DRAFT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86B00985R000300160002-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 14, 2001
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: May 4, 1978
• Content Type: LETTER

Approved Fa *Release 2001/12/05 : CIA-RDP86BO09 8000300160002-1
4 May 1978
Dear
Since its inception, the Central Intelligence Agency has sought
to maintain effective relationships with scholars and academic
institutions throughout the United States. These relationship-,L' have
of inestimable value to the intelligence community and
been ?
A
foreign policymakers it serves.
In the wake of considerable public criticism over the last
several years, however, the Agency has had difficulty in maintaining
these open and mutually beneficial relationships, the
I would like to ask your help and advice in
determining how best to restore a useful but proper connection between
academia and the world of intelligence.
Clearly there are limits beyond which we in the intelligence
profession should not go in dealing with members of the academic
community. I do have very express rules with respect to that today,
but how we are operating within these rules is not always clear to
others. Today there are also many new opportunities to use unclassified
information derived through the collection of intelligence for the benefit
of academic research. I do not believe that we have the proper mechanism
today to ensure the adequate provision of such information to academic
institutions.
Accordingly, I would like to ask you to join with me and several
(other) university presidents and leaders of the American academic
community for a day here at the Central Intelligence Agency. The
Approved For Release 2001/12/05 : CIA-RDP86B00985R000300160002-1
 Approved FoHRblease 2001/12/05 : CIA-RDP86B009$ S'.000300160002-1
objective would be to have a free-flowing exchange of ideas on how to
reestablish the academic-intelligence relationship on a sound and proper
basis for mutual advantage. This will be a quiet, private meeting of
perhaps twelve of us, during which we will take the opportunity of
asking you to visit our CIA facilities and to meet with a variety of
Agency officers representing diverse interests and disciplines. My
hope would be that in your spending a day with us, our relationship
might improve to our mutual benefit, taking into full account the
problems of the past and the attitudes of the present.
I have asked of my Academic Relations
staff to be in touch with you directly to arrange a date
WM= June that will be convenient. They will be available
to discuss my invitation further with you, and to make arrangements,
if as I hope, you will be able to accept.
Approved For Release 2001/12/052-CIA-RDP86B00985R000300160002-1