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National education unions opposed the audit
A required national security audit of 30 American universities identified at least several ties to “problematic” foreign groups.
The Department of War mandated the universities conduct a review of their foreign partnerships following its updates to a list of “foreign institutions engaging in problematic activities.” Reports were due at the beginning of this school year.
In response, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ended a Chinese study abroad program in mid-August. The College Fix reached out for more information about UNC’s audit results, but the university did not respond to an email and a voicemail in the past three weeks.
The University of Minnesota also reportedly identified a problematic relationship, but did not disclose further details when reached by The Fix.
“We continue to ensure that the status of our relationships, our absence of exposure of any sensitive or export-controlled research, and our comprehensive risk mitigation strategies satisfy the requirements of the Department’s inquiry,” the school stated via email.
The public university said it is committed to transparency and compliance, while “fostering global academic collaborations that benefit our campus community and Minnesota more broadly.”
“The handful of active academic exchange programs identified in our review do not involve national security related work; the University is evaluating the arrangements with the goal of winding them down appropriately,” the university stated.
The updated list specifies “foreign entities and talent programs confirmed to be engaging in activities that threaten U.S. national security interests,” according to the DoW. The list includes institutions in China, Russia, and Iran.
“The Department of War continuously monitors foreign-influence risks and evaluates all information to coordinate directly with universities and protect DoW-funded research when potential vulnerabilities are identified,” a spokesman told The Fix.
The Department of War said that they are “working closely with these universities to address all identified areas of concern and remain committed to protecting taxpayer-funded research from foreign exploitation.”
The American Association of University Professors challenged the Department of War’s audit along with the American Federation of Teachers in August.
The two unions’ public comment states that the Department of War should “engage in a transparent, collaborative dialogue with the higher education community—one that protects genuine security concerns without sacrificing global academic research, cross-border scientific research and the free exchange of ideas that has long made U.S. research institutions world leaders.”
The AAUP’s legal team had not yet researched the audit in depth when The Fix reached out for comment in the past two weeks about the results and how it would protect national security while ensuring institutional freedom.
However, the director of media outreach at the Defense of Freedom Institute shared a recommendation for ensuring university autonomy while protecting national security interests.
Angela Morabito explained that “the Department of War maintains a short list of foreign institutions that are known national security risks. Outside of that list, U.S. institutions are free to work with any foreign institution they’d like.”
“Federal law requires only that American colleges and universities disclose their foreign financial ties totaling over $250,000 in one year,” Morabito, a former official in the Department of Education, told The Fix.
“DFI supports the DETERRENT Act, which would require colleges and universities to report every penny that comes in from foreign adversaries,” she said.
“This kind of transparency will help protect academic freedom and national security.”
