LETTER TO MR. WILLIAM G. MILLER (Sanitized)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82M00345R000700050012-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 25, 2005
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: May 26, 1976
• Content Type: LETTER

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7't11'_ INTEL IGE_i\Cc:. AGENCY
.. WASHINGTON. MC- nOL;05
Review Stiff : _ 76-0441
26 May 1976
Mr. i`;i17 iam C. Miller
Staff Director
Select Committee To Study Governmental
Operations With Respect To Intelligence
Activities
Rooms G-308
Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D. C. 2057_5
Dear Mr. Miller:
Predictably, a professional academic organization,
galvanized into action by the Senat.e Select Commi.tt~e report
on. CIA relations with American academic institutions, has
tilted a lance to defend the honor of its profession.
Attached are copies of an exchange of letters between
the American Associ.a.tion of University Professors (_AAA.UP)
and Director Bush regarding the AAUP claim that the CIA has
engaged in practices which "compromise thc, instititional and-
p-rofessioval integrity" of the academic community. In re-
sponse, Director Bush asserted that individual academicians
are Entitled to the same freedom of choice as other American
citizens who voluntarily and wittingly wish to assist the
United States government. Noting that the AAUP letter betrays
"a serious lack of confidence in the people in your own pro-
fession". Director Bush proposed that an AAUP representativa
meet with Agency officials to try to find a way. to a better.
understanding.
We trust that when the dialogue is. completed and the
dust settlos,the academic community will have a more positi-1,e
appreciation of the true role and the contributions of CIA to
the national welfare.
Al: Lacitine!1t!; : a/s
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STAT
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x'a:,1r R1C s\T ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY I'ROFI:SSOI.;S
ONE DUPONT CIRCLE - SUITE 5or rJL; ! t G ~'
TON, D. C. 20036
7A HINC
Telephone z0=-466-So.o .
j'rlti~rr,C
V ULCUM W. V,1.%- Az-.,; %
Duke University
Grnere! Secret.-,;
JC)iFP11 D; r?i ZT
Was::; ;wzca 0_ cc
?-. George Bush
.i.~`! rector
C ntra! . Intelligence gency.
Bashi r_ ton, D. C. 20I0
Dear Mr. Bush:
journalists for covert operations, you have demonstrated your concern
for and your w3.lli_ngaess to protect the integrity and independence of
those institutions. As national President of the American Associatioft
of University Professors, I call upon you now to -provide the seine
guarantees against misuse and subversion for our colleges and universities
so that they may be freed of the stigma of covert, and often unknowing,
participation in manipulative government operations conducted by the CIA.
The American Association of University Professors espouses the
Professional freedom of teachers and scholars not as some peculiar entitle--
nent of their own but as a duty that they owe to their students and to the
co- unity as a whole., For this reason, the 1940 Statement of Principles
on.Academ_i.c Freedom and Tenure, issued jointly by the AAUP and the Asso--
ciation of American Colleges and endorsed by approximately a hundred
learned and professional associations, provides:
In ending the practice of CIA employment of missionaries and
and to misrepresent the actual objectives of their work.
y , 1976
The recent re-=z of tree Senate Select Committee on Foreign and.
flit ryr Intel i gence has confirmed what was already published else-
where: that the CL'_ has for years covertly used. academic institutions
i
...
a ~n ways r t -t ~id c^-1T!t]lOyed 2.C2.C..._=i s persons in which CO_?Lr ~"OLLls -~e institutional
and professional integrity. Universities and scholars have been paid to
lie about the sources of their support, to mislead others,'to induce
betrayed confidences, to misstate the true objects of their interest,
"Institutions of higher education are conducted for the
common good and not to further the interest of either
the individua teacher or the institution as awhole.
he coriu^on good depends upon the free search for truth
and its free exposition.
v;1: -rL.'' xr:cu,NAL oFrcr:: Sui:c 1-;;:5, SS: tifar.lct Strc.t, San Francisco. California 94ro.{ (}t;-- 5g-i};o}
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A government ir'hich corrupts .ts colleges Z11 1d uiiiv rsi t;_es by m - in-
political .fronts of their has betrayed academic freedom and corspromis--etcl
all who teach. when colleges and.u:niversities' are made conduits of
.deceit and Z,-hen faculty members a.re paid to lie, there is an end to .~e
common good of higher education.
