NC Open Government

Elon University launches new NC Open Government website

by Lesley Cowie

Sunshine laws exist to protect a journalist’s right to access public records and information regarding the state government. Elon University launched its Sunshine Center in 2007, under the authority of Dr. Constance Book.

Book, and other Elon faculty, have used the Sunshine Center to promote sunshine laws in the state. Colin Donohue, a communications professor, often updates the North Carolina Open Government website.

Courtesy of ncopengov.org

He uses his Gmail account to receive alerts on open government and public records. These alerts come from North Carolina newspapers. Donohue links to the articles on the website. This way, the website contains the most comprehensive coverage of open government news.

Recently Donohue created a new open government website. The website launched within the last month. 

“We built the new site because the folks who were running the old site wanted us off,” he said. “It was for proprietary reasons, really.”

The old site, Donohue said, no longer exists. The site has been set up to redirect everyone to the new site.

Now, whenever there is a Sunshine Center workshop or conference, Donohue updates the new site. Donohue said that because the site is still new, there are some changes that still need to be made. 

The Sunshine Center is likely to plan and host a large conference in the spring. Check the site often for updates.