"As student journalists, we've used the Freedom of Information Act to take us where other reporting methods could not. Spurred by observations while reporting and real conversations with sources, we used public records requests to fill in blanks, connect dots and check our own assumptions."
"When we've faced opposition from Michigan State University - infamous for skirting open records laws - we researched and wrote compelling appeals, publicly shamed absurd redactions and took the university to court, where we won."
"Requesting public records (or "FOIAing," as reporters call it) can seem complicated and difficult. But it doesn't have to be. It's an easy tool and an important right that we all - student journalists in particular - should be eagerly exercising."
Student journalists at The State News, Michigan State University's independent newspaper, have effectively utilized the Freedom of Information Act as a primary reporting tool to access public records and investigate institutional matters. The newspaper has successfully challenged the university's resistance to open records requests through research, appeals, public pressure on redactions, and litigation. Their persistent FOIA efforts have uncovered information that other reporting methods could not access, allowing them to verify assumptions and connect investigative dots. The Student Press Law Center and Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project recognized their work with the 2025 Student Freedom of Information Award. The journalists emphasize that FOIA requests, while appearing complex, are accessible tools that student reporters should actively practice and utilize to transform curiosities into discoveries.
Read at Poynter
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