GAO Report to the Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives

Foreign students and scholars make substantial contributions to US research efforts and technology development. However, according to a federal government intelligence assessment, access to sensitive US technology by those students and faculty members has imposed a significant but unquantifiable cost to the US. The House Judiciary Committee asked Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review how academic institutions and the US government protect against the illegal disclosure of such information. In its report to the Committee, GAO first described the universities' approach to research. GAO did find that the universities were taking steps to comply, or adjust to avoid having to comply, with the export regulations. GAO also found that the Department of State does not target universities for compliance and has not visited a university. To avoid being caught unprepared, senior management at all academic institutions should assure that they have a compliance system in place.