Brechner News

Posted: October 2, 2024

Nonprofit groups engaged in the public records group could benefit themselves, government agencies, and the public by collaborating more, according to a research article published in the latest issue of the Journal of Civic Information. A team of researchers from the University of Washington, led by doctoral candidate Itza Carbajal, examined four nonprofit organizations that are heavily involved with public records: National Security Archive, MuckRock, Reclaim the Records, and the University of Washington Center for Human Rights. The team noted how the four groups request, store and disseminate public records. They found that the groups often run into obstacles from…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Journal of Civic Information, Nonprofit, public records

Posted: September 30, 2024

The open-access online Journal of Civic Information, published by the Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project, celebrates its 5-year anniversary this month, publishing 36 studies and 20 editorials with 15,124 downloads. The journal was launched in September 2017 by Frank LoMonte, who directed the Brechner FOI Project, and founding editor David Cuillier, who at the time was an associate professor of journalism at the University of Arizona. “My charge at Brechner was to do practical scholarship that equips litigators and advocates to make their best case for open government, coming at it from the background of litigator/advocate and not…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner FOI Project, Journal of Civic Information

Posted: September 18, 2024

David Cuillier, director of the Brechner Freedom of Information (FOI) Project, is quoted in “Mayors, Teachers, Parent Push for Release of Information About Perry High School Shootings” published in the Des Moines Register on Sept. 6. The article focuses on Perry school district staff, the city’s mayor and the mother of a student still recovering from gunshot wounds who are among those seeking the release of findings from an Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation report into the Jan. 4 shootings at Perry High School in Perry, Iowa. The Dallas County Attorney claims the report is exempt from Iowa’s open-records law. According…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner FOI Project, David Cuillier, School

Posted: August 16, 2024

The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration appointed Brechner FOI Project Director David Cuillier to a third term on the Freedom of Information Act Advisory Committee, which provides recommendations to the National Archivist and Congress for improving the FOIA process. Cuillier served two previous two-year terms on the committee, from 2020 through 2024, leading efforts to provide alternatives to public records litigation and assessing progress in FOIA improvements from previous committee recommendations. The committee comprises 10 representatives from federal agencies and 10 representatives from the public records requester community, formed in 2014 by Congress to foster dialogue between the executive…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner FOI Project, David Cuillier, FOIA Advisory Committee, National Archives and Records Administration

Posted: August 2, 2024

The Brechner Freedom of Information Project seeks an energetic and passionate individual to lead public outreach and education in freedom of information (FOI) to advance the public’s right to know. The new full-time position would be entrusted with three main missions:  Coordinate national Sunshine Week, including public communications to promote FOI through social media, written releases, website updates and multimedia. This may include coordination of a conference and other events, as well as facilitating a year-round network of organizations promoting access to information.  In coordination with the College’s communication team, promote the right to know, by producing a monthly newsletter,…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner FOI Project, education, outreach, Sunshine Week

Posted: July 2, 2024

The Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project’s Journal of Civic Information welcomes two new associate editors to improve the reach and impact in scholarship toward a more informed world. The positions are new to the peer-reviewed research journal, with an eye to increase submissions, readership, and depth. The journal was founded in August 2019 by former Brechner Director Frank LoMonte and founding editor David Cuillier, who now serves as Brechner’s director. The purpose of the open-access online journal is to encourage and highlight practical research that identifies problems and solutions in fostering a more informed electorate. The associate editor…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: editors, FOIA, Journal of Civic Information, journalist, research