FAQ
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Governing Policy
Questions?
Please use the contact section in the governing policy.
- As a University employee, I received a call from someone who wanted information from my office. What should I do?
The University of Minnesota uses an online portal to manage public information requests. You can direct the requester to the Data Request Center to submit their request for information or have them contact the Data Access and Privacy Office at 612-625-3497
- As a University employee, are all of my emails subject to a public records request? How will I know if my emails are requested?
Yes, any email you have related to University business, including emails from your personal email accounts, can be requested under the MGDPA. Prior to being released to a requester, each email would be reviewed and redacted for private or nonpublic data that is protected by state or federal law.
- How will I know my emails have been requested?
If your email box is requested, someone from the Data Access and Privacy (DAP) Office will contact you to let you know a request has been received and provide you with instructions. After emails have been collected, the DAP office will review and redact the emails as detailed above (Question 2). Before the emails are released, you will have a chance to review the responsive emails and ask questions.
- I perform outside consulting and submit a REPA each year. Do you have any advice for how to maintain separation between my University and my outside consulting work?
We encourage you to use a separate non-University email account exclusively for your outside consulting work.
- I am a University employee. What information about me is available to the public or to me?
The MGDPA makes some information about employees public. Public information includes:
- Employee ID number
- Job title
- Job description
- Education and training
- Work address and phone number
- Work email address
- Dates of employment
- Previous work experience
- Settlement agreements
- Expense reimbursements
- Personnel (employment) information that does not fall in a "public" classification is generally private. Examples of private personnel information include performance reviews, teaching evaluations, and personal information such as family information, home address and phone number (unless you included them in the directory), race, and social security number.
As an employee, you generally have a right to any recorded information about you, although there are some exceptions, such as active audits and legal investigations. If you want to obtain recorded information about yourself, see Information on Rights of Subjects of Government Data.
- I am a University student. What information about me is available to the public or to me?
The following student directory information is public, unless the student has requested non-disclosure (suppress).
- Name
- Dates of enrollment
- Enrollment status (full/part time, not enrolled)
- Major
- Adviser
- College
- Class
- Academic awards and honors
- Degree received
Board of Regents' Policy: Student Education Records (PDF) is a thorough summary of information available to you and to the public.
- Is there a quick way for me to learn more about how Minnesota’s public records law impacts me as I perform my University duties?
Yes, you can watch this 8 minute video in the Training Hub entitled Data Practices for University Employees to learn more about how our state law impacts you as you perform your University duties.
- When was this policy and its procedures last reviewed to reflect changes in personnel, procedures, or other circumstances that impact the public's ability to access data?
The DAP Office reviews this policy annually and as necessary more frequently to identify necessary changes in personnel, procedures, or other circumstances that impact the public's ability to access data. Any needed updates identified will be made timely in accord with University policies governing policy updates. For details on the last policy review, please contact the DAP Office.