FOIA Request to University of California Merced Regarding Chinese National Students on June 3, 2025.
As part of our commitment to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, we at the Merced Times have submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the University of California Merced. This request seeks information concerning Chinese National students currently enrolled at the university.
Our inquiry specifically requests documents or lists detailing all current students who are Chinese Nationals, including their respective departments of study. If privacy laws protect certain details, we have asked for a total count of these students broken down by department.
Additionally, we are seeking information about scholarships awarded to these students. This includes the amount each student receives and the source of each scholarship. We have also requested a list of recipients affiliated with the Chinese Scholarship Council, should this not be covered in our initial scholarship inquiry.
Furthermore, we have asked for any policies or procedures that outline how the university monitors its students—specifically Chinese Nationals—to safeguard intellectual property and other confidential information.
This request is made on behalf of The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization dedicated to investigating state and federal governmental agencies through Freedom of Information and Sunshine Laws. As members of the media, access to public records is crucial for us to hold public institutions accountable and ensure transparency for our readers. We believe this entitles us to a fee waiver as media professionals.
We await UC Merced’s response and will keep our audience informed about developments regarding this request.
