Opinion ID: 1707448
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Federationa public body?

Text: We conclude that the Alumni Federation is a public body within the intendment of the Public Records Act. A public body, for purposes of the Act, is a public or quasi-public nonprofit corporation designated as an entity to perform a governmental or proprietary function. LSA-R.S. 44:1(A)(1). The Federation enjoys a close affiliation with Nicholls State University as evidenced by its residence on campus in a public building for which it pays only nominal rent, and by its use of state civil service employees to run its office. The Alumni Office appears as a line-item in the budget of the University, through which the Alumni Federation's employees are paid. The Federation states in its Articles of Incorporation that its purpose is to promote the University, which was created for the purpose of providing public education, a governmental function. Spain v. La. High School Athletic Assoc., 398 So.2d 1386 (La.1981). The duties it performs in promoting the educational purposes of Nicholls State are functions that, no doubt, emulate functions also the responsibility of and/or performed by Nicholls State. Therefore, we conclude that the Federation, because of its close relationship with Nicholls State, is a quasi-public nonprofit corporation designated as an entity to perform a governmental or proprietary function, and, thus a public body for purposes of the Public Records Act. See Seghers v. Community Advancement, Inc., 357 So.2d 626 (La.App. 1st Cir.1978). We also note in passing that the Federation voluntarily opened its records for inspection by the Inspector General's office. [7]