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Freedom of Information |
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Background to the Publication SchemeThe preparation of the University's publication scheme, as required by Section 19 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, was undertaken over approximately eight months and was accomplished in several stages. Stage 1In May 2003 the Registrar convened a small, informal working party to evaluate the impact the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FoIA) would be likely to have on the University and to undertake preliminary work on an institutional publication scheme. At the time of the FOI Working Party's first meeting collaborative, UUK/JISC work on drafting a Model Publication Scheme (MPS) for the higher and further education sector was already underway. Scheduled for release in July 2003, the UUK/JISC model was intended to be a pre-approved, off-the-shelf publication scheme to which higher and further education institutions could subscribe without having to compile and publish their own 'bespoke' schemes. However, at the outset, the Information Commissioner made it clear that institutions adopting the model scheme would have to ensure that they were ready and able to publish all the information it listed. In the light of this on-going work by UUK/JISC,
it was considered prudent to conduct a review of the information routinely
published within the University (which we might expect to include in an
institutional publication scheme) and its availability. Members of the
Working Party drafted an initial outline scheme for the University, anticipating
the possible contents of the UUK/JISC model and the range of University
of Bath material to be published in this way. Stage 2In August 2003 the initial outline publication scheme, prepared by the Working Party, was published on the University web-site, and an institution-wide consultation and information-gathering exercise was undertaken. Heads of Departments, Faculty Executive Assisstants, Departmental Administrators and other interested parties were contacted via e-mail. They were asked to read briefing notes on the Freedom of Information Act and to respond to the Working Party with any comments on the outline scheme. Queries arising from the exercise were followed up by the Working Party and feedback was incorporated into the outline scheme where appropriate. Stage 3In mid-September 2003 the Model Publication Scheme (MPS) for HEIs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland resulting from the UUK/JISC work was finally published on the Information Commissioner's web-site. The Working Party evaluated the MPS against its own outline to assess the significance of differences between the two schemes. Throughout the preparation process, the Working Party
had sought to follow guidance issued by the Information Commissioner emphasizing
the importance of describing classes of information in the publication
scheme in a way which has meaning for both those seeking to obtain information
from the University, and those within the University responsible for creating
and managing information. This had led to the conclusion that the University's
own outline version offered a better prospect of a satisfactory, clear,
helpful publication scheme than the model one proposed for all HEIs. The Registrar subsequently presented a paper to the Deans' Group summarising the implications of the FoIA, and the preparatory work that had already taken place in the University. The strategy adopted by the Working Party was endorsed by the Deans' Group and it was agreed that the exisiting outline publication scheme should be developed further. Stage 4With the approval of the Deans' Group, the Working Party continued its work on finalizing the University's publication scheme. Latest versions of the draft introduction and scheme were made available to the Monday Morning Management Group in November 2003. Stage 5The final version of the proposed University of Bath publication scheme was considered and approved by a meeting of the Executive Committee in December 2003. Stage 6The University of Bath publication scheme was submitted to the Information Commissioner for approval on 18 December 2003. An interim response from the Information Commissioner advised the University to publish in accordance with the Scheme submitted, pending a final response from the Information Commissioner. Stage 7The University of Bath Publication Scheme received official approval from the Information Commissioner on 18 March 2004. |
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