FOIA Request to Vanderbilt University Regarding Chinese National Students on May 14, 2025.
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to Vanderbilt University seeking detailed information about Chinese national students enrolled at the institution. The request, made under the Tennessee Open Records Act, aims to obtain records in electronic format concerning several aspects of these students’ academic and financial affiliations.
The request specifically asks for documents or lists that identify all current students who are Chinese nationals, along with their respective departments of study. If privacy laws protect individual names, the request seeks aggregated data showing the total number of such students and a breakdown by department.
Additionally, the request seeks information on scholarships awarded to Chinese national students. This includes details on the amount each student receives and the source of these scholarships. Furthermore, it requests identification of any scholarship recipients affiliated with the Chinese Scholarship Council if not already covered in previous queries.
The FOIA request also extends to policies or procedures that describe how Vanderbilt University monitors its students, including those who are Chinese nationals, to safeguard intellectual property and other confidential information.
This inquiry is part of our ongoing efforts at Nashville Standard and The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy—a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing transparency in governmental affairs. As media professionals committed to public accountability and transparency, we have requested a fee waiver based on our role in disseminating news to the public.
For more information about our work and mission, please visit [https://stopsecrecy.org/about/](https://stopsecrecy.org/about/).
