Release of Public Records Policy

How, When, and Where to View Records

Upon request, you may view public records at the offices of the legal custodians during regular business hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. The legal custodians are responsible for designating where, when, and how the public records of the College may be inspected and/or copied. No original public records of the College may be removed from the possession of the legal custodians.

You may submit requests for information verbally, in writing, or through electronic means to the Vice President of Human Resources and Legal Affairs or the Vice President of Finance and Administration. Wisconsin state statute 19.32(3) does not require you to put the request in writing, identify yourself, or state the purpose of the request. Wisconsin state statute 19.35(1)(h) requires the request to be reasonably specific as to subject matter and length of time involved.

Per Wisconsin state statute 19.35(1)(L), WCTC is not required, nor will it, create new records by extracting and compiling information from existing records in a new format to fulfill a request for information.

WCTC’s Public Records Procedure

• After WCTC receives a request for access to public records, the legal custodian will attempt to make such records available as soon as practical by either fulfilling the request or notifying the requester of WCTC’s determination to deny the request in whole or in part, including the reasons, therefore. WCTC will make every effort to provide the requested information or to deny the request within ten business days, where possible. If the request was made in writing or electronically, the denial of the request must be made via the same format. You will be informed as to why your request was denied.
• If the legal custodians determine that portions of any records requested contain information that cannot be released, the custodians will remove that material, release the balance of the record(s), and inform you of the reasons for the removal.
• Any request for a record must reasonably describe the information sought. If the legal custodians cannot reasonably determine the information being requested, they will deny the request and state the reason for denial.
• You not only have the right to inspect the records of the College, but you may also receive a reproduction of the requested records. If you request a copy of any of the records, you will be informed of the approximate costs of locating and reproducing such records, and you may be asked to prepay that sum should it exceed $5 to minimize the potential taxpayers’ support for the request.

Fees

You will be charged for the cost of providing the requested records. This includes staff time to locate and prepare the records, including separating the confidential parts of a record from the public parts.

• You will be charged $32 per hour to locate and prepare the records.
• Costs to create hardcopies of records will be 20 cents for each page.
• If the College is required to rent equipment or services in order to reproduce the records, you will be charged a like amount. If the College needs to utilize its own staff to operate this equipment in order to fulfill the request, the requester will be charged for this staff time.
• You will be charged for any supplies, such as flash drives, needed in order to fulfill the request.
• If the records are mailed, you will be charged for shipping and mailing.

Payment of Fees

The legal custodians of the records of the College will require prepayment of fees.

Disputes

Any disputes arising from this request shall be directed to the College’s Chief of Staff, who will review the dispute and serve as the final arbitrator.