Student Association President Kevin Miller denied the Northern Star’s Freedom of Information Act letter requesting material related to the Big Time Entertainment committee Tuesday.

A FOIA letter was sent through campus mail on the morning of Jan. 30 to Miller; Rick Clark, director of University Programming and Activities; Kenneth Davidson, NIU General Counsel; and Michelle Emmett, associate vice provost, Student Affairs.

Miller said that he did not receive the letter until after business hours on Jan. 31.

Under the FOIA, a response was expected from Miller within seven working days.

In a letter hand-delivered to the Star on Tuesday, which was dated for Monday, Miller wrote that he will not be able to release the requested information.

The Star requested the applications for the BTE Committee, but Miller refused to release them.

Miller wrote in the letter that because of confidentiality reasons concerning students’ personal information, he was certain that the applicants would not want their information made publicly available.

Miller also wrote that “all denied applications are destroyed in an effort to protect the personal information contained therein.” He said that he would have destroyed the documents by blackening out personal information and cutting them up.

However, he was not sure when he destroyed them.

“It was quite some time ago,” Miller said.

Additionally, the Star requested all correspondences and/or votes, written or e-mail, regarding the Big Time Entertainment committee’s support of the Ja Rule concert.

Miller wrote that he was not sure whether the requested items exist, since he did not participate in the voting process. He expects to be able to inform the Star if they exist by Feb. 19.

Miller said he contacted two staff members about tracking down the e-mails.

“They haven’t gotten back to me about the e-mails,” Miller said.