The first two days
of this basic training program are designed for attorneys, paralegals, and information
officers with limited previous experience under the FOIA who are now or soon
will be working extensively with the Act. Workshops on FOIA exemptions emphasize
the criteria for making information-disclosure determinations, and procedural
issues are addressed as well. The third day of the program deals with the Privacy
Act of 1974, addressing such matters as definitions, restrictions on disclosure,
requests for record access and amendment, and fair information practices. Attendance
on all three days is required for programs conducted in Columbia, South Carolina.
For programs conducted in Washington, D.C., the FOIA and Privacy Act sessions
may be attended separately.
October 21-23,
2002, Washington, D.C.
November 13-15, 2002, Columbia, S.C.
April 1-3, 2003, Columbia, S.C.
June 17-19, 2003, Washington, D.C.
September 16-18, 2003, Columbia, S.C. cancelled
Advanced Freedom
of Information Act Seminar
This seminar is
designed for the principal legal and administrative FOIA officers of all federal
agencies and major agency components, or their designees. It provides advanced
instruction on selected substantive and procedural topics under the FOIA, including
up-to-date policy guidance. It also serves as a forum for the exchange of ideas
useful in dealing with problems that commonly arise in administering the Act.
The seminar includes sessions on such topics as recent FOIA decisions, selected
procedural issues, FOIA from the nongovernment perspective, administrative and
litigation considerations, and current policy issues. Registration is limited
to no more than 45 attendees, all of whom should have attended the Department
of Justice's basic two-day FOIA course.
December 4, 2002,
Washington, D.C.
June 4, 2003, Washington, D.C. rescheduled for June 5, 2003, Washington, D.C.
Freedom of
Information Act Administrative Forum
This program is
designed for agency FOIA personnel who have several years of experience with
the FOIA and are involved in the processing of FOIA requests on a daily basis.
It is devoted almost entirely to administrative matters arising under the Act
-- such matters as record-retrieval practices, multitrack queue usage, backlog
management, affirmative disclosure, and automated record processing. Designed
to serve also as a regular forum for the governmentwide exchange of ideas and
information on matters of FOIA administration, this program brings veteran FOIA
processors from throughout the government together and encourages them to share
their experience in administering the Act. The program also includes an overview
of recent case law pertaining to the processing of FOIA requests.
December 5, 2002,
Washington, D.C.
June 5, 2003, Washington, D.C. rescheduled for June 4, 2003, Washington, D.C.
Introduction
to the Freedom of Information Act
This half-day program
provides a basic overview of the FOIA for agency personnel who do not specialize
in access law. It is designed for those who either work with the FOIA only occasionally
or need only a working familiarity with the FOIA in order to recognize and handle
FOIA-related problems that may arise in other areas of agency activity. Topics
include resource materials, background and legislative history, disclosure mandates,
exemptions to mandatory disclosure, administrative considerations, and the relationship
of the FOIA to the Privacy Act of 1974.
November 6, 2002,
Washington, D.C.
March 19, 2003, Washington, D.C.
August 20, 2003, Washington, D.C.
To find further
information about these seminars, including application requirements and enrollment
information, go to National Advocacy Center,
click on "Courses sorted by topic," and scroll down to "FOIA Programs." For
enrollment information, return to the National Advocacy Center's home page and
click on "Procedures to attend a course."
OTHER TRAINING
SOURCES
Freedom of Information
Act training programs are also sponsored by the USDA
Graduate School and the American
Society of Access Professionals. These links can be used for these programs.
For programs offered
by the USDA Graduate School:
1. Click on "Course
Catalog."
2. Enter "Freedom" as the keyword/subject. Click on "Submit Search," or choose
to limit your search geographically and then click on "Submit Search."
For programs
offered by the American Society of Access Professionals, check for any course
offering on ASAP's home page by using the above link. (posted 9/10/02;
supplemented 11/19/02 and 3/13/03)
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