Page images
PDF
EPUB

Subtitle A-Office of the

Secretary, Department of Education

NOTE: Title 34 was reestablished as Education at 45 FR 30803, May 9, 1980, effective May 4, 1980.

Part

Page

4

Service of process

4

5

Availability of information to the public pursuant
to Pub. L. 90-23......

[blocks in formation]

8

Inventions resulting from research grants, fellow-
ship awards, and contracts for research

25

10

Departmental Fellowship Review Panel ......................................

27

11

Committee management .............

12

Disposal and utilization of surplus real property
for educational purposes.............

34

15

Relocation assistance and real property acquisi-
tion policies...

43

[ocr errors][subsumed]

Release of adverse information to news media

58

Claims collection............

Tort claims against the Government..

[ocr errors]

4

59

60

U.S. Exchange

Visitor Program-request for

waiver of the two-year foreign residence require-
ment...............

[subsumed][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Student Loan Marketing Association-issuance
and transfer of common stock.

73

74

99

Standards of conduct..

Administration of grants....

Privacy rights of parents and students

63

65

67

72

73

100

196

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

As used in this part:

(a) "Record" includes books, bro-

chures, punch cards, magnetic tapes,
paper tapes, sound recordings, maps,
pamphlets, photographs, slides,
motion pictures, or other documentary
materials, regardless of physical form
or characteristics, made or received by
the Department pursuant to Federal
law or in connection with the transac-
tion of public business and preserved
by the Department as evidence of the
organization, functions, policies, deci-
sions, procedures, operations, pro-
grams, or other activities.

(b) "Record" does not include: Ob-
jects or articles such as tangible exhib-
its, models, equipment, or processing
materials; or formulae, designs, draw-
ings, or other items of valuable proper-
ty; books, magazines, pamphlets, or
other reference material in formally

organized and officially designated libraries of the Department, which are available under the rules of the particular library concerned.

Subpart B-What Records Are Available

§ 5.11 Purpose and scope.

This part constitutes the regulation of the Department respecting the availability to the public, pursuant to the Act, of records of the Department. It informs the public what records are generally available.

§ 5.12 General policy.

The Department's policy is one of the fullest responsible disclosure limited only by the obligations of confidentiality and the administrative necessities recognized by the Act. Unless otherwise exempted from disclosure pursuant to law, records of the Department shall be available for inspection and copying in accordance with this part.

§ 5.13 Records available.

(a) Publication in the Federal Register. The following shall be published in the FEDERAL REGISTER:

(1) Descriptions of the Department's central and field organization and the established places at which, the officers from whom, and the methods whereby, the public may secure information, make submittals or requests, or obtain decisions;

(2) Statements of the general course and method by which the Department's functions are channeled and determined, including the nature and requirements of all formal and informal procedures available;

(3) Rules of procedures, descriptions of forms available or the places at which forms may be obtained, and instructions as to the scope and contents of all papers, reports, or examinations;

(4) Substantive rules of general applicability adopted as authorized by law, and statements of general policy or interpretations of general applicability formulated and adopted by the Department;

(5) Every amendment, revision, or repeal of the foregoing.

(b) Agency opinions and orders. The Department shall, in accordance with this part and applicable regulations, make available for public inspection and copying:

(1) All final opinions (including concurring and dissenting opinions) and all orders made in the adjudication of cases (initial decisions and reconsiderations thereof in matters that are not the result of administrative proceedings such as hearings or formal appeals are not "opinions and orders in the adjudication of cases");

(2) Those statements of policy and interpretations which have been adopted by the agency and are not published in the FEDERAL REGISTER;

(3) Administrative staff manuals and instructions to staff that affect any member of the public;

unless such materials are promptly published and copies offered for sale. The Department shall maintain and make available for public inspection and copying current indexes providing identifying information for the public as to any matter which is issued, adopted, or promulgated after July 4, 1967, and which is required by this paragraph (b) to be published or made available.

(c) Availability of records on request. In addition to the records made available pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, the Department shall, upon request for identifiable records made in accordance with this part, make such records available to any person, unless it is determined that such records must be withheld from disclosure and are exempt under subsection (b) of the Act and Subpart F of this part.

§ 5.14 Published documents.

Published records of the Department, whether or not available for purchase, shall be made available for examination.

§ 5.15 Creation of records.

Records are not required to be created by compiling selected items from the files, and records are not required to be created to provide the requester

with such data as ratios, proportions, percentages, per capitas, frequency distributions, trends, correlations, and comparisons. If such data have been compiled and are available in the form of a record, the record shall be made available as provided in this part.

