Texas Tech wants regents’ phone records kept secret
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Texas Tech doesn’t deny the members of the Board of Regents talk about government business on their phones. We all know they do. The University just doesn’t want you to see who they talked to.
What’s the big secret?
Dolcefino Consulting filed a formal request under the Texas Public Information Act for the phone records of the Regents, along with former Chancellor Kent Hance. The request only seeks records of phone calls and text messages relating to the business of Texas Tech.
Texas Tech University’s fiscal year 2017 operating budget was over $926 million dollars, an increase of $27 million dollars over the previous year.
The Texas Attorney General has previously ruled the detailed cell phone records of public employees and government officials are public, and defines the University as a major state agency. However, the school is arguing the Regents are just appointed, only meet five times a year, and have no individual power.
“My favorite argument from the esteemed University lawyer is all these smart Regents won’t be able to tell which phone calls were business and which ones were personal,” says Wayne Dolcefino, President of Dolcefino Consulting. “I say take a stab. You can do it. This is an important fight for the public’s right to know. Most University business is being done by phone and e-mail and Texas Tech knows it. They just want to hide it.”
The phone records were requested as part of a widening investigation by the Houston based Investigative Communications Firm run by former Investigative Reporter Wayne Dolcefino.
Dolcefino Consulting is also probing the refusal of the University to pay former football coach Mike Leach, who led the Red Raiders to the best winning season in history. The University still owes Leach $2.5 million dollars.
Leach, now a football coach for Washington State has waged his own campaign to get the money he is owed. On Twitter, #PAYCOACHLEACH has a growing number of supporters.
“Maybe Texas Tech needs help finding waste in the University so they have the money to pay Leach,” says Dolcefino. “We are going to help them find it.”
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