A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to The Regents of the University of Michigan on February 4, 2025. The request was made by Great Lakes Wire, a media organization dedicated to comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The request specifically asked for all emails sent or received by any university employee within the last 12 months that contain any of the following words: BIPOC, Indigenous, Latinx, Diversity, and Non-white. In addition to this, we at Great Lakes Wire have also requested all DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) statements issued or used within the last 12 months by the university for any official purpose. This includes but is not limited to hiring, admissions, and policy communications.
As a media organization committed to transparency and accountability in public institutions, we believe access to these records is essential for fulfilling our professional responsibilities. Given our role in disseminating information to the public, we have requested a fee waiver as media professionals under the provisions of the Michigan Freedom of Information Act § 15.231 et seq.
We will continue our efforts in providing comprehensive coverage on local governmental affairs and look forward to sharing further updates regarding this request with our readers.
