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The Iowa Supreme Court ruled 4-to-3 Friday that the University of Iowa does not have to release files related to a 2007 investigation of sexual assault charges against former football players, The Des Moines Register reported. The university has to date released only some of the files, and those have been redacted. The university maintains that the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act, known as FERPA, bars release of more of the files. While critics question the university's interpretation of FERPA, the Iowa Supreme Court ruling was ultimately about a state law, not FERPA. Iowa's Supreme Court cited a provision in Iowa's open records law that exempts documents whose release could "cause the denial of federal funds to a state agency." Since some interpretations of FERPA are consistent with the university's that a more complete release would violate FERPA, the Iowa court ruled that the university has no obligation to release the materials.
