Pentagon completes security audits of 30 universities

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) has concluded security audits of 30 universities regarding their research ties with foreign entities identified as national security concerns, including institutions in China, Russia, and Iran. The audits resulted in more than 80 “termination-related actions” across the participating universities.

While all 30 institutions complied with the DOD request to review and resolve identified relationships, seven universities were singled out for taking proactive measures beyond minimum requirements. These institutions include Oklahoma State University, Pennsylvania State University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of South Carolina, University of Southern California, University of Texas at Austin, and Virginia Tech.

Georgetown University was among those that completed the audit but was not identified as one of the institutions that went “above and beyond.” A university spokesperson stated that Georgetown maintains a robust research security program designed to protect its research enterprise from foreign interference while meeting federal requirements.