§ 5.16 Deletion of identifying details.

Whenever any final opinion, order, or other materials required to be made available pursuant to subsection (a)(2) of the Act relates to a private party or parties and the release of the name or names or other identifying details will constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, the record shall be published or made available with such identifying details left blank, or shall be published or made available with obviously fictitious substitutes and with a notification such as the following as a preamble:

Names of parties and certain other identifying details have been removed [and fictitious names substituted] in order to prevent a clearly unwarranted invasion of the personal privacy of the individuals involved.

§ 5.17 Records in record centers.

When a request is made for identifiable records of the Department which have been stored in the National Archives or other record centers of the General Services Administration, but would otherwise be available under this Act, such records shall be requested by the Department for the request

er.

§ 5.18 Destroyed records.

Records of specified form or character are destroyed after the lapse of time specified in the Records Disposal Act of 1943 (44 U.S.C. 366-380), the Federal Property Management Regulations (41 CFR Part 101-111), and the Records Control Schedules.

§ 5.19 Records of other departments and agencies.

Requests for records which originated in or concern matters which originated in another Department or Government agency may be forwarded to the Department or agency primarily concerned and the requester so notified.

[blocks in formation]

(a) A request for any information or record may be made at any appropriate office of the Department.

(b) If a request is made at any office of the Department and the information or record is not located where the request is made, the requester shall be referred to the proper office, or if the request is put in writing it may be forwarded to the proper office.

(c) A request should reasonably identify the requested record by brief description. Requesters who have detailed information which would assist in identifying the records requested are urged to provide such information in order to expedite the handling of the request. Envelopes in which written requests are submitted should be clearly identified as a Freedom of Information request.

(d) Determination of whether records will be released or withheld will be made within 10 working days from date of receipt in the office having custody of the records This time may be extended by written notice for no longer than an additional 10 working days, only in unusual circumstances. Unusual circumstances mean:

(1) The need to search for and collect the requested records from field facilities or other establishments that are separate from the office processing the request;

(2) The need to search for, collect and appropriately examine a voluminous amount of separate and distinct records which are demanded in a single request; or

(3) The need for consultation, which shall be conducted with all practicable speed, with another agency having a

substantial interest in the determination of the request or among two or more components of the agency having substantial subject-matter interest therein.

If such extension is made, the requester will be notified in writing with an explanation of why the extension was necessary and the date on which a determination will be made.

§ 5.52 Copies of records.

Copies of available records shall be produced as promptly as possible upon receipt of the fee therefor. Copying service shall be limited to not more than two copies of any single page, except that additional copies may be made where administrative considerations permit. Records which are published or available for sale need not be copied.

§ 5.53 Denial of request for records.

Written requests for inspection or copying of records shall be denied only by the Freedom of Information Officer. Denials of requests shall be in writing and shall contain the reasons for the denial and provide the requester with appropriate information on how to exercise the right of appeal under Subpart G of this part. Such notification shall also set forth the names and titles or positions of each person responsible for the denial of such request if such person or persons is other than the Freedom of Information Officer.

[blocks in formation]

(b) Certification or authentication of records;

(c) Searches for records.

§ 5.61 Fee schedules.

The fee schedule for the Department is as follows:

(a) (1) Search for records-three dollars per hour provided, however, that no charge will be made for the first half hour.

(2) Reproduction, duplication or copying of records-ten cents per page where such reproduction can be made by commonly available photocopying machines. However, the cost of reproducing records which are not susceptible to such photocopying, e.g. punch cards, magnetic tapes, blueprints, etc., will be determined on a case-by-case basis at actual cost.

(3) Certification or authentication of records-three dollars per certification or authentication.

(4) Forwarding material to destination- any special arrangements for forwarding which are requested by the requester shall be charged on an actual cost basis.

(5) No charge will be made where the total amount does not exceed five dollars.

(b) Waiver or reduction of the fees provided for in this section may be made upon a determination that such waiver or reduction is in the public interest because furnishing the information can be considered as primarily benefiting the general public.

§ 5.63 Searching records.

Fees for searching shall be computed as follows:

(a) A predetermined standard hourly rate for labor and personal services of employees of the Department. Such hourly rates shall be published in ad

vance.

(b) Actual cost to the Government of materials, postage and other direct costs, plus indirect costs to the Government. Such costs shall be determined for each request, at the time of the request, allowing a reasonable period for the development of the estimate.

60-105 0-80--2

« PreviousContinue »