BUZZ
Higher education groups opposed the Department of War audit
A national security audit opposed by major higher education groups revealed 80 questionable foreign relationships that have been or will be terminated, the Department of War announced.
The Department of War previously mandated 30 universities conduct a review of their foreign partnerships following its updates to a list of “foreign institutions engaging in problematic activities.”
The American Association of University Professors challenged the Department of War’s audit along with the American Federation of Teachers in August, as The College Fix previously reported.
But the audit turned out fruitful, as defense officials announced Monday “more than 80 termination-related actions across the 30 universities.”
Officials praised seven universities in particular for “above and beyond by quickly terminating problematic relationships.”
The Department of War praised:
- Oklahoma State University
- The Pennsylvania State University
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- University of South Carolina
- University of Southern California
- University of Texas at Austin
- Virginia Tech
“These academic institutions that went above and beyond deserve immense credit for setting the benchmark in domestic research security,” Joseph Jewell, the assistant secretary of war for science and technology, stated in a news release.
He said the “institutions took bold, self-initiated steps to protect their labs, faculty, and intellectual property from foreign exploitation.”
Jewell continued: “Their proactive commitment ensures that groundbreaking research directly empowers the American warfighter and strengthens our Nation’s technological edge.”
The DoW said it plans to continue to “assess universities that retain problematic relationships with entities” on its watchlist.
The National Defense Authorization Act Section 1286 list, as it is known, “identifies individuals, companies, and institutions that the U.S. Government has flagged as a concern to national security,” according to the DoW.
Defense officials did not name which specific agreements were cut, but The Fix previously reported that University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ended a Chinese study abroad program in mid-August.
The University of Minnesota also reportedly identified a problematic relationship but did not disclose further details when reached by The Fix several weeks ago.
“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.
