FOIA Email Record Request

Dear Matt,

Please be advised that Youngstown State University no longer publishes a directory of student information. While the University may consider addresses as directory information pursuant to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy (FERPA) Act, disclosure of the information is permissive, not mandatory. Pursuant to Ohio's public records law, a record is public and subject to disclosure when the record serves to document the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, etc., of the public entity and does not meet any of the exceptions. Student addresses do not meet the definition of a public record because student addresses do not serve to document the organization, functions, policies, decisions, etc., of Youngstown State University. In fact the Ohio Supreme Court held that addresses of public employees are not public records using a similar rationale. See Dispatch v. Johnson, 106 Ohio ST. 33d 160 (2005). Therefore, we decline to produce the addresses as requested.

Jeanne Herman
University Registrar
Youngstown State University
jmherman@ysu.edu<mailto:jmherman@ysu.edu>
330-941-2349
[Yandproud]

Youngstown State University no longer publishes a directory of student information. While the University may consider names, addresses, telephone numbers, class year and field of study as directory information pursuant to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy (FERPA) Act, disclosure of the information is permissive, not mandatory. Pursuant to Ohio's public records law, a record is public and subject to disclosure when the record serves to document the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, etc., of the public entity and does not meet any of the exceptions. Student names, addresses, telephone numbers, class year and field of study do not meet the definition of a public record because student names, addresses, telephone numbers, class year and field of study do not serve to document the organization, functions, policies, decisions, etc., of Youngstown State University. In fact the Ohio Supreme Court held that names and addresses of public employees are not public records using a similar rationale. See Dispatch v. Johnson, 106 Ohio ST. 33d 160 (2005). Therefore, we decline to produce the requested records.

Margarita Bailey, Administrative Assistant
Office of the General Counsel
Youngstown State University
One University Plaza, Tod Hall - Room 314
Youngstown, Ohio 44555
mbailey@ysu.edu<mailto:mbailey@ysu.edu>
(330) 941-2340 - (330) 941-2394 (Fax)

[YSU General Counsel main]
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