A. Purpose

The California Public Records Act declares that access to information concerning the conduct of the people's business is a fundamental and necessary right of every person in this State, that public records are open to inspection at all times during regular office hours, and are subject to inspection and copying by every person except as provided in the Act.

B. Access to Public Records

1. Review of Information

   Prior to release of public information, the material must be reviewed carefully to make certain it does not contain any information about a particular individual that could be defined as "personal information" under the State of California Information Practices Act of 1977 (IPA).

   The Information Practices Coordinator at (949) 824-9639 should be consulted when determining whether or not material should be released.

2. Disclosure of Portions of Records

   Any reasonably segregable portion of a record shall be provided to any person requesting such record after deletion of the portions which are exempt by law.

3. Disclosure of Exempt Records to a Federal Agency
   1. Before the disclosure of an otherwise exempt University record is made to a federal agency, the federal agency shall agree in writing to comply with the provisions of the California Public Records Act.
   2. This section does not apply to disclosures made pursuant to the Information Practices Act of 1977 (see Section 720-11), or other legal means, including discovery proceedings.

C. Requests for Records

1. A request for a record should be in writing and specific enough to identify the record.
2. If a record does not exist, the University is not required to create such a record.
3. Records maintained by the University are property of The Regents of the University of California (i.e., not of the employee or office who creates or holds the record). University employees may not use University records for purposes other than those that are relevant and necessary to the performance of their official duties. This includes records generated by the employees in their capacity as an employee or agent of the University. Pursuant to this policy, any other use of such records must be requested by employees acting in their capacity as a member of the public.

D. Public Records Act Requests

1. Public records act requests should be directed immediately to the Public Records Office by phone (949) 824-9639, fax (949) 725-2862, or e-mail: pra@uci.edu.

2. The California Public Records Act provides that a fee may be charged to cover the direct costs incurred in making copies of records or information requested. A fee of ten cents per page may be charged for photocopies.

3. The denial of any request for records shall set forth the names and titles or positions of individuals responsible for the denial.

4. If a public records request is received from a member of the media, the Public Records Office may coordinate a response with Strategic Communications.