St. Cloud Sun

FOIA Request to Saint Cloud State University regarding Chinese National students on June 16, 2025.

The St. Cloud Sun, a media organization focused on local governmental affairs, has submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to Saint Cloud State University. The request seeks information under the Minnesota Data Practices Act § 13.01 et seq., specifically concerning Chinese National students at the university.

The request includes several specific items:

1. Documents or lists detailing all current students who are Chinese Nationals and their respective departments of study. If student names are protected, the request asks for a total number of such students and their distribution across departments.

2. Information on scholarships received by current Chinese National students, including the amount and source of each scholarship.

3. A list of recipients of scholarships affiliated with the Chinese Scholarship Council, if not already covered in the previous item.

4. Policies or procedures describing how the university monitors students, including Chinese Nationals, to protect its Intellectual Property and other confidential information.

The request was made on behalf of both St. Cloud Sun and The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization that assists media companies in investigating governmental agencies through FOIA requests.

As part of this inquiry, the requester has asked for these records in electronic format and requested a fee waiver due to their role as a media professional responsible for public accountability and transparency.

Our team will continue to keep you updated as we gather and report news related to this request and other matters of public interest. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further clarification regarding this matter.