Passaic Today

FOIA Request to Montclair State University regarding Chinese National students on June 16, 2025.

Passaic Today, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, has submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to Montclair State University. The request was made under the New Jersey Open Public Records Act, N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq., and seeks specific records related to Chinese National students at the university.

The request includes several detailed inquiries:

1. Documents or lists showing all current students who are Chinese Nationals and their respective departments of study. If student names are protected, the request asks for a total number of such students broken down by department.

2. Information on scholarships received by current Chinese National students, including the amount and source of each scholarship.

3. A list of recipients of any scholarships granted by entities affiliated with the Chinese Scholarship Council, unless this information is already included in the previous request.

4. Policies or procedures detailing how the university monitors students, including Chinese Nationals, to protect its Intellectual Property and other confidential information.

The request emphasizes that if redaction is necessary due to privacy concerns, it should be applied where appropriate. Additionally, if providing totals instead of detailed lists does not result in loss of information for certain requests, it may be acceptable.

This FOIA request was submitted on behalf of Passaic Today and The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy—a non-profit organization that aids media companies in investigating governmental agencies through transparency laws. The requester has also sought a fee waiver based on their role as a media professional involved in gathering and reporting news to the public.

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.