A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Arkansas Division of Higher Education on November 14, 2024. The request, issued by Natural State News, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, seeks detailed information about the compensation of all university employees in the state.
Specifically, the FOIA request calls for a list that includes all employees at universities and community colleges across Arkansas. The requested details include each employee's name, title, university name, employment type, and compensation amount.
At Natural State News, we believe that access to public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. These responsibilities include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. Given our role in disseminating information, we have requested a fee waiver as a media professional under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act § 25-19-101 et seq.
We will continue to pursue this information diligently as part of our commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability within our educational institutions. We are awaiting a response from the Arkansas Division of Higher Education regarding this request.