Bernice Sandler, FBI file
| Tracking # |
RD 60628 1426650-000 |
| Submitted | Jan. 11, 2019 |
| Est. Completion | None |
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Communications
From: Parker Higgins, FOIA The Dead
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
A copy of all documents or FBI files pertaining to Bernice Sandler, an obituary of whom was published in The New York Times on January 8, 2019 under the headline "Bernice Sandler, ‘Godmother of Title IX,’ Dies at 90". Please see attached PDF copy of that obituary, which may also be found at https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/08/obituaries/bernice-sandler-dead.html.
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 20 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Parker Higgins, FOIA The Dead
File number 161-HQ-10706
From: Federal Bureau of Investigation
There are eFOIA files available for you to download.
From: National Archives And Records Administration – Archival Or Special Access
Dear Parker Higgins,
I am writing in response to your Freedom of Information Act request of
February 26, 2019 for records in the custody of the National Archives and
Records Administration. Your request was received in this office on March
5, 2019 and assigned FOIA case number *RD 60628*.
You requested access to case file number 161-HQ-10706, identified by the
FBI as potentially responsive to your request for records relating to
Bernice Sandler. My initial assessment confirms that Bernice Sandler is in
fact the subject of this file. The file has an estimated 175 pages,
compiled as part of an internal security investigation conducted between
November 1974 and November 1978.
This file requires screening for categories of information exempted from
disclosure under the terms of the FOIA, prior to public release. In
particular, there are documents that may be redacted to protect the privacy
of living individuals and to protect identities of confidential sources,
including FBI informant codes and informant file numbers.
Requests for FBI case files that do not exceed 500 pages are assigned to
our first-tier processing queue. Taking into consideration our existing
backlog, the estimated time required to complete the processing of your
request is approximately 24 months from the date of this letter.
We searched the available index, but were not able to locate any additional
files related to Bernice Sandler in the custody of the National Archives.
To notify this office of a change in your contact information or to track
the status of your request, please telephone 301-837-3190 <(301)%20837-3190> or
e-mail specialaccess_foia@nara.gov. If you have specific questions
regarding the subject of your request, please contact me directly at
megan.dwyre@nara.gov. All communications concerning this request should
reference your case tracking number *RD 60628*.
If you are not satisfied with my action on this request, you have the right
to file an administrative appeal within ninety (90) calendar days from the
date of this letter. Appeals must be in writing and may be delivered by
regular U.S. mail or by e-mail. By filing an appeal, you preserve your
rights under the Freedom of Information Act and present the deciding agency
with an opportunity to review your request and reconsider its decision. If
you submit your appeal by regular mail, it should be addressed to the
Deputy Archivist of the United States (ND), National Archives and Records
Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, Room 4200, College Park, Maryland
20740-6001. Both the letter and envelope should be clearly marked “FOIA
Appeal.” If you submit your appeal by e-mail, please send it to
foia@nara.gov, addressed to the Deputy Archivist, with the words “FOIA
Appeal” in the subject line. If you exercise your right to appeal, please
explain why you believe this response does not meet the requirements of the
Freedom of Information Act. All communications concerning this request
should reference FOIA tracking number *RD 60628*.
If you would like the opportunity to discuss my response and attempt to
resolve your dispute without initiating the appeals process, you may
contact our FOIA Public Liaison for assistance:
Accessioned Executive Branch Records – Washington, DC Area
FOIA Requester Service Center: 301-837-3190 <(301)%20837-3190>
Acting FOIA Public Liaison: Britney Crawford
8601 Adelphi Road, Room 5500
College Park, MD 20740-6001
Telephone: <(301)%20837-3270>301-837-3190 <(301)%20837-3190>
E-mail: dc.foia.liaison@nara.gov
If you are unable to resolve your dispute through our Public Liaison, the
Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) is the federal FOIA
ombudsman. OGIS offers mediation services to help resolve disputes between
FOIA requesters and federal agencies. You may contact OGIS at the following
address:
Office of Government Information Services (OGIS)
National Archives and Records Administration
8601 Adelphi Road, Room 2510
College Park, MD 20740-6001
ogis@nara.gov
202-741-5770 <(202)%20741-5770>
1-877-684-6448 <(877)%20684-6448>
Sincerely,
Megan Dwyre
Special Access and FOIA Staff
National Archives at College Park, MD
https://www.archives.gov/research/foia
From: National Archives And Records Administration – Archival Or Special Access
Dear Parker Higgins:
I am writing in further response to your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
request RD 60628 for records in the custody of the National Archives and
Records Administration.
