Procedure for Requests
The College complies with the New York State Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) and its implementing regulations, which provide public access to College records unless the records (or portions thereof) fall within an applicable exemption to disclosure. Under FOIL, some records are exempt from disclosure.
A request for records under FOIL must be made in writing by the Requestor and must reasonably describe the records sought. Requestors are encouraged to be as specific as possible in describing the records sought. Request forms are available in the Office of Legal Affairs, Ammerman Campus, NFL Building, Room 230 and on this webpage. All requests for records under FOIL must be sent to the College’s Records Access Officer.
Within five (5) business days of receipt of a request, the Records Access Officer will respond to the request by:
- Informing the Requestor that the request or portion of the request does not reasonably describe the records sought, including direction, to the extent possible, that would enable that person to request records reasonably described;
- Granting or denying access to records in whole or in part; or
- Acknowledging receipt of the request in writing and providing an approximate date when the request will be granted or denied in whole or in part, which will be within twenty business days from the date of acknowledgment.
If receipt of a request was acknowledged in writing and included an approximate date by which the request would be granted in whole or in part within twenty business days of acknowledgment, but circumstances prevent disclosure or response within that timeframe, the Requestor will be informed in writing and provided with a new date by which the request will be granted or denied in whole or in part. In determining a reasonable time for granting or denying a request, the College may consider: the volume of a request; the ease or difficulty in locating, retrieving, or generating records; the complexity of the request; the need to review records to determine the extent to which they must be disclosed; the number of requests received; and similar factors that bear on the ability to grant access to records promptly and within a reasonable time.
Unless otherwise communicated to the Requestor in writing, requested records will be made available for inspection at the Office of Legal Affairs, Ammerman Campus, NFL Building, Room 230.
Denial of access to records will be in writing and state the reason therefor.
Records Access Officer
Requests for records should be sent to the College’s designated Records Access Officer:
Requests can be emailed to: Kathryn Mattia, Sr. Legal Secretary at mattiak@sunysuffolk.edu.
Fees
The College may charge an administrative fee of $.25 per page for providing copies of records or may charge a fee based on the actual cost of reproduction and/or storage device/media, where permitted by law. Cash payments are acceptable; payments by check or money order must be made payable to Suffolk County Community College. Payment of fees must be received before copies are made.
Unless and until otherwise provided by law, there will be no fee charged for inspection of records, search for records or any certification of records. However, where redaction is necessary to permit inspection of records, fees may be charged in accordance with law.
No-Fee Student Requests
If a request for records is received from a student of the College and the student claims that the information requested is course-related, the instructor of the course must sign the request as well as the student. A student of the College will not be charged a fee for copies.
Notification to Employees re: Release of Disciplinary Records
In accordance with Public Officers Law Section 87(6), the Records Access Officer will make a reasonable effort to notify an employee if the College is responding to a request for the employee's disciplinary records. The contact information on file with the College's Office of Human Resources will be used for purposes of this notification.
Appeals
If a request is denied by the Records Access Officer, the Requestor has the right to appeal the denial, in writing, within thirty (30) days to the College General Counsel:
A complete appeal will include the date and location of requests for records; a description, to the extent possible, of the records to which access was denied; and the name and return address of the individual submitting the appeal. A determination will be made on the appeal within ten (10) business days of receipt of the appeal.
Forms
