FALLS CHURCH Va. (AP) — The Virginia Supreme Court has ruled that the fundraising foundation for Virginia's largest university is exempt from public-records laws.
The unanimous ruling issued Thursday is a defeat to a group of George Mason University students who sought records outlining the relationship between the university and a network of conservative donors who have contributed millions of dollars annually.
A group called Transparent GMU filed the lawsuit. They argued that the George Mason University Foundation should be subject to public-records laws just like the university.
The school argued that the two entities are separate. The ruling upholds the findings of a lower court.