Since FOIA essentially calls for full or partial disclosure of previously unreleased information and documents controlled by the United States Government, all bodies under the government must respond to FOIA request.

So, governmental bodies ranging from the police department to a parks and recreation must be prepared respond to a FOIA request at some point in time.

For a full list federal agencies and their FOIA Web sites, click here.

FOIA was first signed to law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1966 to clear up which records the government were allow to keep secret and which records the public had the right to know about.  Since it’s signing, it has been amended approximately nine times.

So what is a FOIA request and how are government bodies expected to respond to them?

The Rock Hill Police Department is just one of the many government bodies that are required by FOIA to release information to the general public and they tend to follow the same rules and procedures.

For the department, Assistant to the Chief, Lieutenant Brad Redfearn said the department gets an average of approximately 20 FOIA request yearly. Requests range from simple incident reports to murder case files. Some requests are handled differently depending on the type of person or organization.

For example, the news media requests are handled differently than a person requesting their personal incident report, Redfearn said.

“With media request we contact our city attorney and decide which documents we are required to release and those that we aren’t,” Redfearn said.

FOIA requests made by attorneys are handled by internal affairs. All media FOIA requests must go through Redfearn and Chief of Police.

After receiving the FOIA, the police department looks over the request to see what information a person or organization is asking for, and if they are able to release the information they will respond accordingly within the 15-business day limitation. If the information requested will take more than the 15 allotted days than police department must respond that they received the request and are currently processing it. Afterward they must respond with the documents within a reasonable time frame.

If after reviewing the request the police department finds it is not required to release the documents then they must cite a reason within their response.

Redfearn said the Rock Hill Police Department usually gets release information as quickly as possible.

“We release documents from the Motz case to “20/20″ in seven days,” Redfearn said.  It all depends on the documents and how quickly they are able to collect and access them.

Redfearn said despite contrary beliefs the police department has no problem with FOIA.

“FOIA is not unbearable to us,” he said.

In fact, Redfearn believes the public has the right to information and that the department releases information if they are able to. In some cases, such as an ongoing investigation or releasing a victim’s name before family notification, the department is unable to release documents.

The Rock Hill Police Department is just one of the many government bodies that are required by FOIA to release information to the general public and follow the same rules and procedures.

Don’t let your confusing cost you

Filing a FOIA can be a confusing task but make sure your confusing doesn’t cost you. Here’s how much certain organizations must pay for FOIA documents:

Commercial – Companies that or people who seek information for a use or purpose that furthers commercial, trade, or profit interests. Commercial requesters are required to pay for search, review and duplication costs.

Educational Institution – Preschools, public or private elementary or secondary schools, and institutions of graduate higher education, undergraduate higher education, professional education, or vocational education that operate a program(s) of scholarly research. Educational requesters are required to pay duplication costs, but are entitled to the first 100 pages without charge.

Non-Commercial Scientific Institution – Non-commercially operated institutions that conduct scientific research not intended to promote any particular product or industry. Non-commercial requesters are required to pay duplication costs, but are entitled to the first 100 pages without charge.

Representative of the News Media – People who actively gather news for entities organized and operated to publish or broadcast news to the public. News Media requesters are required to pay for duplication, but are entitled to the first 100 pages without charge.

Other Requesters – Requesters who do not fit into any of the above categories. These requesters are persons who are not commercial, news media, scientific or educational requesters and are required to pay search costs for more than 2 hours and duplication costs for more than 100 pages.

Map to grounds

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However, my sophomore year I didn’t hear much promotion about Relay for Life and I noticed that a lot of students weren’t participating.

So I cam up with a list for why college students should participate in Relay for Life.

1. Your resume will thank you: Yes, as shady and uncaring as this may seem, it really does help you out. Employers want to know that you actually did something in college and didn’t just sit around and  waste precious oxygen. Of course, this shouldn’t be your only reason for participating and if it is, please don’t tell anyone.
2. You get experience: This may also tie into the above post. Participating in relay for life hones your leadership abilities. You are basically running a business, you must organize, fundrise and promote your event. This are necessary skills in the workforce today, just ask any business person.
3. Your friends are doing it:Team captains and members are Winthrop students. This is the perfect time to hang out with people you know. Chances are, you know one friend who is involve with this event. And if not, go out and be the friend that’s doing it.
4. You get to exercise: Between school, work and extracurricular activities, who has time to exercise. Luckily, walking around a track all night will give you the exercise you need. It won’t make up for the past six months of fast-food eating, but in the end, it will make you feel good.
5. You’re used to pulling an all-nighter:  How many nights have you stayed up late working on a boring  an essay or project? If you’re going to stay up all night, do it with friends while helping out a greater cause.
6. You’ll have fun: There will be games, music and sports all night. Plus, you get to goof around with your friends all night and eat food, it’s basically like one big campus party. The only thing missing is alcohol, but hey, you’re probably not old enough to drink anyway.
7. You get to help fight cancer: Enough said. So, what are you waiting for? Start participating.

