Virginia Freedom of Information Act request

Hello Tom: I am writing to acknowledge receipt by the University of Virginia of your request for records under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Va. Code § 2.2-3700 et seq., for the following:

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To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

To whom it may concern:

Pursuant to the Colorado Open Records Act, I hereby request the following records:

-- Copies of the “stop-work orders” issued to the university by a federal agency
-- Copies of the correspondence, including but not limited to emails messages, email attachments, text messages, video chat messages, and voicemails, between the university and project leads and principal investigators affected by these “stop-work orders”
-- Copies of any and all correspondence, including but not limited to emails messages, email attachments, text messages, video chat messages, and voicemails, between the federal agency and the university regarding these “stop-work orders”
-- Descriptions of the specific projects and/ or programs impacted by the “stop-work orders”
-- A list of the project leads and principal investigators affected by these “stop-work” orders

Please waive applicable fees; this information is being sought for newsgathering purposes in the public interest. As we are making this request as journalists and the information is timely, we also ask that you expedite processing for this request. If I can provide any clarification that will help expedite the processing of this request, please contact me directly.

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 3 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,
Nicole Einbinder

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,

Tom Nash, a citizen of Virginia, in coordination with Nicole Einbinder. Under FOIA, UVA has five working days to respond to your request.  You will receive an initial response by 2/10/2025.  If not practically possible to provide the requested records or to determine their availability within five working days, FOIA allows for UVA to request an additional seven working days.  Va. Code § 2.2-3704(A)(4).  If additional time is needed to fulfill your request, we will make reasonable efforts to reach an agreement with you for records production as required under FOIA.  Va. Code §§ 2.2-3700 and 2.2-3704(C). Please note that UVA may recover its actual costs incurred in processing your request.  This includes costs incurred in accessing, duplicating, supplying, or searching for the records you have requested, including, but not limited to, the costs of reviewing records to determine whether or not they are public records responsive to your request, exempt under FOIA, or may not lawfully be disclosed pursuant to some other provision of law (See Va. Code §2.2-3704(F)). If costs are estimated to exceed $200, we require advanced payment prior to fulfilling a request.  Va. Code § 2.2-3704(H).  If costs are estimated to be less than $200, actual costs incurred by UVA will be billed to you after you receive your response.  We will let you know of any costs in advance. For additional information about the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, please visit our website at https://universitycounsel.virginia.edu/foia. Thank you for contacting this office. Kind Regards, FOIA Department Staff Office of University Counsel University of Virginia (434) 924-3586 foia@virginia.edu

https://universitycounsel.virginia.edu/foia

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Hello Tom: I am writing in response to your request for records under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Va. Code § 2.2-3700 et seq., for the following:

*
To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

To whom it may concern:

Pursuant to the Colorado Open Records Act, I hereby request the following records:

-- Copies of the “stop-work orders” issued to the university by a federal agency
-- Copies of the correspondence, including but not limited to emails messages, email attachments, text messages, video chat messages, and voicemails, between the university and project leads and principal investigators affected by these “stop-work orders”
-- Copies of any and all correspondence, including but not limited to emails messages, email attachments, text messages, video chat messages, and voicemails, between the federal agency and the university regarding these “stop-work orders”
-- Descriptions of the specific projects and/ or programs impacted by the “stop-work orders”
-- A list of the project leads and principal investigators affected by these “stop-work” orders

Please waive applicable fees; this information is being sought for newsgathering purposes in the public interest. As we are making this request as journalists and the information is timely, we also ask that you expedite processing for this request. If I can provide any clarification that will help expedite the processing of this request, please contact me directly.

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 3 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,
Nicole Einbinder

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,

Tom Nash, a citizen of Virginia, in coordination with Nicole Einbinder.
Under FOIA, a request shall identify requested records with reasonable specificity. Va. Code § 2.2-3704(B).  I have follow-up questions regarding your request. For your request:

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Can you please provide additional information as to what you mean by "stop-work orders"?
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What federal agency are you referring to?
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What timeframe are you seeking these records?
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Whose correspondence are you seeking? UVA has over 30,000 employees and would need additional specificity as to whose records to search. For us to continue processing or formulating a cost estimate for your request, please answer the above questions to assist us with understanding what specific records you are seeking. Kind Regards, FOIA Department Staff Office of University Counsel University of Virginia (434) 924-3586 foia@virginia.edu https://universitycounsel.virginia.edu/foia

