FOIA Request to Kentucky State University regarding Chinese National students on June 16, 2025.
North Bluegrass News has submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to Kentucky State University seeking specific records related to Chinese National students. The request, sent on June 16, 2025, aims to obtain information under the Kentucky Open Records Act § 61.872 et seq., preferably in electronic format.
The request seeks several types of information:
1. Documents or lists showing all current students who are Chinese Nationals and their respective departments of study. If this information is protected, the request asks for the total number of such students and a breakdown by department.
2. Details about scholarships received by current Chinese National students, including the amount and source of each scholarship.
3. A list of recipients of any scholarships affiliated with the Chinese Scholarship Council, unless this information is already covered in the previous request.
4. Policies or procedures that describe how the university monitors students, including Chinese Nationals, to protect its Intellectual Property and other confidential information.
The request emphasizes that if student names are protected, redaction should be applied where necessary. Additionally, if redaction is burdensome but “just totaling” does not result in loss of information (as in request #1), grouping of data is permissible.
The FOIA request was made on behalf of North Bluegrass News and The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy—a non-profit organization assisting media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies through Freedom of Information laws. More details about this coalition can be found on their website here.
We look forward to receiving this information in an electronic format as it will greatly aid in our reporting efforts. As always, we remain open for any questions or clarifications regarding this request.
