FOIA Request to Arkansas Division of Higher Education regarding college employee compensation data on October 30, 2025.
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted by Natural State News to the Arkansas Division of Higher Education on October 30, 2025. The request seeks access to payroll, compensation, and personnel data files for employees at state public universities and community colleges for the current fiscal year. The requested information includes details such as employee names, position titles, department or unit affiliations, university or institution names, employment types or statuses (e.g., faculty, staff, part-time, full-time), and compensation amounts (e.g., base salary or total annual compensation).
Additionally, the request encompasses any existing reports, spreadsheets, or databases maintained by the university system or affiliated agencies that contain similar data. The purpose of this request is to facilitate transparency and accountability within public institutions by providing the media with necessary information for reporting purposes.
Natural State News has emphasized its role in gathering and disseminating news to the public as a media organization. They have also highlighted their affiliation with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy—a non-profit organization that aids media companies in investigating governmental agencies through FOIA requests. A fee waiver has been requested based on their status as a media professional.
Our team will continue to keep you updated as we gather and report news related to this request and other matters of public interest. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further clarification regarding this matter.
