FOIA Request to Southern Arkansas University regarding state university employee compensation data, FY 2025 on November 4, 2025.
A request for public records was submitted to Southern Arkansas University by Natural State News under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act. The request seeks detailed information on employee compensation for all individuals employed by the university during Fiscal Year 2025. The requested data includes several specific fields: employee name, gender (if recorded), age or year of birth (if not exempt), date of birth (if not exempt or limited to month/year), employer name, title or position, hire date, compensation amount (including base pay and any additional pay), compensation type (such as salary, hourly, stipend, bonus), and employment type (full-time or part-time).
The request emphasizes the importance of accessing these records in an electronic format to facilitate comprehensive news coverage on local governmental affairs. Natural State News has highlighted its role in holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. As a media organization committed to disseminating information, they have requested a fee waiver for accessing these records.
The requester is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization that assists media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies through Freedom of Information and Sunshine Laws. More information about this coalition can be found at this link.
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.
