Request for AG ORD Regarding Responses to TTUS's¶

Good Afternoon,

Texas Tech University System's (TTUS) response to your requests, attached above, is attached herein.  We have also attached a copy of the request for brief letter, which was sent to the Attorney General.  Once we receive the opinion from the Attorney General, we will respond accordingly.

Sincerely,
Brontë C. Staugaard
Assistant General Counsel
Texas Tech University System
(806) [REDACTED – PARTIAL-PHONE]

This communication, including any attachments, originates from an Attorney and may contain confidential information and is intended only for the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. Any review, dissemination, or copying of this communication by anyone other than the intended recipient is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail, delete and destroy all copies of the original message.

[cid:image001.png@01DC4CCF.659E0BB0]

From: Staugaard, Bronte
Sent: Monday, November 3, 2025 4:51 PM
To: 'Kevin Bass' <kbassphiladelphia@gmail.com>
Subject: Cost Estimate Regarding Responses to TTUS's Clarifications/Narrowings and Additional Request Received on 10.20.2025

Good Afternoon,


Texas Tech University System (TTUS) is in receipt of your responses to our clarifications/narrowings and your additional request received on October 20, 2025. The responses and request are attached herein.  Due to our receipt of your responses and request on the same calendar day, we are treating them as a single request for the purposes of calculating costs as permitted under the Texas Government Code.



We must also note that while our correspondences sought to clarify or narrow the scope of your requests, your subsequent responses have generally served to broaden them. As such, we have determined that complying with the request will result in the imposition of a charge that exceeds $40. Therefore, the following statement is provided pursuant to sections [REDACTED – PARTIAL-PHONE] and 552.263 of the Texas Government Code:



  1.  The requested information is not currently available in a form suitable for public release, and since the request involves manipulation of data, documents are not feasible to retrieve, will result in substantial interference with ongoing operations and can only be provided at a cost that covers the manipulation of data and other costs, you are entitled to an estimate of the costs and time to provide the information in the requested form.



Therefore, the itemized statement of estimated charges is:



Labor 214.95 hrs. @ $15/hr. =           $ 3,224.25

Overhead @ 20% =                            $ 644.85

Estimated Total Cost =                     $3,869.10



  1.  Pursuant to §[REDACTED – PARTIAL-PHONE] of the Texas Government Code, TTUS is providing you with an alternative, less expensive method of obtaining some of the requested information.  An alternative method would be to narrow your request by eliminating some of the data requested, such as narrowing the date range or information requested. It may also be less expensive to view the documents here at the office.



  1.  Your request will be considered automatically withdrawn if you do not notify us in writing and within 10 (ten) business days from the date of this statement that you:



     *   Accept the estimated charges and will pay them.  Because your request is over $100.00, you are required to either deposit $1,934.55 (50% of the estimated costs) or provide TTUS with a bond for the total estimated cost. Please note that pursuant to §552.263(e), your request will be considered received when we receive your payment.  Additionally, if you fail to pay within 10 business days, your request will be considered withdrawn pursuant to §552.263(f).
     *   Are modifying the request (state the modification); or
     *   Have sent a complaint to the Office of the Attorney General of Texas alleging that you have been overcharged for a copy of public information.



  1.  You may choose to respond by email to me at bronte.staugaard@ttu.edu<mailto:bronte.staugaard@ttu.edu>, regular mail (1508 Knoxville Ave., Ste. 301 Box 42021, Lubbock, Tx 79409-2021), or in person to Ste. 301 of the Texas Tech University System Building, located at 1508 Knoxville Ave., Ste. 301, Lubbock, Tx 79409-2021.



  1.  Your check, money order, or bond must be made payable to: Texas Tech University System.



  1.  If we determine that a change in estimated charges will exceed the amount in this written itemized statement by 20%, we will send you an updated written itemized statement. As noted above, the same response requirements are imposed on you once an updated itemized statement is sent.



  1.  TTUS expects it to take approximately 2 weeks to complete this request at current workloads.


Finally, some of the documents or information that you have requested may be withheld under State law.  Therefore, if you choose to pay the deposit, we may request an Attorney General Open Records Decision (“ORD”) seeking to withhold some documents or information pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act.  Texas Government Code § 552.001, et seq.  Once the Attorney General makes a decision regarding the public disclosure of these documents, TTUS will make those documents that are determined by the Attorney General to be public, if any, available for inspection or copying.

Sincerely,
Brontë C. Staugaard
Assistant General Counsel
Texas Tech University System
(806) [REDACTED – PARTIAL-PHONE]

This communication, including any attachments, originates from an Attorney and may contain confidential information and is intended only for the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. Any review, dissemination, or copying of this communication by anyone other than the intended recipient is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail, delete and destroy all copies of the original message.

[cid:image001.png@01DC4CCF.659E0BB0]

Good Afternoon,

Attached please find a copy of Texas Tech University System's (TTUS) brief, which was sent to the Attorney General in response to the requests contained in the email(s) below. Once we receive the opinion from the Attorney General, we will respond accordingly.

Sincerely,
Brontë C. Staugaard
Assistant General Counsel
Texas Tech University System
(806) [REDACTED – PARTIAL-PHONE]

This communication, including any attachments, originates from an Attorney and may contain confidential information and is intended only for the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. Any review, dissemination, or copying of this communication by anyone other than the intended recipient is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail, delete and destroy all copies of the original message.

