PITTSBURGH PAPER SUING WVU OVER PUBLIC INFORMATION

(03/15/2008)
The Pittsburgh Post Gazette is planning to sue West Virginia University, alleging that the University failed to comply with the state's open records laws.

The Post Gazette requests were related to the paper's coverage of the controversy surrounding a master's degree awarded to Gov. Joe Manchin's daughter Heather Bresch.

Initial documentation indicates Bresch lacked a considerable number of hours to receive a degree, but nonetheless was given one.

Bresch is now an executive with Mylan Pharmaceuticals.

The paper, which broke the story regarding the governor's daughter, says the university has been dragging its feet and stonewalling in releasing the public information.

WVU has released about 1,500 pages of information to the media.

The school's attorney said "West Virginia University is strongly committed to openness in its handling of public records and documents, and the University has responded forthrightly to requests from many news media for documents related to this matter."

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