The folks running the state university in Eugene are a stingy lot when it comes to disclosing public records. Unlike many other state and local agencies, they don't waive the sizable fees that they're allowed to charge to fulfill requests for information, even by mainstream media. So intent are they at nickel-and-diming requesters that the main newspaper down that way, the Register-Guard, is now asserting that the school's public information practices are unreasonable.

Rather than simply turn over requested documents without charge, campus "public records officer" Lisa Thornton spends a substantial amount of time writing letters demanding payment to lift the veil of secrecy:

To determine whether or not the request merited a fee waiver or reduction, the office conducted a three part public interest test.

First, the office considered the character of the public interest in the particular disclosure. The office acknowledges that information regarding how the University makes decisions regarding a public building, on a public campus, can primarily benefit the public at large. However, in this instance, the benefit to the public in knowing how these decisions are made is not sufficient to justify directing University funds away from its primary mission of education.

Secondly, the office considered the extent to which the fee impeded the public interest. The Register Guard is a large publication, and the office found it unlikely that the additional fee of $172.21 would unduly burden the organization.

Thirdly, the office considered the extent to which a waiver would burden the public body. In this instance, the documents require review by the Office of the General Counsel. Asking General Counsel to dedicate their limited resources to this request, without compensation, places an undue burden on their office.

Upon receipt of a check, made payable to the University of Oregon, in the amount of $172.21, the office will proceed to locate, copy, and provide the records you have requested that are not exempt from disclosure. Your check may be sent to the attention of Office of Public Records, 6207 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-6207.

To quote the blog UO Matters, they're showing some real chutzpah. Or as one of my old partners from eastern Oregon used to call it, "hoopster." And to make matters worse, the subject of the requested materials is the recent attempt by the administration to manipulate student opinion in the vote regarding the university's pet student union construction pork project. The suits down there deserve all the bad vibrations they get from the media and the blogosphere, and then some.