State Records Committee Appeal Decision 24-51

BEFORE THE STATE RECORDS COMMITTEE OF THE STATE OF UTAH

THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH, Petitioner, v.

IAN COOPERSTEIN, Respondent,

SCHEDULING ORDER

Case No. 24-51

The matter before us is The University of Utah’s petition to declare Ian Cooperstein a vexatious requester pursuant to Utah Code § 63G-2-209. Initially, the executive secretary for the State Records Committee, the chair pro tem of the Committee, and one other member recommended that the petition be declined a hearing. See Utah Code § 63G-2-209(3)(c)(i)(A)-(C). The matter now comes before the full Committee for a vote to either ratify the decision to decline a hearing or reverse it. See Utah Code § 63G-2-209(3)(d). 

The University of Utah argues that although Mr. Coopestein has not submitted any GRAMA requests within the last 9 months, they still have ongoing communications with him concerning his numerous pending requests that go back for years. The University alleges that these communications are problematic and, when taken in conjunction with the other factors outlined in Section 209, warrant their petition be heard by the Committee. 

For the reasons the University asserts, the Committee reverses the initial recommendation that the appeal be declined a hearing. In doing so, we remind the parties that our decision today is limited to whether the University’s position warrants a hearing, and we express no opinion on the merits of their argument against Mr. Cooperstein.

Accordingly, this matter is scheduled to be heard on August 15, 2024.

It is so ordered.

Entered this 23 day of July 2024.

BY THE STATE RECORDS COMMITTEE

Marie Cornwall
Chair, Pro Tem, Utah State Records Committee

Committee members Cornwall, M., Chair pro tem, Williams, K., Dubovik, N., and Peterson, L. voted in favor of and joined this Order.

Committee member Biehler, E. voted in opposition.