Big Data Month event to focus on understanding the FOIA process

The Freedom of Information Act has been used as a way for the general public to encourage transparency from governments, corporations and organizations.

An upcoming event at Grand Valley will explore the mechanics of writing and submitting a FOIA request.

FOIA-Fest will take place September 27, from 6-9 p.m., in the Kirkhof Center, room 2270, on the Allendale Campus.

“This is a critical time for the international community, and people's ability to access public information about their countries is arguably more important than ever,” said Jeff Kelly Lowenstein, assistant professor of multimedia journalism and event coordinator. “People who attend FOIA-Fest will gain more information about their rights, specific information about how to use them, and a sense of the global community of people engaged in this important work.”

During the event, Michael Morisy, co-founder of MuckRock, will deliver a keynote address providing a national overview of the freedom of information landscape. He will also explain the process and mechanics of writing a FOIA request. MuckRock is a nonprofit news site that brings together journalists, researchers, activists and citizens to request, analyze and share government documents in an attempt to make politics more transparent.

Following Morisy’s presentation, Anne Jbara, assistant general counsel and Freedom of Information Act coordinator at Grand Valley, and Patrick Beatty, staff attorney for the City of Grand Rapids, will explain how to file an effective FOIA request.

Local journalists, including Nick Manes, staff writer for MiBiz, will also be on-hand to describe their experiences using FOIA requests in their reporting.

FOIA-Fest will conclude with an interactive session during which Grand Valley faculty, members of the Michigan Freedom of Information Coalition, and the event's presenters will help attendees write and file their own FOIA requests.

This event is sponsored by Grand Valley’s School of Communications and is one of this year’s Big Data Month events occurring at the university throughout the month of September. For more information, contact Lowenstein at [email protected], or visit gvsu.edu/bigdata. This event is LIB 100 approved for Grand Valley students.