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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: DOUG H who wrote (187267)	9/27/2001 2:39:20 PM
From: Mr. Whist	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 769670

Re: "I don't see that happening. ... We will not stand for it." Read the following story and then ask whether the Feds will stop with foreign students. Headline: FBI going after college students' files By TERRI HARDY Sacramento Bee September 27, 2001 - Federal agents have been targeting college campuses as part of their investigation into the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, gathering lists of foreign nationals and combing through files. The scope of the inquiries has raised concerns that the investigation is proceeding at the expense of individual freedoms. At least three California State University campuses have turned over information about students to the FBI. The University of California's Office of the President said it has not received official reports from the schools, but believes federal officials have asked for details on students at all of its campuses. Schools across the country have received similar requests. Investigators began looking at college campuses after learning some of the alleged hijackers or their accomplices were in the country on student visas. Because of the emergency nature of the situation, schools waived normal privacy concerns. The U.S. Department of Education has told campuses they can release data without a subpoena or student consent when there is a health or safety emergency, said Lindsey Kozberg, an agency spokeswoman. Neither the FBI nor the Department of Justice would comment. Student and education groups say they understand the need for intensive investigation but are uneasy that some requests are too far-reaching. And, they worry that anti-terrorism legislation under discussion could provide investigators with almost unlimited authority and tread on students' civil rights. Barmak Nassirian, associate executive director of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers, said his group fielded several calls for guidance from members. He said it is clear that federal officials are not limiting their requests to international students. "Some requests were not about foreign students, they were students with foreign names or with a foreign origin," Nassirian said. "We believe there was some knee-jerk reaction in the wake of something so horrendous." Corye Barbour, legislative director for the United States Student Association, a national organization representing student governments at more than 150 colleges and universities, said she was troubled that authorities have had carte blanche with student information in the aftermath of the attacks. "On top of that, the administration wants blanket access to student records with no time limit attached," Barbour said. "Will it be OK to get information on all international students, all students with Muslim-sounding names? There is no discussion about where the line is drawn." Omar Moheyeldin, an international student attending California State University, Sacramento, said there should be restrictions. "It shouldn't be personal information," he said. "And it shouldn't be only for Muslims or for Arabs - that would be discrimination." The Bush administration has requested sweeping anti-terrorism authority, including expanded power to wiretap terrorist suspects, indefinitely detain legal immigrants and a provision that would compel universities to provide information about students without a subpoena. Campuses have had to grapple with a desire to cooperate with the investigation and a responsibility to protect student privacy. More than 20 officials from colleges or university systems have called the Education Department in the last two weeks asking for guidance on what information they can provide, Kozberg said. The department chose not to issue a written position, but told callers there were exceptions to the privacy law and they would have to evaluate requests on a case-by-case basis. The Immigration and Naturalization Service has asked for information about at least one student at UC Berkeley, said Chuck McFadden, a spokesman for the University of California's office of the president. After discussions with other campus officials, McFadden said his office is confident that "in some way, shape or form" all campuses had been contacted by federal officials. He would not provide details about the information being requested other than to say authorities wanted information about specific students.