Release of Public Records

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 WCTC Vice President of Human Resources or the Vice President - Finance. 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, 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 filling the request or notifying the requester of WCTC’s determination to deny the request in whole or in part and 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 told why your request was denied.
• If the legal custodians determine that portions of any records requested contain information that cannot not be released, the custodians will remove that material and 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, 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 can 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 $25 per hour to locate and prepare the records.
• Costs of copying and reproducing 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 magnetic tapes and CDs, needed in order to fulfill the request.
• If the records will be mailed, you will be charged for shipping and mailing.

Payment of Fees

The legal custodians of the records of the College may require prepayment of fees exceeding $5. The legal custodians may, in the public interest, reduce or waive any of these fees.

Disputes

Any disputes that arise regarding this request shall be directed to the College President, who will review the dispute and become the final arbitrator.