In accordance with requirements of chapter 42.17 RCW that agencies prevent unreasonable invasions of privacy, protect public records from damage or disorganization, and prevent excessive interference with essential functions of the agency, public records may be inspected or copied or copies of such records may be obtained, by members of the public, upon compliance with the following procedures:

(1) A request shall be made in writing upon a form prescribed by the college, which shall be available at the office outlined in WAC 132L-276-050. The form shall be presented to the public records officer and/or his designee, at the Hanson Administrative Building during customary office hours.

(2) In all cases in which a member of the public is making a request, it shall be the obligation of the public records officer and/or his or her designee, to assist the member of the public in appropriately identifying the public record requested.

(3) The public records officer and/or his or her designee to whom the request is presented shall, within five business days after the day of request:

(a) Make the requested document available, or

(b) State that such a document does not exist, or

(c) Ask for clarification of the document requested, or

(d) Deny access because the document is exempt from public inspection under chapter 42.17 RCW, WAC 132L-276-050, and 132L-276-100.

(4) Additional time required to respond to a request may be based upon the need to clarify the intent of the request, to locate and assemble the information requested, to notify third persons or agencies affected by the request, or to determine if the information requested is exempt.

(5) If the intent of the request is not clear, the public records officer may request clarification from the requestor. The public records officer does not need to respond to the request if the requestor fails to clarify the request.