Choice quote:
The more subtle but less obvious dilemma is of a student who may room
with a
person who is an American student ... in a sensitive area, said Harpel,
whose
organization represents 213 public universities in every state in the
country.
http://www.taipeitimes.com/news/2002/05/02/story/134211
US colleges complain of anti-terror laws
AP
WASHINGTON
In a little-noticed anti-terror initiative, the George W. Bush
administration is trying to get colleges and universities to stop some
foreign students from studying sensitive subjects. Educators fear
they're being dragged into academic censorship.
We have a responsibility to work with the government, and we're ready
to do so, but we're afraid of being turned into course police, said
Terry Hartle, senior vice president of the American Council on
Education, which represents 1,800 public and private colleges.
The issue arose in October when Bush directed the government to
prohibit certain international students from receiving education and
training in sensitive areas involving the development and use of
weapons of mass destruction.
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy is working with
federal agencies to identify sensitive courses of study.
A White House Fact Sheet issued with the presidential directive
ordering the studies said: A goal of the program is to prohibit the
education and training of foreign nationals who would use their training
to harm the United States and its allies.
Academic leaders say they are being largely shut out of what has become
an internal government debate.
They've got law enforcement agencies and national security and
intelligence agencies who want to be more restrictive, and they have
research and science and technology officials who are trying to explain
how academic research works, said George Leventhal, policy analyst with
the Association of American Universities. The group represents 63
universities heavily involved in scientific research.
Other nations are beginning to train more of their homegrown
scientists, but the US remains a major destination for academics seeking
advanced scientific or engineering degrees. A National Science
Foundation report says the percentage of foreign-born scientists and
engineers is growing at all degree levels in America, with the highest
ratio, 45 percent, in engineering.
The White House says the government wants to work with the academic
community.
Recommendations that will come out of the interagency working group
will include the academic and science community being consulted on the
finer points of any final response, Kathryn Harrington, a spokeswoman
for the White House Office of Science and Technology, said Tuesday.
Academic groups see more questions than answers.
Once a student is granted a visa and tries to change from organic
chemistry to biochemistry, what are we supposed to do? Move them out?
said Richard Harpel, director of federal relations for the National
Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges.
The more subtle but less obvious dilemma is of a student who may room
with a person who is an American student ... in a sensitive area, said
Harpel, whose organization represents 213 public universities in every
state in the country.
An electronic tracking system to be in place by the end of the year is
supposed to enable instant communication between the government and
academic officials so the State Department and the Immigration and
Naturalization Service are notified of any change in a student's visa
status.
Changing college majors, leaving school, taking a job or getting
married all involve changes in visa status.
