By Daniel Libit

Last week, the University of New Mexico finally turned over documents responsive to a series of public records requests I made in November 2018. UNM did so as part of a settlement agreement we reached in January, after the school denied my initial requests based on a specious claim of “reasonable particularity” —  basically, that I was not clear enough in specifying the particular documents I was seeking. Continue reading “The Docs UNM Spent Over $45K to Hide” →

By Daniel Libit

The University of New Mexico Foundation is once again facing legal action for allegedly violating the state’s public disclosure laws, after it denied a local attorney records related to the scandalous 2015 Lobo booster golf trip to Scotland. Continue reading “UNMF Gets Sued Again For Lobo Records” →

By Daniel Libit

Once. Twice. Three times transparency.

As part of my ongoing effort to help the University of New Mexico with its long-striving and oft-asserted commitment to openness, I have now filed a third public records lawsuit against a UNM component unit or direct-support organization. The latest defendant is arguably the most egregious offender of the trio: the UNM Lobo Club, the athletic department’s booster organization. Continue reading “Yep, We’re Now Suing the Lobo Club” →

By Daniel Libit

Where is the inflection point for shame at Scholes Hall? That’s what I still want to know.

Because it would seem like the University of New Mexico’s leadership, having taken stock of the last two years, in which the school’s disclosure practices were repudiated by government watchdogs, editorial boards, a state District Court judge and the New Mexico Attorney General — and in which UNM’s new president has “emphatically” pledged a new era of transparency — might show some modicum of contrition.

But rather, in spite of everything, UNM’s leaders have recently decided to experiment with a new way of flipping their middle fingers at the virtue of public accountability. In response, I’ve filed another public records lawsuit against the university. Continue reading “UNM’s Public Records ‘Particularity’ Ploy” →

By Daniel Libit

The University of New Mexico continues to run up a tab for its anti-transparency past.

As part of a recent settlement agreement, the school has agreed to pay $35,000 of my legal fees in order to be dismissed as a defendant in a public records lawsuit I filed against the UNM Foundation. Continue reading “UNM Coughs Up $35K to Exit Records Case” →

By Daniel Libit

Facing mounting media scrutiny — and an adverse public records lawsuit ruling — The University of New Mexico Foundation acknowledged today that it quietly amended a gift agreement last year with university booster Margaret Branch, which cut the price of her naming-rights deal for the Lobo football field by almost half.

The Albuquerque Journal, which was first to report the news, said that it had made multiple requests for the Branch Field payment information over the last two years. But the disclosures came just weeks after NMFishbowl.com made an Inspection of Public Records Act request for these materials on September 12. Continue reading “UNMF Comes Clean on Branch Field Deal” →

By Daniel Libit

The New Mexico Foundation for Open Government and the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information have jointly submitted an Amici Curiae brief in support of our public records lawsuit against the University of New Mexico Foundation. Continue reading “NMFOG, Brechner Center File Brief in Support of our IPRA Suit” →

By Daniel Libit

A draft of a legal services agreement between the University of New Mexico and an outside law firm indicates that the school may be looking for changes to the state’s public record laws.

The Nov. 15  engagement letter from the Modrall Sperling law firm reads: “We have been engaged to advise the university in connection with questions concerning compliance and possible amendemtns (sic) to the Inspection of Public Records Act.” (Emphasis added.) Continue reading “Is UNM Anticipating IPRA Changes?” →