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For Requesters

Under FOIA, citizens of Virginia and representatives of media operating in Virginia have the right to:

  • Request to inspect or receive copies of public records, or both. Va. Code § 2.2-3704(A).
  • Request any charges for the requested records be estimated in advance. Va. Code § 2.2-3704(F).
  • File a petition in district or circuit court to compel compliance with FOIA if it is believed that rights under FOIA have been violated. Va. Code § 2.2-3713.

FOIA allows Virginia Tech to require you to provide your name and legal address before responding to your request.  Va. Code § 2.2-3704(A).

FOIA does not require your request be made in writing; however, from a practical perspective, it may be helpful to both you and the person receiving your request to put your request in writing. This allows you to create a record of your request and gives us a clear statement of what records you are requesting.  To ensure your request can be processed efficiently, your request:

  • Must identify the records you are seeking with "reasonable specificity." This is a common-sense standard. It does not refer to or limit the volume or number of records that you are requesting; instead, it requires you be specific enough for us to identify and locate the records you are seeking. Va. Code § 2.2-3704(B).
  • Must ask for existing records or documents. FOIA permits you to inspect or copy existing records. FOIA does not require the creation of records that do not exist and does not apply to general questions about the work of Virginia Tech. Va. Code § 2.2-3704(D).
  • May ask to receive electronic records in any format used by Virginia Tech in the regular course of business. For example, if you are requesting records maintained in an Excel database, you may elect to receive those records electronically, via email, on a computer disk or printed. Va. Code § 2.2-3704(G). Typically, Virginia Tech provides records through Virginia Tech's FOIA Portal.

Please submit requests in our FOIA portal.

You may also submit by email, fax, U.S. mail, in person or over the phone:

FOIA Officer
Virginia Tech
800 Drillfield Drive
Blacksburg, VA 24061

Phone: (540) 231-1614
Fax: (540) 231-8456
Email: foia@vt.edu

FOIA requires reasonable efforts to be made between the requesting person and Virginia Tech to reach an agreement concerning the production of records. Va. Code § 2.2-3704(C). If the university has questions about your request, please cooperate with staff's efforts to clarify the type of records you are seeking, or to attempt to reach a reasonable agreement about a response to a large request.

For questions about how to submit a FOIA request, contact FOIA@vt.edu.