On behalf of the American Association'of University Professors, 7
'write to express i' dismay and i ter repu& ance at the disregard for
integrity of institutions of higher education shown by the CIA. ~Ell
practice of shamelessly exploiting the reputation of American academics
for trustworthiness, which has characterized CIA activity in she- past,
evidently. continues today. I see no reason whatsoever why higher educa- ica
should not be treated with the. same regard previously shown in your action?
ending .the covert use of missionaries and Journalists by the CIA. I as _
you to tape steps to end the exploitation of the academic community and
to disengage the Agency from covert activities which induce academics
betray their professional trust.
The meri cc 1L academic community awaits the necessarythrig x. CL.
guarantees that its integrity i-:ill not be further compro.mi ed.
Sincerely,
INA: m jir
jdil l i a3n W. Van Al. s tyn e
JL~ f`i (~ ~'" I7 A(if,
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NC: 1'
r\r-:AL IENTEL.! IGENCE PGE
WASHIi!10"rov. ).C. 20503
'-.',AY 1376
Professor William 11. Van Al sty ne
American Association of University Professors
One Dupont Circle - Suite 500 7
Washin(iton, D. C. 20035 .
Dear Professor Van Alstyne: I received your letter of Hlay 4, 1976, concerning CIA
relations with the academic community on the same. day that you
re leased it to the press and gvte a press interview about it.
The fact that you did not al,-wait a response from me before making
your letter public is so--n-,,hat troubling. Ur;Foci!!;:: ly, your
doing this could suggest to others that your purpose is so;meshing
other than the resolution of the problem you perceive.
Having said that, I firmly ri ject your allegations that
CIA corrupts American "colleges and uni ._ rsi t is by r:.= ?-i ng political
fronts of them,". that the,, "are made conduits of deceit" and that
"faculty members are paid to lie." These charges reflect your
ignorance of the true nature of the relati1;:sh11ips we now have
with American educational institutions and their faculties. To
issue a statement that I am taking "steps to end the exploitation
of .the academic Community," as you request, would give credibility
to the series. of erroneous assumptions and allegations in your
letter. Whatever you have heard about the past, I can assure your
that there is now no reason for the members of your association
to fear any -threat to their integrity or their high sense of pur-
pose from CIA.
The Agency has several kinds of relationships i?;ith
sCi1', ~i :I- .. i ., i : ~ i "~-' - ? .
:,Choi--1%"S and
' c. ( d. vc'l vs:ili :ii L, on t ra 1
Con:i"ac '4s for ,'iC i'c.~ ctCh an "I
for social science research on the many matters that affect
foreign policy, paid and unpaid consultations bet.;een scholars
and CIA research analysts, contacts with individuals who have
travelled abroad, and other similar contacts that help us fulfill
our primary responsibility; i.e., to provide the policy rakers
of our government with information and assessments of foreign
developments.
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k the voluntary and witting cooperation of in-
1!
e see
dividuals who can help the foreign policy processes of the Unitcd
States. Those who help are expressing a freedom of choice.
Occasionally such relationships are confidential at our request,
but more often they are discreet at the scholar's request because
of his concern that he will be badgered by those .,llo feel he
should not be free to r;rake this particular choice.
None of the relationships are intended to influence
either what is taught or any other aspect of a scholar's work.
We specifically do not try to inhibit the "free search for 'truth
and its free exposition." Indeed, we would be foolish to do so,
for it' is the truth we seek. We know that we have no clonopoly
on fact or on understanding, and to restrict the search for the
truth would be extremely detrimental to our o an {purl oses. If
CIA were to isolate. itself from the good counsel of the best
scholars in our country, we would Surely become is narrow organi-
zation that could give only i n'feri or service to the gove_rn;flen t.
The complexity of international relations today requires that
our research be strong, and we intend to keep it strong by
seeking the best perspectives from inside and outside the
government.
Your letter indicates a serious lack of confidence in
people in your own profession--a view that I do not share; that
is, your belief that your acade.;,~ic colleagues, including members
of your association, would accept pay "to lie about the sources
of their support, to mislead others, to induce betrayed confi--
dences, to misstate the true objects of their interest,. and to
-misrepresent the actual objectives of their work." It is pre-
cisely that kind of irresponsible charge that tends to drive
responsible relationships away from openness and to.'iard the
secretiveness that you seem to abhor.
Finally, Professor Van Alstyne, the seriousness of your
charges demands that we find a way toward better understanding.
Because we owe that to both our organizations, I invite you to
meet with a few senior officials of this Agency for that purpose.
Si ncerely,
George Busli
George Push
Director
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