Informal Opinion Letter Summary

UIPA Memo 10-7

Request for Personal Records at University of Hawaii

OIP was asked whether the University of Hawaii, Manoa, properly denied a student’s request for records about himself under the UIPA.

There were three issues: first, whether the University’s denial of access to certain records was proper; second, whether the University adequately searched for other documents; and third, whether the University acted within the bounds of the UIPA when it sent a memo about the Requester to the Honolulu Police Department (HPD).

OIP could not conclude that the University’s withholding of records was proper because the University did not allow OIP an in camera review of those records. However, OIP also found that the University conducted an adequate search for the requested records.

Finally, OIP concluded that the University was not acting contrary to the UIPA when it sent a memo to HPD. The University disclosed the memo to HPD because the University believed it raised campus security concerns.

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