How Virginia shields university presidents from public oversight

Presidents granted broad exemption under state’s Freedom of Information Act

The state of Virginia offers public university presidents broad protection from public oversight, granting them extensive exemptions under the state’s Freedom of Information Act. Legislative attempts to remove this exemption have failed.

The Virginia Freedom of Information Act “ensures the people of the Commonwealth ready access to public records in the custody of a public body or its officers and employees,” according to the text of the law. But the legislature has also ensured that citizens of Virginia are unable to access the public records of hundreds of state employees, including the heads of public universities. (Read more here…)