FOIA Policy

Lander University, as a public institution within the State of South Carolina, is committed to transparency with the public and media in regard to its operations and activities.

Lander University FOIA Policy

It is the policy of Lander University to, upon request, provide access to public records in accordance with Title 30, Chapter 4, of the South Carolina Code of Laws, also known as the "Freedom of Information Act" (FOIA).

Lander University respects the right of citizens to inspect or receive copies of public records and will in good faith respond to all requests with a spirit of cooperation and transparency. Requests for information are subject to review by the University's FOIA Officer, General Counsel and others. The University will respond to written requests for information within 10 business days, for records less than 24 months in age; and within 20 business days, for records older than 24 months. If the request is granted, the responsive record(s) will be made available no later than 30 calendar days from the date on which the final determination was provided, unless the records are more than 24 months old, in which case the records will be made available no later than 35 calendar days from the date on which the final determination was provided.

Formal FOIA requests should be made in writing and submitted to FOIA@lander.edu or mailed to the Lander University FOIA Officer at:

Lander University
320 Stanley Avenue
Greenwood, SC 29649
ATTN: Megan Price, FOIA Officer

Requests should include "FOIA" in the email subject line or be clearly labeled and should offer specific details of the materials being requested.

All requests received by Lander University employees should be date-stamped and forwarded immediately to the university's designated FOIA Officer.

Lander University's FOIA Officer will notify the requestor as to the public availability of the records and of any fees associated with the production of records. Responsive records will be produced in accordance with S.C. Code of Laws § 30-4-30 (C).

Records or portions of records that are not considered public under the Freedom of Information Act and/or any applicable laws will be withheld or redacted.

Fee Schedule

As provided under S.C. Code of Laws § 30-4-10, Lander University may charge a reasonable fee for the search, retrieval, copying and redaction of public records.

Requests exceeding 50 pages may be charged at the rate of .10 per page for black-and-white copies and .50 per page for color copies. A rate of $20/hour may be assessed for staff preparation time exceeding two hours.

In some cases, additional charges may be applied for actual costs incurred by the university in order to respond to a request, including, but not limited to: postage/mailing; reproduction of oversized documents (i.e., posters/banners, brochures, blueprints, etc.); reproduction of multimedia (CDs, DVDs, etc.); and search/retrieval requiring specialized knowledge or skills.

While Lander University does not charge for electronic records, the university is not required to create an electronic version of a public record when one does not exist in order to fulfill a records request (S.C. Code of Laws § 30-4-30 (A)(2)).

Definitions and Exemptions

A "Public Record" includes, but is not limited to, all papers, manuals, books, photographs, cards, recordings or other documentary materials, regardless of physical form or characteristics, prepared, owned, used, in the possession of or retained by Lander University.

Lander University complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a federal law designed to protect students' privacy.

The Family Privacy Protection Act, S.C. Code § 30-2-50, prohibits any person or private entity from knowingly obtaining, using or distributing personal information obtained through a public records request for commercial solicitation directed to any person in the State of South Carolina. Violation of the provisions of this act is a crime. See S.C. Code of Laws § 30-2-50 (D) for fines and/or imprisonment imposed upon conviction for a knowing violation of this law.

Official personnel files of the University are maintained by the Office of Human Resources. Employees have the right to view information maintained in their official personnel file, and may arrange to do so by contacting the Office of Human Resources. Personnel files contain confidential information protected by federal and state privacy laws. S.C. Code Section 30-4-40(a)(2) states that a “public body may but is not required to exempt” certain information from disclosure, to include “ information of a personal nature where the public disclosure thereof would constitute unreasonable invasion of personal privacy.” In order to protect employees’ personal privacy, personnel files may only be released to an individual other than the employee under limited circumstances, and: (1) requires written request; (2) is limited to just the information subject to disclosure under state and federal Freedom of Information laws; and (3) requires written consent of the employee.