Notice of Right to Access Government Records
The New Jersey Public Access to Government Records Act N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et. seq. (the "Act") requires that the College grant members of the public access to government records as defined in the Act. The Act safeguards from disclosure proprietary and private records and information.
Requests for government records may be made anonymously.
Upon payment of the applicable fee, the College is required to make government records available within the following time periods:
Immediate access will be provided to budgets, bills, vouchers, contracts, including collective negotiations agreements, individual employment contracts, and public employee salary and over-time information. Immediate access will be provided as soon as reasonably possible following receipt of the request if the record is not being used and is not in archive
Not later than seven (7) business days after receiving the records request access will be granted or denied to all other government records provided record is currently available, not in use and not in storage or archived. Failure of the Custodian of Government Records to respond within seven business days after receiving the request is deemed a denial, unless the requestor has elected not to provide a name, address or telephone number, or other means of contacting the requestor, in which case the Custodian of Government Records shall not be required to respond until the requestor reappears before the Custodian seeking a response to the original request.
The requestor is entitled to be advised in advance of the estimated amount of fees and charges to be imposed by the College for the reproduction costs and other special services requested.
Right of Appeal - A person who is denied access to a government record by the custodian of the record at the opinion of the requestor may institute a proceeding to challenge the custodian's decision by (1) filing a complaint with the Government Records Council at the Department of Community Affair, 101 S. Broad Street, P.O. Box 800, Trenton, New Jersey 08625 or (2) by filing an action in the Civil Law Division, Atlantic City Courthouse, 1201 Bacharach Boulevard, Atlantic City, NJ 08401.
An informational pamphlet produced by the Government Records Council which explains the right of the public to access government records and the methods for resolving disputes regarding access, is available at the college office of the Custodian of Government Records. Assistance may also be obtained by calling the toll-free help line of the Government Records Council at 1(866) 850-0511 or by logging on to that agency's informational website.
Atlantic Cape Community College complies with Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200, §200.337 Access to records (see full text below).
§200.337 Access to records.
(a) Records of non-Federal entities. The Federal awarding agency, Inspectors General, the Comptroller General of the United States, and the pass-through entity, or any of their authorized representatives, must have the right of access to any documents, papers, or other records of the non-Federal entity which are pertinent to the Federal award, in order to make audits, examinations, excerpts, and transcripts. The right also includes timely and reasonable access to the non-Federal entity's personnel for the purpose of interview and discussion related to such documents.
OPRA Resources:
Atlantic Cape Application for Government Records Request Form