[cid:image001.png@01DC6860.DC1C65F0]

From: Staugaard, Bronte
Sent: Monday, December 1, 2025 11:37 AM
To: Kevin Bass <kbassphiladelphia@gmail.com>
Subject: Request for AG ORD Regarding Responses to TTUS's Clarifications/Narrowings and Additional Request Received on 10.20.2025

Good Afternoon,

Texas Tech University System's (TTUS) response to your requests, attached above, is attached herein.  We have also attached a copy of the request for brief letter, which was sent to the Attorney General.  Once we receive the opinion from the Attorney General, we will respond accordingly.

Sincerely,
Brontë C. Staugaard
Assistant General Counsel
Texas Tech University System
(806) [REDACTED – PARTIAL-PHONE]

This communication, including any attachments, originates from an Attorney and may contain confidential information and is intended only for the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. Any review, dissemination, or copying of this communication by anyone other than the intended recipient is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail, delete and destroy all copies of the original message.

[cid:image001.png@01DC6860.DC1C65F0]

From: Staugaard, Bronte
Sent: Monday, November 3, 2025 4:51 PM
To: 'Kevin Bass' <kbassphiladelphia@gmail.com<mailto:kbassphiladelphia@gmail.com>>
Subject: Cost Estimate Regarding Responses to TTUS's Clarifications/Narrowings and Additional Request Received on 10.20.2025

Good Afternoon,


Texas Tech University System (TTUS) is in receipt of your responses to our clarifications/narrowings and your additional request received on October 20, 2025. The responses and request are attached herein.  Due to our receipt of your responses and request on the same calendar day, we are treating them as a single request for the purposes of calculating costs as permitted under the Texas Government Code.



We must also note that while our correspondences sought to clarify or narrow the scope of your requests, your subsequent responses have generally served to broaden them. As such, we have determined that complying with the request will result in the imposition of a charge that exceeds $40. Therefore, the following statement is provided pursuant to sections [REDACTED – PARTIAL-PHONE] and 552.263 of the Texas Government Code:



  1.  The requested information is not currently available in a form suitable for public release, and since the request involves manipulation of data, documents are not feasible to retrieve, will result in substantial interference with ongoing operations and can only be provided at a cost that covers the manipulation of data and other costs, you are entitled to an estimate of the costs and time to provide the information in the requested form.



Therefore, the itemized statement of estimated charges is:



Labor 214.95 hrs. @ $15/hr. =           $ 3,224.25

Overhead @ 20% =                            $ 644.85

Estimated Total Cost =                     $3,869.10



  1.  Pursuant to §[REDACTED – PARTIAL-PHONE] of the Texas Government Code, TTUS is providing you with an alternative, less expensive method of obtaining some of the requested information.  An alternative method would be to narrow your request by eliminating some of the data requested, such as narrowing the date range or information requested. It may also be less expensive to view the documents here at the office.



  1.  Your request will be considered automatically withdrawn if you do not notify us in writing and within 10 (ten) business days from the date of this statement that you:



     *   Accept the estimated charges and will pay them.  Because your request is over $100.00, you are required to either deposit $1,934.55 (50% of the estimated costs) or provide TTUS with a bond for the total estimated cost. Please note that pursuant to §552.263(e), your request will be considered received when we receive your payment.  Additionally, if you fail to pay within 10 business days, your request will be considered withdrawn pursuant to §552.263(f).
     *   Are modifying the request (state the modification); or
     *   Have sent a complaint to the Office of the Attorney General of Texas alleging that you have been overcharged for a copy of public information.



  1.  You may choose to respond by email to me at bronte.staugaard@ttu.edu<mailto:bronte.staugaard@ttu.edu>, regular mail (1508 Knoxville Ave., Ste. 301 Box 42021, Lubbock, Tx 79409-2021), or in person to Ste. 301 of the Texas Tech University System Building, located at 1508 Knoxville Ave., Ste. 301, Lubbock, Tx 79409-2021.



  1.  Your check, money order, or bond must be made payable to: Texas Tech University System.



  1.  If we determine that a change in estimated charges will exceed the amount in this written itemized statement by 20%, we will send you an updated written itemized statement. As noted above, the same response requirements are imposed on you once an updated itemized statement is sent.



  1.  TTUS expects it to take approximately 2 weeks to complete this request at current workloads.


Finally, some of the documents or information that you have requested may be withheld under State law.  Therefore, if you choose to pay the deposit, we may request an Attorney General Open Records Decision ("ORD") seeking to withhold some documents or information pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act.  Texas Government Code § 552.001, et seq.  Once the Attorney General makes a decision regarding the public disclosure of these documents, TTUS will make those documents that are determined by the Attorney General to be public, if any, available for inspection or copying.

Sincerely,
Brontë C. Staugaard
Assistant General Counsel
Texas Tech University System
(806) [REDACTED – PARTIAL-PHONE]

This communication, including any attachments, originates from an Attorney and may contain confidential information and is intended only for the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. Any review, dissemination, or copying of this communication by anyone other than the intended recipient is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail, delete and destroy all copies of the original message.

[cid:image001.png@01DC6860.DC1C65F0]