The University of Louisville is still fighting to keep emails, memos and other notes related to a high-profile financial audit cloaked from public view.
The Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting, which has sought these public records for several months, has filed an appeal with the state attorney general.
Attorney General Jack Conway’s office extended the appeal an additional 30 work days in order to obtain more documentation.
A decision will be made on or before August 20, according to the letter recently issued from Conway’s office.
The university initially refused to release the outside audit of its financial controls, which was undertaken after a series of thefts at the school. The university said the audit was a draft and refused to release the other documents, notes and communications related to the audit, claiming the request was too broad.
The audit report was produced by Strothman and Company, a Louisville-based auditing firm known for working with governmental agencies.
In a letter sent to the school’s attorney on June 27, the attorney general’s office asked U of L officials to substantiate the school’s position on withholding the document from public view. The agency demanded the school respond by Wed., July 2.
That same day, the university released a report from the auditing firm.
The Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting requested Conway’s office issue an opinion on whether the university violated the state’s open records law when it implemented recommendations from a report it called a draft. KyCIR continues to seek the additional records related to the audit.
Reporter Kristina Goetz can be reached at kgoetz@kycir.org or (502) 814.6546.
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