Dataset: U.S. Public University Responses to Public Records Requests for Structured Data

Abstract

This dataset is the product of a study that assessed how public universities in the United States respond to public records requests of varying complexity for structured data. When a university provided a substantive response, the following variables were coded: 1. Nature of response: Whether the university produced responsive data, produced or offered different data than what we requested, asserted there were no records, required prepayment before processing, required in-person inspection, or denied the request. 2. Response time: The number of business days (i.e., omitting weekends and holidays) from the day after a request was filed to the day a substantive response was received. 3. Format: The format that data were released: Excel, CSV, PDF, or web page. 4. New record: Whether the university expressly asserted that it is not obligated to create a new record in response to a public records request. 5. Fee estimate: The amount of money a university estimated it would cost to process the request.