Report: Oregon looks to keep coaches discipline records private

Oregon is looking into new policy that could make coaches disciplinary records inaccessible by public records requests, according to Diane Dietz of The Register-Guard.

In the last four months, two Oregon faculty members have been disciplined, including former co-offensive coordinator David Reaves, who was put on administrative leave before resigning after a being charged with a DUI.

The proposed policy, which would have to be passed by the school's president, wants the ­1,400 staff's personnel records - called "officers of administration," a classification that ­includes coaches - to be treated like faculty personnel ­records and kept secret.

When the Register-Guard filed for a public records request on Reaves' disciplinary record, the university denied the claim, stating the right to not make the record public. The Register-Guard could file an appeal, asking to make the records public, but the potential new policy would eliminate that step.

Even if the policy is passed, it could violate state law ORS 192, which requires even universities to adhere to the Oregon public records law.