Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 10 - Education Institutions and Agencies › Part 201 - Standards and Regulations of the Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation › Chapter 2 - Commission Meetings, Minutes, and Public Documents › Rule 10-201-2.9 - Access to Commission Records

Current through June 25, 2024
A. Pursuant to the
				Mississippi Public Records Acts of 1983 (the "Act"), effective from and after
				July 1, 1983, the Commission hereby adopts the following regulations and
				procedures with respect to such records as may be in its possession. Such rules
				and procedures are applicable to and shall govern the right to inspect, copy,
				or reproduce or obtain a reproduction of any public records in the possession
				of the Commission.
B. Except where
				prohibited by law, any person shall have the right to inspect or obtain
				reproductions of any public record of the Commission.
C. The right to inspect public records shall
				be invoked by a written request. Written notification of the time, place, and
				method of access shall be provided in accordance with section
				25-61-5 of the Mississippi
				code.
D. Any person wishing to
				inspect or copy public records must make the request in writing to the agency
				and must clearly identify the specific information sought. The request must
				specify whether the reproductions are to be mailed or received in person.
				Copies of public records will be available for a nominal fee. All requests
				should be dated and include the name of the requestor, address of the
				requestor, and current contact information for the requestor. Any response by
				the Commission for a request for access to records will be forwarded to the
				requesting party within seven (7) working days of the receipt of such request.
				If the Commission is unable to produce the requested record within seven
				working days after the request is made, a written explanation will be provided
				to the requestor(s) stating that the record will be produced and specifying
				with particularity why the record(s) cannot be produced within the seven-day
				period. Absent a mutual agreement between the parties, in no event shall the
				date for the Commission's production of requested records be any later than
				fourteen (14) working days from receipt by the Commission of the original
				request.
E. Denial by the
				Commission of a request for access to or copies of public records shall be in
				writing and shall contain a statement of the specific exemption relied upon by
				the Commission for the denial. A file of all denials of requests for public
				records will be maintained by the Commission for a period of no less than three
				(3) years from the date such denials are made.
F. Recipient(s) will be assisted by a staff
				member at a charge not to exceed actual costs. Actual costs for search, review
				and/or possible redaction of information by a staff member will be based upon
				the hourly rate of compensation for the lowest paid agency employee qualified
				to perform the task and multiplied by the actual time utilized to complete the
				task. Recipient(s) will be charged fifteen cents per page for standard black
				and white photocopies. For all nonstandard photocopies, actual costs of
				reproduction will be assessed to recipient(s). Records will be available for
				inspection and copying by appointment during regular working hours, 8:00 a.m. -
				5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, holidays excluded.
G. Recipient(s) will deposit cash, check, or
				money order in escrow with the staff prior to receiving material. This
				estimated amount must be sufficient to cover the estimated cost of the staff
				member's assistance, copying fees, mailing fees, and/or any associated
				reproduction fees. Recipient(s) desiring information by mail will be charged
				actual mailing costs in addition to those costs set forth in subsection
				(d).
H. Adequate space to inspect
				requested documents will be provided at no cost, if available. Recipient(s)
				will be provided with requested documents by a staff member but no more than
				one recipient at a time.
The provisions of section
				  2.9 do not apply to government
				  officials, state legislators, or state agencies.