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For University Employees

Typically, FOIA requests are directed to the university’s FOIA Officer or submitted through the FOIA portal; however, requests may be sent directly to a faculty or staff member.  Requests for records received by faculty or staff are subject to the same rights, responsibilities and time limits under FOIA.

If you receive a request for records directly:

  • Immediately notify the University FOIA Officer by emailing FOIA@vt.edu or by calling (540) 231-1614. The FOIA Officer will coordinate with appropriate offices, including University Counsel, to ensure that the request is fulfilled appropriately.
  • Make note of the date the request was received. The university has a statutory mandate to respond within five working days from the date of receipt.
  • If made verbally, write down your understanding of the request noting the requester’s contact information including, at a minimum, name and legal address. If the request was made by phone, please include the requester’s telephone number. Although a written request is not required, having the request in writing helps avoid misunderstandings as to what the requester is seeking. As such, you may politely ask the requester if he/she is willing to submit a written request; and then provide the foia@vt.edu email address, the physical address for the FOIA Officer (800 Drillfield Drive, MC0229, Blacksburg, VA 24061), for submitting requests, or direct them to this FOIA website.

Whether written or verbal, importantly, the five work day mandatory response time begins when the university receives the request. In other words, the mandatory response time begins when you receive the request – not when you notify the FOIA Officer.

Whether you receive a request directly or a request is forwarded to you by the FOIA Officer, it is important that you cooperate with the records review process. The FOIA Officer will work with you to provide an appropriate response within five work days including whether or not the requested records qualify for an exemption. If there will be a charge for the request, the FOIA Officer will work with you to prepare an estimate of the cost. If the requester proceeds with the request, it is important that you maintain records of the time spent on the request.

Once a FOIA request has been received, it is mandatory, not discretionary, to release requested records not subject to a FOIA exemption. Failure to respond can have legal and reputational consequences for the university. Employees may also be held personally liable for failure to respond.

Note, requests for informational materials routinely distributed to the public, such as brochures and pamphlets and other educational materials, should not be considered FOIA requests. The responsible office should respond to these types of requests directly. These should not be forwarded to the FOIA office.

For questions about your responsibilities or whether a specific request is subject to Virginia’s FOIA, email FOIA@vt.edu.