UT-Austin and UT System institutions are no longer posting past open records requests on their websites.
The UT System’s open records policy required its institutions to display filed open records requests on their websites for years. But after the UT System amended this policy in September, UT-Austin and multiple UT institutions have removed these postings.
The UT System’s policy, UTS139, guides how its universities comply with the Texas Public Information Act, which provides public access to information from state institutions. The UT System added that each UT System institution and administration “must maintain a publicly-accessible (sic) website dedicated to displaying public information requests it has received and responsive information” per UTS139 in May 2015.
UT System spokeswoman Karen Adler said the System’s executive officers and chancellor reviewed this policy and updated UTS139 on Sept. 21, 2017.
“The policy that required institutions to post open records requests online was initially established as a benefit to the public,” Adler said in an email. “The UT System changed the policy because the websites received little traffic from the public but had a very high administrative burden to maintain.” Read more…