MEDIA/ACADEMIC RELATIONSHIPS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86B00985R000300150043-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 2, 2001
• Sequence Number: 43
• Publication Date: January 1, 1978
• Content Type: SPEECH

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roved For Release 2001/03/06 q,I;RDP86B00985R000300
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FORM USE PREVIOUS
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Media. Today we
Media/Academic Relationships
permit no paid contactual relationships
with accredited merican media re
esentatives. We
do not use th as agents, nor/do intelligence officer
use media c edentials as cov r
W do, however, 1 ok upon journalists as itizens,
with tl same freedom d obligations other ci izens
have If they are w' ling to volunteer inf matio:n or
obgervations whic they feel would be hel ful to the
government we a e interested. I see n hng improper
in this nor furious to a journalis 's credibility.
Academia. e do not'have paid rel ionships- with. the
academic profession . For examp we engage professors
to write and do research
I am afraid, however,.
that the popular but, in my opinion , unreasonable view
in some areas of academe is that any relationship between
the academic and the intelligence communities is improper.
This has ledtoanunhealthy reduction in the amount of
contact between these two groups which, incidentally,,
are remarkably alike in many ways. I hope to expand
those relati-onships. Let me dwell on this a bit as it is
important, controversial, and not well understood.
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I don't want to undermine academia either by
influencing curricula and teaching, or by tarnishing the
image of the academic profession. Therefore, we will
not enter into paid or unpaid relationships which would
prejudice teaching responsibilities nor will we use
academic status to conceal the identity of an intelligence
officer. But within those limits there remains lots of
room for healthy association with the Intelligence Community.
Association which need not call into doubt the authenticity
or credibility of our educational institutions.
I believe the enormous intellectual resources
in our universities not only should be free to interact
with government at all levels, but should want to because
of the unique primary source government represents. Recently,
I asked an imminent Sovietologist to do some work for us.
It would be a shame if he were prevented from doing so
because of irresponsible pressures within the academic community.
He will provide a degree of depth and perspective on the
Soviet Union which it is difficult to find outside the
academic community, And, when he returns to his campus
he will have become more valuable to his students by improving
the depth of his understanding of how government actually
operates in the Soviet Union. Even if he may not relate
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to his students the classified information he might acquire
in this kind of exchange, unquestionably his insights and
improved understanding will make his teaching more relevant
and enhance his ultimate worth on the campus.
This raises the question - If a relationship
exists between an academic and the Intelligence Community,
should the Intelligence Community be obliged to reveal
that relationship to the administration of his school
and perhaps even to the public? I would say no. I
believe it is the individual professor's right to associate
with whomever he deems appropriate. That it is his prerogative
to reveal his relationships to his institution or not.
Just as you and I, he should be the final arbiter of who
knows his personal business. Clearly the professor must
have a conscience and perhaps the university some rules
about what level of outside activity constitutes interference
with his professional duties, but such rules should apply
to all extra-teaching activities not just thosewith the
CIA or other intelligence organizations.
Let me also point out that the benefits of the
Intelligence and Academic Communities working together
is not a one way street. For example, in the field
of archaeology, the Intelligence Community can makea
unique contribution. Some parts of the world are inaccessible
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to archaeologists due to either geography or political
climate. Aerial photographs can not only provide access
to the unaccessible, they can reveal features which are
either invisible or djs-torted to an observer at ground
level. Ancient cities, fortifications, villas, roads,
and other structures which have been eroded by time,
destroyed by war, or in many cases vandalized can be
revealed to the aerial camera. The Intelligence Community,
because of its particular needs, has acquired a massive
amount of photography useful to archeologists. It
would be a shame if this knowledge could not be shared
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because universities chose to levy rigid prohibitions
on their faculty.
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Dear President Woodin:
In recent years, increasing numbers of Americans have expressed
concern about the activities of the Central Intelligence Agency...
Although the severest criticism was generated I think"by false
allegations and by practices and isolated abuses that have been
prohibited by the reforms of the last few years- understandable
ILLCVID doubts about CIA's mission, standards, and record remain.
&ne of my principal objectives as Director of Central Intelligence
(is to restore public confidence in CIA and the intelligence profession.
For both personal and professional reasons, I am especially anxious
that the Agency be understood and res ected i the academic community
'
Las it was until a decade or so ago. -4 ~tc l,.1-4.=?:~rrw
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Since its inception the Agency has sought and benefited from
extensive relationships with scholars and academic institutions
throughout the United States. Leading academics and some of their
best pupils filled the top ranks of the intelligence profession
during its formative years and have been joined by vital and skilled
younger generations of specialists attracted from the nation's
colleges and universities. They have brought a high degree of
intellectual energy, curiosity, and integrity to our profession and
have made sure that our analytical efforts continually take account
ILLEGIB of the best research available in the private sector. Indeed, they
have organized many of the components and practices of the Central
Intelligence Agency on the models they brought from academia.
7 I hope you agree with me that CIA and the academic community
should continue to cooperate in a spirit of mutual respect and
understanding. In pursuit of that objective, I am writing to invite
you to be my guest at CIA Headquarters on March 10. 1 would like
you to join me and several other university presidents to visit
CIA facilities, meet with officers from a variety of the disciplines
and -functions that constitute our profession today, and to hear
about some of the new analytical techniques we have developed. We
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are anxious to be as candid as we possibly can in describing the
Agency and its work and in responding to questions about foreign
intelligence activities that may have arisen at LSU.
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to discuss my invitation turner witn you an
ments if, as I hope, you will be able to accept.
Yours,
STANSFIELD TURNER
Martin D. Woodin, President
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803
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Remarks: George:
I propose sending appropriate versions of
this letter to about eight of the university
presidents named in my memo of 4 November to
Admiral Turner. It was a staff study in response
to 'the Admiral's proposal that a group of univer-
sity presidents be invited to visit the Agency.
I have confirmed the March 10 date with John
d have the enthusiastic support of DCD
for their field representatives to be involved.
I have intentionally left open the question of
the Agency paying the visitors' travel and other
on language and
expenses. May I have o r W~~ce
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content as a first ste
with this draft.
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