West Central Reporter

FOIA Request to Western Illinois University Regarding Chinese National Students on May 14, 2025.

As part of our commitment to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, we at West Central Reporter have submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to Western Illinois University. This request seeks information concerning the university's current Chinese National students and associated policies.

Our inquiry includes several specific requests:

1. We are seeking documents or lists that detail all current students who are Chinese Nationals, including their department of study. If certain information is protected, we have requested the total number of these students broken down by department.

2. We have asked for records showing the scholarships received by these students, including the amount and source of each scholarship.

3. Additionally, we seek details about any scholarships granted by entities affiliated with the Chinese Scholarship Council, particularly if not covered in our previous request.

4. Lastly, we are requesting any university policies or procedures that describe how it monitors students—including Chinese Nationals—to protect its Intellectual Property and other confidential information.

This request is made in collaboration with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing transparency in government actions through the use of Freedom of Information and Sunshine Laws. As members of the media, access to public records is crucial for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities of holding public institutions accountable and ensuring transparency for the public. We believe this qualifies us for a fee waiver as media professionals.

We await Western Illinois University's response to this request and will continue to update our readers on developments related to this inquiry.