Updated copy of current job descriptions, civil service job titles, and local job titles
Dear Rowan University,
Please accept this electronic request for public records made under OPRA and the common law right of access. I am not required to fill out an official form or use a particular software platform to submit my request per NJSA 47:1A-6(f), which states that an email from a requestor including all of the information required on the adopted form shall suffice in place of a completed form as a valid government record request.
I HAVE NOT been convicted of any indictable offense under the laws of New Jersey, any other state, or the United States.
I WILL NOT use the requested government records for a commercial purpose.
I AM NOT seeking records in connection with a legal proceeding.
Records requested:
A copy of the names, salaries, current job descriptions, civil service titles if applicable, and local job titles of every AFT, AAUP, CWA, and administrator worker employed at all of Rowan University's Division of Information and Technology, Division of Research and all library campuses.
My preferred delivery method for response(s) to this request is by E-mail as attachments. Please confirm you have received this request. If you are not the custodian of records, please forward my request to that person and provide their email address to me for future reference.
Yours faithfully,
NJ OPRA Requester
Hello,
Rowan is in receipt of your January 13, 2025, OPRA request (below) wherein you sought a "copy of the names, salaries, current job descriptions, civil service titles if applicable, and local job titles of every AFT, AAUP, CWA, and administrator worker employed at all of Rowan University's Division of Information and Technology, Division of Research and all library campuses. "
In order to respond, Rowan needs the following clarifications:
-Is this for all AFT, AAUP, CWA, and administrator employees in IRT, Research and all Libraries?
-Is this limited to current AFT, AAUP, CWA, and administrator employees?
-Is this for only for AFT, AAUP, CWA, and administrator full time employees or are part time employees included?
-Are students and graduate assistants included?
The subject line indicates that this is a request for an "Updated copy." However, the last request was limited to library employees only. Please advise if you are looking for an update to that report or are now looking for a report which includes IRT and research employees.
"OPRA requires a party requesting access to a public record to specifically describe the document sought." Gannett New Jersey Partners, L.P. v. County of Middlesex 379 N.J.Super. 205, 212, 877 A.2d 330 (App.Div.2005). A request must identify the sought-after documents "with reasonable clarity." Bent v. Township of Stafford Police Department 381 N.J.Super. 30, 37, 884 A.2d 240 (App.Div. 2005). A requestor is obliged to identify the documents sought with some particularity, thus enabling government to maintain transparency while completing necessary day-to-day functions. Bent, supra, 381 N.J.Super. at 37, 884 A.2d 240.
Please note, Rowan University's response time is suspended until the above clarifications are provided.
If you have any questions and/or would like to discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.
Thank you,
Arsinoe Feld, Esq
OPRA Coordinator
Office of General Counsel
Rowan University | 201 Mullica Hill Rd.| Glassboro, NJ 08028-1701
[email address] |856-256-5110
Dear Feld, Lorra Arsinoe,
CAPITALIZED Responses to your questions:
in order to respond, Rowan needs the following clarifications:
-Is this for all AFT, AAUP, CWA, and administrator employees in IRT, Research and all Libraries?
THIS IS FOR CURRENT FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES IN THESE DEPARTMENTS.
-Is this limited to current AFT, AAUP, CWA, and administrator employees?
SEE ABOVE.
-Is this for only for AFT, AAUP, CWA, and administrator full time employees or are part time employees included?
SEE ABOVE.
-Are students and graduate assistants included?
NO, UNLESS THEY ARE FULL-TIME.
The subject line indicates that this is a request for an "Updated copy." However, the last request was limited to library employees only. Please advise if you are looking for an update to that report or are now looking for a report which includes IRT and research employees.
WE ARE NOW SEEKING A REPORT INCLUDING THESE ADDITIONAL DEPARTMENTS AND CURRENT DATE.
"OPRA requires a party requesting access to a public record to specifically describe the document sought." Gannett New Jersey Partners, L.P. v. County of Middlesex 379 N.J.Super. 205, 212, 877 A.2d 330 (App.Div.2005). A request must identify the sought-after documents "with reasonable clarity." Bent v. Township of Stafford Police Department 381 N.J.Super. 30, 37, 884 A.2d 240 (App.Div. 2005). A requestor is obliged to identify the documents sought with some particularity, thus enabling government to maintain transparency while completing necessary day-to-day functions. Bent, supra, 381 N.J.Super. at 37, 884 A.2d 240.
