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Dissertation Information for David Wallace

NAME:
- David Wallace
- (Alias) David A. Wallace

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science

SCHOOL:
- University of Pittsburgh (USA) (1997)

ADVISORS:
- Toni Carbo

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- Martin Weiss
- Ellen Detlefsen
- Brian Ripley

MPACT Status: Fully Complete

Title: The public's use of federal recordkeeping statutes to shape federal information policy: A study of the PROFS case

Abstract: This dissertation provides an historical case study analysis of the Armstrong et al. v. Executive Office of the President et al. lawsuit, colloquially known as the PROFS case. Between 1989 and 1997 private citizen plaintiffs challenged the U.S. Executive Office of the President (EOP), the U.S. National Security Council (NSC) and the U.S. National Archives and Records Administrations' (NARA) use, management, and disposition of electronic mail technology and electronic mail messages under core federal recordkeeping statutes--the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the Federal Records Act (FRA), and the Presidential Records Act (PRA).

The hypothesis proposed by this dissertation was that the public can successfully use federal recordkeeping statutes to shape federal information and public policy. The analysis of this hypothesis within the specific context of the PROFS case was conducted against a series of discrete research questions relating to: (1) Private right of action; (2) Judicial review; (3) Defining records in electronic mail systems; (4) Status of records in electronic form, including similarity and relation to the same records as paper printouts; (5) Electronic recordkeeping policies, procedures, and guidelines for federal records and presidential records; (6) Performance of NARA and the Archivist of the United States of their statutory responsibilities under the FRA and the PRA; and, (7) Status of the NSC as an agency of the executive branch and its consequent obligations under the FOIA.

An historical case study narrative of the PROFS case provides an example of how the FOIA, FRA, and PRA were employed by the public to unlock fundamental debates over federal recordkeeping and public policies. This case also highlights broader public policy and information policy topics such as: (1) Executive privelege; (2) The balance of power; (3) Public participation in and influence upon policy formation, implementation, and evaluation; (4) Bureaucratic accountability; (5) The use, management, and disposition of information technology within government; (6) The impact of electronic mail technology on recordkeeping processes, including policies, procedures, guidelines, and responsibilities; and, (7) Public access to electronic government records.

MPACT Scores for David Wallace

A = 0
C = 4
A+C = 4
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2010-09-28 00:25:46

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