Reports of Sexual Misconduct at SUNY Maritime

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the New York Freedom of Information Law, I hereby request the following records:

Freedom of Information Act Officer
State University of New York Maritime College
6 Pennyfield Avenue
Throggs Neck, NY 10465

Subject: Freedom of Information Act Request

Dear FOIA Officer,

Under the provisions of the New York State Freedom of Information Law (Article 6 of the Public Officers Law), I am requesting access to and copies of documents from the State University of New York Maritime College. My request pertains to reports, investigations, and litigation concerning incidents of sexual misconduct over the past five years.

To make my request as clear as possible, I am specifically interested in the following categories of information:

Incident Reports: All incident reports or complaints of sexual misconduct involving students. This includes reports filed by the students themselves or others on their behalf.

Investigation Outcomes: Detailed records of any investigations undertaken in response to these reports, including the findings (such as sustained, not founded, inconclusive, etc.), any actions taken by the university, and the outcomes of any subsequent appeals.

Litigation: Records of all litigation and court proceedings related to these incidents of sexual misconduct. This includes not only the cases initiated by the university or individual students but also any related court cases that support the premise that such information should be released under FOIA, such as case law establishing or affirming the public's right to access this type of information.

Policy Changes: Any revisions or amendments made to the college's policies, guidelines, or procedures concerning sexual misconduct over the last five years in response to these incidents.

As allowed under the New York State Freedom of Information Law, I request that these documents be produced on a rolling basis, meaning as they become available. Pursuant to New York State Public Officers Law § 89(3)(a), I ask that the State University of New York Maritime College make a good faith effort to provide the records as they are located and reviewed, rather than waiting to release all records at once.
It is not my intention to request access to personally identifiable information or other confidential details that would infringe upon the privacy rights of individuals involved. Please redact such information in compliance with the law while still providing the relevant data about the incidents and their outcomes.

If any part of my request is denied, I kindly ask you to provide a written explanation citing the specific legal reasons for the denial. If any aspect of my request is unclear or needs further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact me

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 5 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Jordan Lassiter

June 6, 2023

State University of New York Maritime College
6 Pennyfield Avenue
Throggs Neck, NY 10465

Attn: FOIA Officer

Subject: Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request – Sexual Misconduct Reports and Litigation

Dear FOIA Officer,

Pursuant to the provisions of the New York Freedom of Information Law, I hereby request access to and copies of all records held by the State University of New York Maritime College concerning incidents of sexual misconduct over the past five years.

Specifically, I seek the following:

1. Incident Reports: All incident reports or complaints of sexual misconduct involving students, whether filed by the students themselves or by others on their behalf.
2. Investigation Outcomes: Detailed records of investigations undertaken in response to these reports, including findings, actions taken by the university, and outcomes of any subsequent appeals.
3. Litigation: Records of all litigation and court proceedings related to these incidents of sexual misconduct, including cases initiated by the university or individual students and any related court cases.
4. Policy Changes: Any revisions to the college's policies, guidelines, or procedures concerning sexual misconduct over the past five years in response to these incidents.

I request the release of any reasonably segregable non-exempt portions if a part of the requested records is deemed exempt from disclosure. Should an entire document be exempt, I ask for a justification, citing specific FOIA exemptions, and provision of an exemption log as per Vaughn v. Rosen, 484 F.2d 820 (D.C. Cir. 1973).

Please make a good faith effort to provide the records as they are located and reviewed, in accordance with New York State Public Officers Law § 89(3)(a), rather than waiting to release all records at once.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes. If there are any fees exceeding $200 associated with fulfilling my request, kindly inform me in advance.

I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 5 business days, as the statute requires, and request that you not destroy any records potentially responsive to this request.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Jordan Lassiter
Independent Investigative Journalist
MuckRock News
DEPT MR 146407
263 Huntington Ave
Boston, MA 02115
Email: Jordan@Lassiter.eu
Phone: 1-845-748-0329

Enclosure: Fee Waiver Request Letter

Please note: All communications related to this request, including incoming and outgoing communications, will be publicly available on MuckRock.com. Furthermore, any correspondence in relation to this request will be instantly published on the platform.