which, if disclosed, would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, unless the disclosure is consented to in writing by the individual subjects of the information.” This includes religions of faculty members and names and identifiers of students.

* 140/7(1)(f) that exempts from disclosure “Preliminary drafts, notes, recommendations, memoranda and other records in which opinions are expressed, or policies or actions are formulated, except that a specific record or relevant portion of a record shall not be exempt when the record is publicly cited and identified by the head of the public body.” This includes preliminary drafts and pre-decisional communications including deliberative opinions and recommendations.

* 140/7(1)(o) that exempts from disclosure “Administrative or technical information associated with automated data processing operations, including, but not limited to, software, operating protocols, computer program abstracts, file layouts, source listings, object modules, load modules, user guides, documentation pertaining to all logical and physical design of computerized systems, employee manuals, and any other information that, if disclosed, would jeopardize the security of the system or its data or the security of materials exempt under this Section.” This includes IP addresses.

Your request for emails to/from the President of the University of Illinois System is being addressed under FOIA Request #23-1417.

A search was conducted and no responsive records could be located for your request for emails to/from the Executive Director of the UIC Alumni Association.

Your request for records regarding “a. The university Dean(s)” is unduly burdensome to the University (5 ILCS 140/3(g)). Due to the broad and vague language used, there is no reasonable method to process this request. Please note, UIC has 16 colleges within the University, each with its own Dean. Colleges also has Associate Deans and Assistant Deans in varying numbers. All these combine for dozens of individual “Dean(s)” that may fall under the language of your request. As the request stands, UIC would be required to conduct searches for all such Deans to thoroughly search for responsive records. Additionally, many of these records are likely to contain information relating to students, increasing the time required to thoroughly review to protect students’ privacy. Due to workloads affiliated with the primary duties of University staff and limited FOIA personnel and resources, the amount of time that would be required to complete this request would substantially interfere with the normal conduct of public business.

Pursuant to Section 3(g), we would like to extend to you an opportunity to modify your request to make it more manageable. Common modifications include identifying specific individual Dean(s) and/or college(s), reducing the number of search terms, and providing less common search terms.

Any narrowed request may be submitted to foia@uillinois.edu<mailto:foia@uillinois.edu>.

You have a right under the law to seek a review of this response by the Public Access Counselor (PAC) in the Office of the Attorney General. The PAC may be reached by phone at 877.299.3642, by email at public.access@ilag.gov<mailto:public.access@ilag.gov> or by postal mail to Leah Bartelt, Public Access Counselor, Office of the Illinois Attorney General, 500 South 2nd Street, Springfield, Illinois 62701. You also have the right to seek judicial review under section 11 of this Act.

If you have questions for our office, please contact 217-333-6400.

                                              Sincerely,

Kirsten Ruby

Director, External Relations and Communications

and Chief Records Officer