It sure piqued my curiosity a few weeks ago when I read that someone wanted a whole bunch of information about Texas A&M-Corpus Christi's athletic programs, and the state attorney general's office had to weigh in on whether those records were public. (You might remember that we included this request on our recent interactive map of public records issues the AG had to get involved in.)

When people start requesting public records and making a fuss about them, the subject matter is often about nuts-and-bolts government-type stuff: They want to see someone's criminal record, or e-mails sent by the mayor, or they want to know about codes violations on a neighbor's property. College athletic programs don't get too many FOIA requests that get a lot of press, particularly not school volleyball programs. What's this athletic department request about?, I asked myself.

I still don't know for certain, but I have feeling this story in Saturday's Corpus Christi Caller-Times has something to do with it.

It seems the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi athletic program is in some hot water with the NCAA. The story details allegations of unethical conduct, players being ineligible and athletes getting improper financial aid and other treatment.

The story by reporter Lee Goddard says one of the athletic program's former compliance directors has been cleared. But the university has admitted to four major violations, the former athletic director and another former compliance director still have accusations pending against them, and the NCAA's Committee on Infractions had a closed-door meeting on the issue Friday in Kansas City.

As for the public records request that the AG had to get involved in, here's how the AG's office summed up what was requested (though it did not say exactly who had asked for it):

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (the "university") received nine requests from the same two requestors for the following information: e-mails during specified time periods pertaining to the volleyball program, the former athletic director and the former baseball coach, the NCAA investigation of the baseball program, and the A&M System audit; correspondence from the auditor to two named individuals; and the last valid employment contract of three named individuals.

The outcome of the request? As best as I could make out, the AG said most of what was sought had to be released, with the exception of a piece of information that was protected by attorney-client privilege and the e-mail address of one person.

We'll be curious to see what the NCAA does.

TX AG's letter on public records from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi


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