Last year, we used public records requests to seek documents detailing MSU’s investigation of plagiarism allegations against the dean of the College of Education. In response, MSU opted to redact nearly every word of its report.

The university argued that allowing the public to see how they “exonerated” the dean would “constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of an individual's privacy.” That privacy interest outweighs any public interest in the information, according to MSU.

We disagree.

Our reporting has already illuminated the nature and context of the crusade against the dean, allegations that MSU’s review of his conduct was flawed, how a student may have fared differently if facing similar claims, and the secrecy with which MSU has carried out its investigation.

We believe the information withheld by MSU is essential to continuing that work. So, we have filed a lawsuit objecting to the university’s handling of our requests and seeking unredacted versions of the records.

We hope that Michigan’s courts will again see what MSU apparently cannot: that this information is of clear public interest.