RSP 510–01: Public Accessibility of Sponsored Projects Files

To provide for reasonable public access to sponsored project information and award records

Arizona Revised Statutes § 39–121 et seq. (Arizona Public Records Law)

Office for Research and Sponsored Projects Administration

Sponsored project award files are generally a matter of public record, subject to Arizona Revised Statutes § 15–1640 and other applicable law. Authorized representatives of a sponsoring agency may be provided access to files containing records maintained by the Office for Research and Sponsored Projects Administration.

Only ASU employees who have administrative and/or organizational responsibility for the award (e.g., appropriate chairs, deans, vice presidents), and the Office of General Counsel, plus members of the Board of Regents may review the files on request.

Other university personnel and the general public may also be granted access to sponsored project information, although access to some information may be restricted by the sponsor or the principal investigator (PI). Requests from university personnel and the general public for access to information contained in grant or contract files must be made in writing, as indicated in the procedure below.

When a request for access to a particular grant or contract file has been received, the file will be reviewed for sponsor restrictions, such as a requirement for prior approval of press releases and public announcements, and any action necessary will be taken, including notifying the principal investigator of the request, if possible, before providing access to the file.

Once any information restricted by the sponsor and/or the principal investigator, as approved by the Office of General Counsel, has been excluded, anyone requesting access to a file will be able to review unrestricted information at the designated location.

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