NOTICE OF RIGHT TO INSPECT PUBLIC RECORDS

By law, under the Inspection of Public Records Act, Western New Mexico University has a responsibility to make public records available for inspection and every person has the right to inspect public records. If there are any questions whether this policy applies, call X6238.

Procedures for Requesting Inspection. Requests to inspect public records should be submitted, in writing, to the Records Custodian at the President’s Office, Western New Mexico University, 1000 West College Ave, Silver City, NM 88601.

A written request must contain the name, address and telephone number of the person making the request. The request must describe the records sought in sufficient detail to enable the Records Custodian to identify and locate the requested records.

The Records Custodian must permit inspection immediately or as soon as practicable, but no later than 15 calendar days after the records custodian receives the written request for inspection, unless the request is determined to be excessively burdensome or broad. If inspection is not permitted within 3 business days after the records custodian receives the written request for inspection, the person making the request will receive a written response explaining when the records will be available for inspection or when the University will respond to the request.

If the Records Custodian determines that the written request is excessively burdensome or broad, the University has an additional reasonable period of time within which to comply with the request. The Records Custodian will provide written notification to the requester within 15 calendar days of receipt of the written request that additional time will be needed to respond to the written request for inspection.

If a written request is denied, the Records Custodian will deliver or mail a written response to the requester within 15 calendar days after the records custodian received the written request explaining why inspection has been denied.

Procedures for Requesting Copies and Fees. If a person requesting inspection would like a copy of a public record, the Act permits the University to charge a reasonable fee. The fee for documents eleven inches by seventeen inches or smaller is $0.25 per page, if copied by the University. The person requesting inspection may purchase a copy card at the University and use a University copy machine to make his/her own copies. For records other than documents, the fee will be set by the University on a case-by-case basis. The Records Custodian may request that applicable fees for copying public records be paid in advance, before the copies are made. A receipt indicating that the fees have been paid for making copies of public records will be provided upon request to the person requesting the copies.

The procedures and penalties prescribed by the Inspection of Public Records Act apply only to written requests. The records custodian is not subject to any penalty under the Act for failing to respond to an oral request for records.

Approved by: Policy Committee Date: June 8, 2004