Gainesville Sun: University of Florida Found to Have Violated Open Records Law

January 14th, 2011 01:35pm
UF ordered to release student government records

by Nathan Crabbe

An Alachua County circuit court has ordered the University of Florida to release student government meeting records.

UF graduate Frank Bracco had sued the university for failing to make make records of Student Senate meetings public. He claimed UF was violating the state’s public records law, while the university argued that it was barred from releasing the records under federal student privacy law.

Acting 8th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Victor Hulslander ruled this week in favor of Bracco’s argument. Bracco said he hopes the ruling clears up confusion on the issue.

The university’s argument would have allowed it to keep records private of any committee that includes a student and even the Board of Trustees, he said.

“It’s a slippery slope argument,” he said.

UF spokeswoman Janine Sikes said the university supports transparency in Student Senate meetings, and is reviewing the decision along with its obligations under federal privacy law.