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How to File a Public Records Request at a UC Campus

How to File a Public Records Request at a UC Campus

Posted By Heather, Mar 23, 2013

Obtaining information from a California public university is simple. The California Public Records Act (PRA) is codified in Government Code Section 6250 et seq.  It gives all members of the public a right to (most) documents in state institutions. Here is a neat summary done by the LA Times. Here are the 2012 Guidelines Published by the California Attorney General.

Here are my three easy steps for obtaining records from a UC school:

Step 1: Know the scope: The PRA applies to all state and local agencies, including the University of California. It only applies to documents already in existence, you cannot request them to create documents.  “Records” include any writing owned, used or maintained by the Department in the conduct of its official business. Writings include information recorded or stored on paper, computers, email, or audio or visual tapes. 

Step 2: E-mail the appropriate contact: Here is a list of the contacts for each campus in the UC system. Simply send him or her a succinct e-mail detailing the documents what documents you would like. To cite to the statute giving you the right to the records, use California Constitution, Article I, Section 3, subdivision (b) and the California Public Records Act (Government Code Section 6250-6276.48). 


Step 3: Wait: You must receive responsive documents within ten days. If not, follow the steps in this nifty handout by the First Amendment Project. You may not always get what you want on your first request. Sometimes this is a problem of not knowing what you want, or not knowing who to ask. Being patient (and cordial) is key to finding the records you are looking for. 

Some tips from the First Amendment Project handout:

requesting public records