Attachments:
FOIA_Costs_-_University_of_Virginia.pdf (https://u8387795.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.PYICgxP3kfgZjR-2B4e9nPlJy2VmF7R14YmzANzor40ymwzb2NdxND5t8M8hv-2FrbuWUA7tx3qHzQlu5JYoIchbPfr9nm4xW-2F16YC5vcKX-2BE4SzWFitNC7-2FOArM9-2FLN7lip3ZddJFjOHNCFWkoQY-2Fq3loQrByE4xgn56cWbvES-2BgVQrcGy5vxZeehzJe-2BN4TpR-2F4FdCA-2BcaHC6L6uWpOePPpHOLVNXvBXGKu8lJGMzaSEg-3Dt-ro_2zTkxAwXMfYZd-2B9t1eaOvFEfYeH6KcPGx9Gmo7-2BB2UnYA-2BmrMzk91n73VhZc-2B6rGnc4ZJzM4ENtTG6b5xRdYMkq7BEe-2FZOO-2FDYbE3rDLYySKqUS3tpyrL4001LA-2BICz2Bblatu-2F8Kc5MBmMcv1QO70KGNypirZ202npfXjpcHDcB9NuoUAAZ86zKIRJI6hrkAKb4bmbhc-2BLU4n3xekNu4G-2FviSNDMmdyIgDJR3xwQ-2FL4Hulm-2BMWuaucVnyvjtDaN5PMVMB61PIMmI8BN38GF1tYDW5hcNq6kYxCmpM-2FDvYJMnIG8JIWmCYBDrHAOdKdJr-2BTZInj1QEdtoAp1t8yRJFnvYi2C9Iw0eZEtzchj7JARSq73lvbyQgRUf-2FEFWfIucnku5-2Bd83wXLkj01ExlrCA-3D-3D)

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Hello Tom: I am writing in response to your request for records under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Va. Code § 2.2-3700 et seq., for the following:
To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

To whom it may concern:

Pursuant to the Colorado Open Records Act, I hereby request the following records:

-- Copies of the “stop-work orders” issued to the university by a federal agency
-- Copies of the correspondence, including but not limited to emails messages, email attachments, text messages, video chat messages, and voicemails, between the university and project leads and principal investigators affected by these “stop-work orders”
-- Copies of any and all correspondence, including but not limited to emails messages, email attachments, text messages, video chat messages, and voicemails, between the federal agency and the university regarding these “stop-work orders”
-- Descriptions of the specific projects and/ or programs impacted by the “stop-work orders”
-- A list of the project leads and principal investigators affected by these “stop-work” orders

Please waive applicable fees; this information is being sought for newsgathering purposes in the public interest. As we are making this request as journalists and the information is timely, we also ask that you expedite processing for this request. If I can provide any clarification that will help expedite the processing of this request, please contact me directly.

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 3 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,
Nicole Einbinder

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,

Tom Nash, a citizen of Virginia, in coordination with Nicole Einbinder. The University has provided a free cost estimate below.  Please review the attached handout titled “FOIA Costs-University of Virginia” for additional details regarding your cost estimate. Please note that this cost estimate is based on conducting a keyword search of the named custodian email accounts for the keyword "stop work."  Please let me know if you would want to amend the keywords for this request as it would impact this cost estimate. Cost Estimate:

Activity
Amount

Step 1: Collection and/or Ingestion
$ 574.28

Step 2: Review
$159.28

Total:
$733.56 How to Make Payment When estimated costs exceed $200, we require advanced payment as permitted by FOIA. When costs are under $200, we will invoice you at the time the final response is sent. To make payment, please submit a check payable to the University of Virginia to: Office of the University Counsel Attn: FOIA Office P.O. Box 400225 Charlottesville, VA 22904 Please let us know if you approve the above costs. If over $200, please submit advance payment for us to proceed with your request. For additional information about the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, please visit our website at https://universitycounsel.virginia.edu/foia. Thank you for contacting this office. Kind Regards, FOIA Department Staff Office of University Counsel University of Virginia (434) 924-3586 foia@virginia.edu https://universitycounsel.virginia.edu/foia