USACM Letter to OSTP re Access to Research

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

From: Jeff Grove <jeff_grove () ACM ORG>
Reply-To: Jeff Grove <jeff_grove () ACM ORG>
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2003 19:46:42 -0500
To: USACM-INFO () ACM ORG
Subject: USACM Letter to OSTP re Access to Research

FYI:
Earlier today, USACM sent the attached letter to White House OSTP Director
Jack Marburger recommending a clear and concise policy framework for
controlling access to research and information.
Regards,
Jeff Grove, ACM Policy Director

March 27, 2003

Dr. John H. Marburger, III
Director
Office of Science and Technology Policy
Executive Office of the President
Washington, DC 20502

Dear Dr. Marburger,

ACM is the leading professional society of computer scientists, educators,
and other computer professionals. ACM's mission is to advance the open
interchange of information concerning computing and related disciplines. In
furtherance of that mission, ACM is a leading publisher of scientific
information and draws the computing community together through a wide
variety of professional conferences. USACM is the U.S. Public Policy
Committee of ACM.

In the aftermath of the deplorable acts of terror perpetrated against the
United States on September 11, 2001, USACM is confident that our nation can
face the challenges to the security of our homeland while continuing to
advance technological innovation and provide world scientific leadership.
However, we are concerned that overly broad actions intended to ensure the
safety and security of U.S. citizens may serve to limit many legitimate
exchanges including the freedom to publish research and advance innovation
in computer technology. Such actions will impose a cost not only to ACM's
members, but also on the academic community, the process of scientific
discourse, and society in general.

In particular, USACM is concerned with the promulgation of regulations that
create new classification designations - such as *sensitive* - in grants
and contracts to insert points of control or government clearance prior to
disclosure and publication of research data in otherwise uncontrolled or
unclassified subject areas. Federal agencies are not providing clear
definitions or other guidance as to the meaning of *sensitive*
information.  Therefore, the new controls create severe uncertainty among
researchers and adversely impact their ability to conduct fundamental
research across many science and engineering fields.

USACM is also concerned with government actions that require the screening
of foreign-born scientists participating in research
projects.  Restrictions on access and participation may discriminate among
researchers according to country of origin.  Such controls directly
threaten the academic freedom of researchers, graduate students, visiting
scholars, and other members of the academic and scientific community.

As a result of new regulations and control, some universities have taken
steps to protect intellectual openness.  In June of 2002, a faculty
committee of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) recommended a
number of revisions to current campus policy, including the refusal of
certain federally funded research projects that require the prescreening of
research results.  In its recommendations, the MIT panel concludes:

"We believe that the restriction of the free flows of research results, as
well as control of individual access, would negatively impact national
security by hampering the progress of science in important areas of human
health, economic growth, and in all other areas that science has brought
benefits to our nation."
<http://web.mit.edu/faculty/reports/publicinterest.pdf>

USACM stands ready and willing to work with policymakers to protect the
nation by contributing our expertise and leadership in computing,
networking, security, cryptography, and privacy. In building on the
contributions of the MIT panel and others in the science community, USACM
recommends a clear and concise policy framework for controlling access to
research and information that preserves the strength of our universities
and research enterprise, supports our nation's ability to create and
disseminate knowledge, and provides our future scientific leaders with a
world-class education.  It would be a tactical and strategic error to
sacrifice our future strength while responding to our near-term threats.

Please contact the ACM Office of Public Policy at (202)478-6312 if we can
provide further information.

Sincerely,

Barbara Simons, Ph.D.
Eugene H. Spafford, Ph.D.

Co-Chairs
U.S. ACM Public Policy Committee (USACM)
Association for Computing Machinery

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