Regents sued over Open Records Act

A former student journalist at Georgia Perimeter College filed a lawsuit against the State Board of Regents Monday for failing to turn over public records concerning the school’s $25 million budget shortfall.

David Schick accused the University of System of Georgia of not complying with his open records request and for using delaying tactics.

The system originally told Schick he’d have to pay $2,963.39 to view the records. The cost was ultimately negotiated to $291, but the lawsuit says the system has yet to turn over the records.

Regents spokesman John Millsaps was not aware of any lawsuit being filed and said as policy the system does not comment on pending legal action.

Schick wrote for the school’s newspaper and now is a freelance writer and blogger. He requested the files almost a year ago.

His attorney, Daniel Levitas with Burdine and Brown, is representing Schick pro bono at the request of the Student Press Law Center, a non-profit press-rights group.