Guidelines for Public Records Requests 

(Effective April 1, 2011) 
NOTE: Public Records are NOT student records. 

Definition of Public Records 

Pursuant to Oregon Revised Statutes, every person has a right to inspect any nonexempt public record. (See Oregon Revised Statute, Public and Private Records; Public Reports and Meetings, Chapter 192, for definitions of exempt public records.) 

“Public record” means any writing containing information relating to the conduct of the public's business that is prepared, owned, used, or retained by a public body regardless of physical form or characteristics, including, but not limited to, handwriting, typewriting, printing, photographing, and every means of recording, including letters, words, pictures, sounds, or symbols, or combination thereof, and all papers, maps, files, facsimiles, or electronic recordings. 

Inspection and copying of a public record shall be done during regular business hours at the office where the record is located, or another facility designated by the college. College records shall not leave the college premises for the purposes of public record disclosure. The college may directly supervise the inspection or copying of college records, may list records inspected or copied by or at the request of a requester, and may contemporaneously copy for the college’s own purposes records inspected or copied by or at the request of the requester. The college may provide a copy of a record in lieu of the original to protect the original record. The college may provide a redacted copy in lieu of an original record in order to delete exempt material. 

Procedures for Public Record Requests 

How to Request a Public Record from Mt. Hood Community College; there are two types of public records requests: 

Informal Requests 

The first type of public records request is one that is verbally submitted by the requesting party for records that are incidental, readily accessible, or reproducible at negligible cost, and are typically available for general public distribution. 

Formal Requests 

All other public records requests must be submitted in writing and will be granted or denied in accordance with Oregon Public Records Law. 

Any party requesting a fee reduction or waiver shall fully cooperate with the college in identifying the reason(s) for the request. In order to determine whether or not the requested public records are exempt from disclosure, qualify for fee reduction or waiver, or if the documents meet the “public interest test,” (ORS 192.440(5)) requesting party/parties must fully disclose their intended purpose of the request. 

Each request must reasonably describe the records being sought. This means that a request must be specific enough to permit a college staff person who is familiar with the subject matter to locate the record in a reasonable period of time. 

Public Records Request Form

Fees