FOIA Request to Indiana University Bloomington regarding Chinese National students on June 16, 2025.
On June 16, 2025, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to Indiana University Bloomington by the Bloomington Leader. The request seeks specific records under the Indiana Access to Public Records Act concerning Chinese National students enrolled at the university. The requested information includes:
1. Documents or lists detailing all current students who are Chinese Nationals and their respective departments of study. If names are protected, a total number of such students and a breakdown by department is requested.
2. Documents or lists showing all current Chinese National students, including details on each scholarship they receive and the source of these scholarships.
3. A list of recipients of any scholarships granted by entities affiliated with the Chinese Scholarship Council, if not already covered in the second request.
4. Policies or procedures that describe how the university monitors students, including Chinese Nationals, to protect its Intellectual Property and other confidential information.
The request emphasizes a preference for receiving this information in electronic format and mentions that redaction is acceptable where necessary. It also highlights that if redaction is burdensome but “just totaling” does not lose essential information, grouping data may be an option for certain requests.
The Bloomington Leader has submitted this FOIA request as part of its commitment to transparency and accountability in public institutions. The media organization has also requested a fee waiver due to its role in gathering and disseminating news to the public.
The requestor is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies through Freedom of Information laws.
Our team will continue to keep you updated as we gather and report news related to this request and other matters of public interest. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further clarification regarding this matter.