Winthrop updated its web page March 6 at 2 p.m.

The new student pobox looks more organized and attractive.

Students got a pleasant surprise when they logged into their email accounts last Friday.

The Web site underwent a major change. The boxy, washed-out, early 2000′s feel is gone, replaced with a smooth, rounded boxes and bright Winthrop colors.

The student pobox fits more entries per page and has a sleek look, organized feel. The only problem with the new pobox is that in some browsers the text in our email appears really small.

Overall, Winthrop gets an A for effort. Good job Wu, way to catch up with the times.

Chicago Tribune columnist and Pulitzer price winner Clarence Page discusses the joys of the news world.

We took one last picture before he left for his plane. I'm the one in the snow boots.

On March 2 Winthrop University shut down its offices and canceled classes due to a ‘snow storm’ the night before.

Despite this, Chicago Tribune columnist and Pulitzer prize winner, Clarence page, still visited the mass communication office for its annual MCOM week.

Students and faulty members brave the icy roads and slippery side walks to hear Page talk about the life a columnist.

Here’s some topics he talked about:

• Read everything you can–This includes newspapers, blogs and, yes, even books
• It’s okay to talk about race–This stemmed from a discussion about Eric Holder’s remark.
• Make sure your editorial cartoon makes sense–It’s okay to make fun of politics but if you’re cartoon doesn’t clearly state who it’s poking fun at then toss it. Or at least have the decency to apologize–New York Post.

Here’s a quote that summed up Clarance Page’s visit:

“Look at the serious news first and save the comics for dessert.” –Clarence Page

Frozen Fountain

Ahh, a snow day.

At around eight last night you could hear the collective sighs of students as they received their text messages, emails and phone calls from Winthrop University, notifying them that school was canceled for March 2, 2009.

Facebook feeds were flooded with “______ is excited about the snow!” or “______ is YESSS NO TEST!”

But one student sighed and tossed her phone aside regretfully when she received the news.

That student is me.

Where was the snow last week when I had projects that kept me awake for 24 hours to complete? Where was the snow when I had a workload whose completion exceeded the amount of time giving in a week.

Apparently it was waiting for this week.

Mass Communication week, when prominent figures in the mass media world take time off to clue us in on what we could expect in this competitive world.

I assumed that Clarence Page, a Pulitzer award-winning columnist from the Chicago Tribune, would be canceled today due to the weather. But I guess, seeing as since he’s familiar with Chicago, a little snow didn’t stop him. Although his 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. lectures are closed he still will hang around the Mass Communication department talking with willing students until noon.

Unfortunately I didn’t get that last bit of information until 10:45 today, when I woke up.

Oh well, I guess I will take this opportunity to study and maybe try and catch Clarence page before he leaves Winthrop.

Who knew a snow day could be so depressing?

So, what did they steal that was worth compromising their positioning on the team?

Apparently, a bag of frozen chicken, hot dogs and some DVDs.

Hey, not everyone can afford a pack of $2 hotdogs. Two Winthrop basketball players were charged with shoplifting hot dogs, frozen chicken and DvDs.

I can understand why someone would steal a DVD. Granted, it doesn’t mean I condone this behavior, but I do get it. Thieves usually steal electronics and other higher price luxury items because of their value.

But chicken and hot dogs?

Last week all I had left in my cupboard was a six-month-old box of Hamburger Helper and a can of tuna fish. My fridge didn’t look much better either–I had one slice of cheese and a carton of old eggs.

I had just gotten paid but unfortunately all of my money went to bills and I only had $24 left in the bank.

So, I went grocery shopping at the cheapest place that I know of–Wal-mart–and bought a bag of chicken for $8 and some other items to tide me over. I contemplated buying a $0.99 packet of hot dogs but I figured the chicken could sustain me and there was no need to waste any money.

Unfortunately, I still couldn’t afford to buy my most coveted item: a bag of Dove chocolate.

So what did I do?

Well, if I were one of the two female athletes, I guess the most obvious choice would have been to stick the bag in my jacket and pray that no one would notice a lumpy budge sticking out.

Or, you know, I could have put the bag back on the shelf, because I couldn’t afford it.

Obviously, I choose the latter.

Junior Information Design major, Carrie Greene was appalled when she read about the athletes and described their behavior as ridiculous.

“Why would you compromise your position on the team for something like hot dogs?” Greene asked. “They’re really cheap.”

