Source documents posted with the articles

August 11, 2026: request to the CSU Public Records Act Coordinator (excerpt of the six categories)

1. The complete market study deliverable prepared by The Segal Group concerning compensation for CSU campus presidents, presented in summary form to the Board of Trustees at its November 17–19, 2025 meeting (UFP Item 7), including all appendices, the list of peer or comparator institutions used, position-level and incumbent-level market data, job-matching documentation, and any technical or methodology report accompanying the presentation deck.
2. The "more detailed summary of the compensation study conducted by Segal" that the Office of the Chancellor provided to Capital Public Radio in or around December 2025, as referenced in CapRadio's December 22, 2025 report.
3. The complete deliverable for the Segal system executives (vice chancellors) market analysis presented to the Board of Trustees on January 26–28, 2026, including the job-matching appendix referenced in the presentation ("See Appendix for details") and any peer-by-peer compensation data.
4. The complete deliverable for the Segal represented faculty and staff market study dated August 6, 2026, including any technical report, methodology appendix, survey source documentation, campus-level or classification-level data files, and any sensitivity or alternative-scenario analyses, to the extent these exceed the 27-page Report of Findings posted publicly.
5. The engagement letter, contract, and all statements of work between the California State University and The Segal Group relating to the compensation studies described above, including fee schedules.
6. Written communications between the Office of the Chancellor and The Segal Group, from June 1, 2025 through the date of this request, concerning the selection of peer or comparator institutions, the application of the 15 percent system scope premium, the choice of market aging factors, or the definition of the competitive range used in any of the studies above.

The request also asked for segregation of exempt material under Government Code section 7922.525(b), electronic copies under section 7922.570, and a determination within ten days under section 7922.535.

August 21, 2026: CSU initial response (Andy Alvarez, Associate Director, Systemwide Employment and Policy Administration)

"CSU requires additional time to determine whether the request, in whole or in part, seeks copies of disclosable public records. A response will be provided on or before September 25, 2026. Additional time is required because the request calls for a voluminous amount of records and CSU must search for, collect and appropriately examine each of the records, and the CSU must consult with another agency on this request. Cal. Govt. Code §7922.535. As you noted in the request, records include information provided by The Segal Group; that firm has a substantial interest in the matter as some of the information may be proprietary."

The letter listed five exemption categories that might apply: balancing test (§7922.000), drafts (§7927.500), general privacy (§7927.705), personnel records (§§7927.700, 7928.300, 7922.000), and trade secret (§7927.705; Civil Code §3426 et seq.).

September 8, 2026: CSU production (Andy Alvarez)

"CSU has conducted a reasonable search for these records under California Government Code §7922.535 and has determined that your request, either in whole or in part, seeks copies of disclosable public records. Please find records responsive to your request attached."

"Regarding item 4 in your request, below are links to the publicly available records responsive to your request. The Segal Group retains their proprietary records regarding the study. At this time, CSU does not have further records available for disclosure beyond the records shared below." (Links: the Employee Compensation Market Study webpage and the report PDF.)

"Please also note that records subject to the following exemptions were withheld or redacted as appropriate," followed by the same five categories. Six attachments, listed in the table above. Items 2 and 6 of the request are not mentioned.

September 14, 2026: the author's request for clarification and completion (full text)

Dear Mr. Alvarez: Thank you for the September 8 production. Please confirm whether it is an interim response or CSU's final determination. CSU's August 21 correspondence stated that a further response would be provided by September 25, 2026.

The September 8 response does not identify the disposition of each of the six categories in my request. Please provide an item-by-item response stating: 1. Which responsive records were produced for each category; 2. Which records or categories are being withheld; 3. The specific statutory exemption and factual basis for each withholding; 4. Which requested records CSU determined do not exist or are not in CSU's actual or constructive possession; and 5. Which categories remain under review.

In particular, the response does not expressly address item 2, the more detailed summary provided to Capital Public Radio, or item 6, the requested CSU-Segal communications.

The statement that Segal retains proprietary records does not resolve item 4 concerning the represented faculty and staff study. The April 2026 amendment to Contract C-CSUCO-00007756 states that Segal would deliver an interactive Excel model, all data files in fully editable format with formulas unlocked, and documentation explaining the calculation logic and assumptions. Please clarify: whether CSU received these contractual deliverables; if CSU did not receive them, whether it has requested them from Segal; whether CSU possesses or has a contractual right to obtain them; which materials Segal specifically designated as trade secrets under Section 10.1 of the amendment; and whether CSU reviewed the records for disclosure of reasonably segregable, nonexempt portions under Government Code § 7922.525.

Please also address the requested CSU-Segal communications concerning comparator selection, the 15 percent system scope premium, market-aging factors, geographic differentials, and the definition of the competitive range. CSU's own communications are analytically distinct from Segal's underlying proprietary survey data.

For any records withheld, please provide the written justification and identify the responsible decision-makers as required by Government Code § 7922.540. Please preserve all responsive records, including email, attachments, working-group materials, draft deliverables, data files, Excel models, and communications with Segal.

I look forward to CSU's complete response by September 25, 2026. Sincerely, Thomas J. Norman