In the fall of 2022, Murray State University responded to several expansive requests for records from WPSD. The University worked cordially with WPSD and their counsel throughout this process and spent hundreds of hours and significant resources compiling documents. Unfortunately, the University’s good faith efforts, which resulted in the disclosure of more than 1,000 pages to WPSD, were met with a lawsuit.
Prior to the Court’s February 16, 2024 ruling, WPSD had already received hundreds of pages of records from the University, many of which were featured in WPSD’s news stories. Despite its good faith belief about the applicability of three very narrow Open Records Act exemptions, which the University applied to a very limited number of records, the University promptly provided WPSD with revised records upon receipt of the Court’s Order.
The University is eager to respond to WPSD’s motion for fees and costs promptly through proper channels in this litigation. The University has taken no actions in willful disregard of the law with respect to WPSD’s requests. As such, WPSD is not entitled to fees and penalties under the Act, let alone fees and penalties in the egregious amount sought. The University has fulfilled numerous requests for open records, in accordance with the Act and without dispute on a near-daily basis, and it takes its responsibility in this area very seriously. After months of unnecessary, unjustified, protracted litigation, and hundreds of hours spent producing thousands of pages of records at a tremendous cost to the University, administrators, faculty and staff look forward to returning all of their energy, efforts and resources to their students, and the amazing teaching and learning that occurs at Murray State University.
Murray State University
Board of Regents
Leon Owens, Chair