For months, readers have asked how they can help pay for my public records requests to the University of Michigan. For months, I said no.

I'm saying yes now.

Michigan athletics has spent three years under a cloud of scandal. The NCAA, the Big Ten and the national media had every chance to dig in and find out what really happened. They didn't.

So I am.

I've filed 52 public records requests with UM. The university has answered many of them with denials I'm appealing and invoices I'm paying. More requests are coming, and so are more invoices.

Michigan is a public university. Its records belong to the public.

How your money will be used

Every dollar raised goes toward getting the records.

UM's invoices get paid first. If the fund raises more than those invoices require, the extra may cover a Michigan FOIA attorney to challenge denials or fees I believe are improper. Legal fees will only be spent to get records released.

Every UM invoice will be published, along with proof that I paid it. Attorney invoices will be published too, if applicable.

I will be publishing the full ledger. It will show what UM has invoiced, what I've paid, any legal fees, what's pending, what's been raised, and GoFundMe's processing fees.

The goal is $16,000. $11,000 covers invoices I've already received. The remaining $5,000 is a reserve for appeals I expect to win, requests I'm still filing, and legal help if a denial needs to be fought. If the goal goes up, it will be because of a specific invoice, and I'll post that invoice when I raise it.

What my reporting has already produced

To everyone who kept asking: thank you. Your support means the world.

Institutions like this count on people getting tired and moving on. As Aaron Henry said, "I don't get tired. I won't get tired. I don't have time to get tired."