Greene raises a valid point. These athletes are on full or, at least, partial scholarships. Why are they throwing away a $13,000 education for something as cheap as chicken?

“Maybe they’re bored,” Greene said.

Well, I get bored too and I’m sure Greene and the rest of Winthrop students do also. So, does this mean we’re going to go risk our college education to steal some hot dogs?

No, because we have better things to do. Like read, watch TV or maybe go on facebook.

Greene said that her financial status is “not looking good” right now. But despite this, she still has never shoplifted a day in her life.

Unfortunately, I can’t say the same. When I was six I shoplifted a pack of $0.25 gum. But in my defense, at six, I didn’t have my whole future laying on the lines. Oh yeah, and I was six.

What drives me nuts is that this isn’t the first time a member of the women basketball team was caught stealing. Earlier in the year they were arrested for shoplifting at a liquor store. Luckily (or unluckily, depending on how you view it), the store owner recognized them as Winthrop athletes because they still had on their jerseys and didn’t press charges.

It’s like they wanted to get caught.

“I feel sorry for other student athletes,” Greene said. “Their reputation is hurting because of a few idiotic players.”

Greene summed it up perfectly. Their reputations are hurting, these students are supposed to set an example for other students.

They’re suppose to be ‘model’ students. So, maybe they should start acting like it, because the last time I checked, ‘model’ students didn’t steal chicken and hot dogs from Wal-Mart.

“If they’re that hungry, go to Thomson,” Greene said. Oh well, they still deserve an award:

And the award goes to...Two former Women baskeball players. Congratulations!

Here’s a list of of some other dumb athletes around the country that I took from this blog.

• At Texas Christian, four football players await trial on aggravated assault charges for their role in a September fight that left a student with a fractured skull and partial facial paralysis.
• At Grambling, four football players face charges of having group sex with a 14-year-old girl in November.
• At Virginia last March, a basketball recruit slashed a student’s face with a box cutter and was later sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison.

Maybe WU basketball players should take a lesson on crime from these athletes. If you’re going to go out, at least go with a bang.

Information Design is a brand new major that started last year. It combines the Arts and Science, Business and Visual and Performing Arts together.

There are four main concentrations:

• Digital commerce
• Interactive media
• Web application development
• Digital mass media

Each concentration builds off each other.

So what’s with my shameless self-insertion?

Winthrop University has a YouTube page. I was browsing their homepage and I found this video.

What do you think about this new major? Love it, hate it wish you were in it?

Some of this stuff I wish I would have known before mailing in my acceptance. Not that it would have changed my opinion, it just wold have been nice to know.

The Johnsonian is pretty good at telling us what’s happening around campus, as well as Winthrop’s calendar of events. But sometimes we want to know more and there are times when the Johnsonian doesn’t have enough room for a story. Or when an issue is to taboo for Winthrop media relations to advertise.

So, that’s where this blog comes in.

I can’t promise that I will cover every single event or issue that happens at Winthrop.  I’m only one person and we already have two student publications and a media relations team for that. But I will try to cover Winthrop the best of my ability. Here are some ideas:

• Discuss major/important current events
• Discuss campus life and issues that people may not know about
• Document unique and outrageous events–such as club events
• Give my spin on issues and happenings
• Maybe have a photo of the day

I’m still in the process of creating this blog, so keep in mind these ideas or subject to change.

I’m feeding off students ideas right now. If you some how manage to stumble across this blog and would like to give your two cents on what I should blog about, please do! I love feedback, negative, positive or even neutral.

Keep in mind, if you have something negative to say, back it up and give offer ways to improve. Saying I should “I suck” and “die” just make you look stupid.

But I will approve your comment, while laughing at your ignorance. Winthrop University has a lot to offer. It’s time someone blogged about this unique school, blemish and all.

So sit back and enjoy. Winthrop has a lot to offer and I plan on giving you a little taste.

Just for fun.

Here are some interesting facts about WU that you may or may not know that I got from the school’s admission site:

• Founded: 1886
• Status: Public, coeducational
• Alma Mater: audio clip
• School Colors: Garnet and Gold
• Team Name: Winthrop Eagles
• Mascot Name: Big Stuff
• Fight Song : audio clip
• Conference: Big South, NCAA Div. I
• National Accreditation: 100% in all eligible academic programs
• Student to Faculty Ratio: 15 to 1
• Average Class Size: 23
• Female to Male Student Ratio: 2 to 1
• Total Enrollment: 6,249 (Fall ’08)
• Undergraduate Enrollment: 5,068 (Fall ’08)
• Graduate Enrollment: 1,181 (Fall ’08)
• Freshman population: 1183