Public Records Requests
What is a Public Record?
A record is defined by as:
- any document, device, or item, regardless of physical form or characteristic, including an electronic record
- created or received by or coming under the jurisdiction of the public office
- which serves to document the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, or other activities of the office
Additional guidance on Ohio鈥檚 Sunshine Laws may be found on the Ohio Attorney General's website.
How Do I Request a Public Record?
Pursuant to University policy 5-15.1, all requests for public records should be directed to the Office of General Counsel. There is no specific language or media by which you must make your request, however, it is helpful to our office to have the request in writing.
- Online Record Request System:
- Email: publicrecords@kent.edu
- Physical Address: Office of General Counsel, 国产伦理, Executive Offices, Library, P.O. Box 5190, Kent, OH 44242
- Phone: (330) 672-2982
- Fax: (330) 672-7821
Please make your request as specific as possible to enable our office to identify and gather the records you are seeking.
Requests for information, statements, or comments on behalf of the University are not public record requests, and should be directed to University Communications and Marketing Media Relations.
Police Records: Reports taken by KSU Police Services, background checks, and various statistical reports can be obtained through KSU Police Services' Records Section in person at the Stockdale Safety Building or by phone at 330-672-3070 between the hours of 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Friday, or by email at PD_records1@kent.edu.
Cost of Records
- The charge for paper copies is 10 cents per page.
- There is no charge for documents provided electronically.
- The actual charge for other copy services or devices (flash drive, etc.) will be charged to the requestor.
- Requesters may ask that records be mailed or shipped to them. They will be charged the actual cost of the postage and mailing supplies.
Redactions
Every record is reviewed on a case-by-case basis. However, in general, certain records may be redacted if they contain information not subject to disclosure. If redactions are made in records responsive to your request, you will be notified of the nature and basis of the redactions. Examples of possibly redacted material include (this list is not all-inclusive):
- Attorney-client privileged material, discovery, and other litigation items
- Work protected by copyright
- Trade secrets
- Security and infrastructure records
- SSN, Banner ID, date of birth, home phone and address, family information, income tax returns
- Records protected by doctor-patient confidentiality
- Student records: The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act prevents the University from releasing certain information about and records of students without their permission. See regarding dissemination of information about students for further guidance.
REQUESTING STUDENT RECORDS
- Requests for student transcripts can be made through the Financial, Billing, and Enrollment Center at /fbe-center/transcript-requests
- Requests for other student records can be sent to the Office of General Counsel. Student records are protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 USC 搂1232g (FERPA). A valid FERPA release is required in accordance with the Act. Permission can be granted by the student:
- In person with a photo ID;
- Through the student's Flashline account; or
- Through a signed statement from the student describing the specific records that may be disclosed, the purpose of the disclosure, and identifying the party or class of parties to whom the disclosure may be made. We also require that the student鈥檚 signature be verified. This can be done through notarization, in person with an ID, through an email from the student's kent.edu account, or by providing two of the following student identifiers: SSN (or last 4), Date of Birth, and Banner ID.