Spring Quarter Classes Start April 13
Seattle Colleges will start spring quarter classes April 13 and offer instruction through online and alternative modes for the entire quarter, except for those programs requiring labs, face-to-face, and hands-on instruction due to regulatory or accreditation requirements. The college will have limited on-site services. See the college websites for more details. Learn More »
In 1972, Washington enacted the Public Records act to assure citizens of the state transparency and access to government. As a state agency, we are subject to the provisions of the Washington state public disclosure laws (RCW 42.56) governing access to public records and will respond accordingly. There may be exemptions to disclosure that may prohibit the college from releasing certain documents. The college will provide a brief explanation for any exemption to disclosure.
Within 5 business days of receiving a request the college will:
Note: Records may be provided in installments.
Records not exempt may contain personal or other information which may require us to notify affected individual(s) of the request. We may provide affected individual(s) a reasonable opportunity to seek court protection from disclosure.
As outlined in Washington's Public Records Act, RCW 42.56, agencies may charge to recover the actual cost of making and providing copies of records when fulfilling requests. Additional details can be found in Washington Administrative Code, WAC 132F-168-060.
Please note that we may require a deposit of up to ten percent of the estimated costs of copying all the records selected by the requestor, before making copies. If the records are provided in installments, we may require payment of the costs of copying an installment before being provided the installment. Please see below for our fee schedule:
The district reserves the right to use outside vendors for large projects when an outside vendor can provide copies quicker or for less cost. The requestor will be required to pay the cost charged by the vendor. Payment may be made by cash, check or money order, payable to: Seattle Colleges, 1500 Harvard Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122
Some records are exempt from public disclosure law. Following are some examples:
The Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act of 1974, 20 U.S.C. § 1232g, prohibits the disclosure of personally identifiable information in student education records without the student's written consent. Records (or portions of records) marked are student records protected from disclosure under RCW 42.56.070(1) and 20 U.S.C. §1232g.
RCW 5.60.060(2)(a) protects communications between an attorney and the attorney's client(s) for the purpose of obtaining or providing legal advice. The attorney-client privilege also protects communications within a client agency to gather information for obtaining legal advice or to convey attorney-client communications. Records (or portions of records) marked are privileged attorney-client communications protected from disclosure under RCW 42.56.070(1) and 5.60.062(2)(a).
RCW 42.56.290 protects attorney work product, consisting of drafts, notes, memoranda, research, attorney-client communications, and other records prepared, collected, or assembled in litigation or in anticipation of litigation that reveal factual or investigative information or that reflect the opinions or mental impressions of an attorney or attorney's agent(s). Records (or portions of records) marked consist of attorney work product protected from disclosure under RCW 42.56.290.
RCW 42.56.250(2) protects applications for public employment, including the names of applicants, resumes, and other related materials submitted with respect to an applicant for public employment. Records (or portions of records) marked are public employee application materials protected from disclosure under RCW 42.56.290.
RCW 42.56.250(4) protects the personal addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, social security numbers, and emergency contact information of public employees and volunteers, as well as the names, birthdates, addresses, phone numbers, and social security numbers of dependents. Records (or portions of records) marked are exempt from disclosure as personal employee information protected under RCW 42.56.250(3).
RCW 42.56.250(2), 42.56.230(3) and 42.56.050 protect personal information in files maintained for public employees to the extent that disclosure would violate their right to privacy. Records (or portions of records) marked are exempt from disclosure as containing private information in employee files protected under RCW 42.56.250(2) and 42.56.050.
RCW 42.56.230(5) protects personal financial information, including credit/debit card numbers, electronic check numbers, credit expiration dates, or bank or other financial account numbers. Records (or portions of records) marked are withheld as containing personal financial information protected under RCW 42.56.230(5)
Portions of public records marked are withheld as containing individual Social Security Numbers protected from disclosure under RCW 42.56.230(5) and 5 U.S.C. § 552(a).
RCW 42.56.420(4) protects information regarding the infrastructure and security of computer and telecommunications networks, including security passwords, security access codes and programs, and access codes for secure software applications. Records (or portions of records) marked are withheld as containing systems security information protected from disclosure under RCW 42.56.420(4).
All information that you provide Seattle Colleges, even your email communications, are considered public records. As a public organization, Seattle Colleges is required to respond to public records requests and disclose information from its purchasing records that may consist of other vendors’ confidential information. Therefore, please do not include any sensitive information or materials such as trade secrets or proprietary in your official bids, proposals, quotations, or correspondences. If you do so and do not want disclosure of such information, you must hire an attorney to file an injunction.
Rich Chen Public Records Office (206) 934-4436 Precords@Seattlecolleges.edu
Board Member Institution of the League for Innovation