A state district judge on Thursday dismissed a University lawsuit that sought to prevent the disclosure of information concerning the use of security cameras on campus.
The University's lawyers had fought an attorney general's ruling to release the public information - locations of security cameras, the amount of money spent on them and the names of companies contracted to provide them - citing a risk to campus and national security.
But in his summary judgment, Travis County District Judge Paul Davis said, "The information at issue is not subject to any exemption under the Public Information Act."
The Daily Texan filed a request for the information in October, which the University appealed to Attorney General Greg Abbott.
Abbott sided with the Texan.
"Of course I'm pleased that we were able to get a quick judgment in this case," Abbott said in a prepared statement, "and I'm hopeful that UT will promptly produce the public records, rather than continuing to fight in litigation."
UT's general counsel Patricia Ohlendorf said the University might decide within a week whether to appeal the ruling.
"The primary issue is the safety of members of our campus community, our students, our staff, our faculty and also our visitors to the campus," Ohlendorf said.
Keeping information about security cameras private "gives us better assurance that people know security measures may be taken, and that may be a deterrent to any activity that could cause harm to members of our campus community," she said.
Deputy Attorney General Jeff Boyd, who argued the state's case in court, said Abbott was adamant that his office fight the University's position.
"Contrary to what you hear out there about national security and terrorist threats creating a need to close government more, [Abbott] believes it creates a need to expand government openness," Boyd said.
One of Abbott's aides, Angela Hale, said the judge reprimanded the University's lawyers for objecting on technicalities to some of the attorney general's documents. In one instance, Hale said, the lawyers objected to the validity of some of the University's own records because they hadn't been verified by an affidavit.
"He chided the lawyers for UT for filing frivolous objections and using delay tactics," Hale said.
The University has 30 days to appeal the judgment.
Be the first to comment on this article!