FOIA Request to Southeastern Louisiana University regarding employee compensation data for Fiscal Year 2025 on November 4, 2025.
Pelican State News has submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to Southeastern Louisiana University seeking detailed records of employee compensation for all individuals employed by the university during Fiscal Year 2025. The request was made under the Louisiana Public Records Act § 44:1 et seq., with a preference for receiving the information in electronic format.
The request specifically asks for records or reports containing several data fields, including employee name, gender (if recorded), age or year of birth (if not exempt), date of birth (if not exempt or limited to month/year), employer name, title or position, hire date, compensation amount (base pay and any additional pay), compensation type (e.g., salary, hourly, stipend, bonus), and employment type (full-time or part-time).
As members of Pelican State News, we emphasize our role in gathering and reporting news to the public. Access to such public records is crucial for fulfilling our professional responsibilities, which include holding public institutions accountable and ensuring transparency. Given our role as media professionals, we have requested a fee waiver.
Additionally, it is noted that the requestor is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy. This non-profit organization assists media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies using Freedom of Information and Sunshine Laws to promote transparency. More information about this coalition can be found on their website: https://stopsecrecy.org/about/.
We look forward to receiving this information in an electronic format as it will greatly aid in our reporting efforts. As always, we remain open for any questions or clarifications regarding this request.