You requested access to FBI file number 161-HQ-10706 on Bernice Sandler.
I completed a line-by-line review of the records you requested. Please be
advised, I have considered the foreseeable harm standard when reviewing
records and applying FOIA exemptions for this request. Information was
released to the greatest extent possible. Below is a summary of my review:
Records Requested
Total Pages
Pages Released in Full
Pages Released in Part
Pages Withheld in Full
161-HQ-10706
167
163
4
0
I withheld information protected under section (b) of the FOIA (5 U.S.C.
552). The specific reasons for the denials are:
TYPE OF INFORMATION WITHHELD
FOIA EXEMPTION
personal privacy of living individuals
(b)(6)
personal privacy of living individuals in law enforcement records
(b)(7)(C)
You or your designated representative may view the records at the National
Archives at College Park, Maryland. Please email specialaccess_foia@nara.gov
with your FOIA tracking number (RD 60628) to schedule an appointment. We
require at least one week advance notice to prepare for your visit. Research
visits are by appointment only and can be scheduled no more than three
months in advance as we are closely monitoring local public health metrics
due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you cannot visit our College Park facility, you may order a reproduction
copy of the records at the cost of 80 cents per page. To place a
reproduction order, please contact our office at specialaccess_foia@nara.gov or
301-837-3190. A mailing/billing address is required to generate a price
quote, so please include that information with your reproduction request.
Please monitor our web page https://www.archives.gov/college-park for
details and updates, as the situation can change quickly. Thank you for
your patience and understanding during this time.
If you are not satisfied with my action on this request, you have the right
to file an administrative appeal within ninety (90) calendar days from the
date of this letter. Appeals must be in writing and may be delivered by
regular U.S. mail or by email. By filing an appeal, you preserve your
rights under the Freedom of Information Act and present the deciding agency
with an opportunity to review your request and reconsider its decision. If
you submit your appeal by regular mail, it should be addressed to the
Deputy Archivist of the United States (ND), National Archives and Records
Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, Room 4200, College Park, Maryland
20740-6001. Both the letter and envelope should be clearly marked “FOIA
Appeal.” If you submit your appeal by email, please send it to foia@nara.gov,
addressed to the Deputy Archivist, with the words “FOIA Appeal” in the
subject line. If you exercise your right to appeal, please explain why you
believe this response does not meet the requirements of the Freedom of
Information Act. All communications concerning this request should
reference your FOIA tracking number.
If you would like the opportunity to discuss my response and attempt to
resolve your dispute without initiating the appeals process, you may
contact our FOIA Public Liaison for assistance:
Accessioned Executive Branch Records – Washington, DC Area
FOIA Requester Service Center: 301-837-3190
FOIA Public Liaison: Rebecca Calcagno
8601 Adelphi Road, Room 5500
College Park, MD 20740-6001
301-837-3190
You may also contact the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS),
the Federal FOIA Ombudsman’s office, for assistance. OGIS offers mediation
services to help resolve disputes between FOIA requesters and Federal
agencies. The contact information for OGIS is:
Office of Government Information Services
National Archives and Records Administration
8601 Adelphi Road–OGIS
College Park, MD 20740-6001
Email: ogis@nara.gov
Phone: 202-741-5770 or 1-877-684-6448
This concludes the processing of your request. If you have questions
concerning my review, please contact me directly.
Sincerely,
Laurel Macondray (she/her/hers)
Archivist
Special Access and FOIA Program (RF)
National Archives and Records Administration
8601 Adelphi Road, Room 5500
College Park, MD 20740-6001
(301) 837-2997
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