SW Minnesota Today

FOIA Request to Southwest Minnesota State University regarding Chinese National students on June 16, 2025.

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to Southwest Minnesota State University by SW Minnesota Today, seeking specific records related to Chinese National students at the university. The request, sent under the Minnesota Data Practices Act § 13.01 et seq., asks for detailed information on several aspects concerning these students.

The request outlines four key areas of interest:

1. Documents or lists showing all current students who are Chinese Nationals and their respective departments of study. If student names are protected, a total number of such students broken down by department is requested.

2. Documents or lists detailing scholarships received by current Chinese National students, including the amount and source of each scholarship.

3. A list of recipients of any scholarships affiliated with the Chinese Scholarship Council, unless this information is already included in the previous request.

4. Policies or procedures describing how the university monitors its students, including Chinese Nationals, to protect intellectual property and other confidential information.

The request emphasizes that if certain information is protected or redaction is necessary, totals may be provided instead where appropriate. The sender also seeks a fee waiver based on their role as a media professional involved in gathering and reporting news to the public.

This FOIA request was made on behalf of SW Minnesota Today and The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization that aids media companies in investigating governmental agencies through transparency laws.

Our team will continue to keep you updated as we gather and report news related to this request and other matters of public interest. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further clarification regarding this matter.