I AM UNSURE IF YOU ARE REQUESTING FURTHER SPECIFICITY ON THE DOCUMENTS SOUGHT, BUT IF HELPFUL THE DOCUMENTS YOU PROVIDED IN THE PREVIOUS REQUEST ARE GOOD EXAMPLES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ASSISTANCE.
Yours sincerely,
NJ OPRA Requester
Hello,
Thank you for the clarifications and quick response.
Pursuant to OPRA, a response from Rowan University is due within seven (7) business days, which is January 23, 2025. Please note Rowan will need to coordinate with a few departments as well as compile the information once it is received into a report. In order to do all of this, Rowan will need a two week extension until February 6, 2025, to provide a response.
Unless you advise otherwise, Rowan will assume there is no objection to the request.
Please feel free to reach out to me to discuss any questions or concerns.
Thank you,
Arsinoe Feld, Esq
OPRA Coordinator
Office of General Counsel
Rowan University | 201 Mullica Hill Rd.| Glassboro, NJ 08028-1701
[email address] |856-256-5110
Good afternoon,
Please accept this as Rowan's completed response to your January 13, 2025, OPRA request (attached) and January 14, 2025, email with the requested clarifications (below). You requested a "copy of the names, salaries, current job descriptions, civil service titles if applicable, and local job titles of every AFT, AAUP, CWA, and administrator worker employed at all of Rowan University's Division of Information and Technology, Division of Research and all library campuses." Attached please find zip file that contains folders with the job descriptions and a spreadsheet with the names and salaries. The spreadsheet is also broken down into tabs by department. For the administrative titles, Rowan does not have "job descriptions" for the most of these positions. However, the job titles describe their job function.
Your request is denied under the common law for the following reason(s):The common law right to access public records depends on three requirements: (I) the records must be common law public documents; (2) the person seeking access must establish an interest in the subject matter of the material; and (3) the citizen's right to access must be balanced against the State's interest in preventing disclosure. Richard Rivera v. Union County Prosecutor's Office, 250 N.J. 124, 143-44 (2022); South Jersey Publishing Co. v. New Jersey Expressway Auth., 124 N.J. 478,487 (1991); Loigman v. Kimme/man, 102 N.J. 98 (1986); Nero v. Hyland, 76 NJ. 213, 222 (1978). Your common law request is denied due to your failure to identify your interest in the requested records.
This is a full response to your OPRA request and Rowan will close this request unless you advise otherwise.
If you have any questions and/or would like to discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at any time.
Thank you,
Arsinoe Feld, Esq
OPRA Coordinator
Office of General Counsel
Rowan University | 201 Mullica Hill Rd.| Glassboro, NJ 08028-1701
[email address] |856-256-5110
Dear Feld, Lorra Arsinoe,
Thank you for this information. It appears to only contain information for the library, not your IT or research department as originally requested. Please provide this information.
Regarding administrative positions, please provide their names/titles and copies of the original job postings associated with their positions, whether internal or external postings in lieu of job descriptions if they do not exist. If job descriptions do exist for some administrative positions as you noted, please provide them.
Yours sincerely,
NJ OPRA Requester
Hello,
A review of the files that were sent shows they contain various the job descriptions, not just for the library. Attached is one example of a job description that is not limited to the library.
In regard to the managerial employees, there are 71 total on the spreadsheet. There are job descriptions for 37 of them. The remaining 34 may not have job descriptions due to reclassifications or internal departmental reorganizations. In order to provide job descriptions for the remaining 34, a Rowan employee would need to pull employee files, review reclassifications, or look at other resources which would take at minimum 2 weeks to compile.
OPRA allows public agencies to impose special service charges whenever fulfilling a request requires an extraordinary expenditure of time and effort. See N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5. OPRA mandates that the requestor (you) has the opportunity to review and object to the charge prior to it being incurred. See N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5.c. It is estimated that this request will take between 15-20 hours at $25 per hour for a total between $375-$500. Once we have your approval and payment of $375, Rowan will proceed with getting everything together. Please note that Rowan will not produce any information or begin any work until payment is received. A refund will be provided if the project is completed sooner than expected.
In addition, Rowan will need an additional 10-12 business days, after receiving your approval and payment to work on your request.
Please advise as to how you would like to proceed.
Thank you,
Arsinoe Feld, Esq
OPRA Coordinator
Office of General Counsel
Rowan University | 201 Mullica Hill Rd.| Glassboro, NJ 08028-1701
[email address] |856-256-5112