FOIA Request to Mississippi State University regarding recent course syllabi on August 6, 2025.
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to Mississippi State University by GTR Times, a media organization dedicated to comprehensive news coverage on local governmental affairs. The request, sent on August 6, 2025, seeks access to a complete list of course syllabi for all undergraduate and graduate courses offered during the Spring 2025 academic semester. This includes syllabi from all departments, schools, and colleges, regardless of whether the courses were conducted in-person, online, or in hybrid formats.
The request specifically asks for relevant metadata associated with each course syllabus. This includes details such as the course title and number, instructor name, department or academic unit responsible for the course, and the format in which the course was delivered—whether online, in-person, or hybrid.
GTR Times emphasizes its role in gathering and reporting news to the public as part of its professional responsibilities. Access to public records is deemed essential for holding public institutions accountable and ensuring transparency. As such, GTR Times has requested a fee waiver for this information based on their status as a media organization.
The requester is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization that assists media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies through Freedom of Information and Sunshine Laws. More information about this coalition can be found at https://stopsecrecy.org/about/.
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.
