The Texas Public Information Act (TPIA) is broad for affairs of governmental bodies and acts of public officials and employees but the Education Code’s application to private universities is narrow and limited to a university’s police department.
The Texas Education Code extends the TPIA to the police departments of private universities under limited circumstances: A campus police department of a private institution of higher education is a law enforcement agency and a governmental body for purposes of Chapter 552, Government Code, only with respect to information relating solely to law enforcement activities.
Open Records Request
During the 86th Legislative Session, section 552.234 of the Government Code was amended. Thus, effective Sep. 1, 2019, the following methods are the only means of submitting a written request for records of St. Mary’s University Police Department:
- By email, to openrecords@stmarytx.edu.
- By mail, specifically addressed to:
St. Mary’s University
Public Information Office, Campus Mail 065
One Camino Santa Maria St.
San Antonio, Texas 78238-5433
- By hand delivery, to the University Police Department:
St. Mary’s University Police Department
Treadaway Hall
Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.*
*Weekends, holidays and other campus closures do not apply as business days. See the University calendar for closures.
Learn more about TPIA or open records requests at the Office of the Attorney General.