Tag: Iran

Alumni Diplomacy

An interesting coda to the U. Mass. ban on Iranian students in engineering and the natural sciences that was later overturned… On Friday’s All Things Considered, Melissa Block interviewed US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, a former nuclear physicist at MIT, about the nuclear arms negotiations/deal with Iran. This exchange occurred: BLOCK: There is a really interesting confluence here because when you were starting teaching at MIT, the Iranian, now Iran’s top nuclear physicist, was then a graduate student at MIT. Do you think that had a bearing on the talks, the fact that you shared that history? I know you brought him some MIT swag when you went to Switzerland. MONIZ: (Laughter) That’s right. Well, because in the – in our second […]

We Won! UMass Backs Down!

UMass issued the following announcement today: The University of Massachusetts Amherst today announced that it will accept Iranian students into science and engineering programs, developing individualized study plans to meet the requirements of federal sanctions law and address the impact on students. The decision to revise the university’s approach follows consultation with the State Department and outside counsel. “This approach reflects the university’s longstanding commitment to wide access to educational opportunities,” said Michael Malone, vice chancellor for research and engagement. “We have always believed that excluding students from admission conflicts with our institutional values and principles. It is now clear, after further consultation and deliberation, that we can adopt a less restrictive policy.” Federal law, the Iran Threat Reduction and […]

These are the Terrorists Whom UMass Will No Longer Allow to Apply

These are just some of the kinds of students that the University of Massachusetts at Amherst has decided will no longer be allowed to apply (h/t Ali Gharib): They were teenagers living in Tehran when the Twin Tower’s fell at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, but what they saw haunted them even 6,000 miles away. Now as doctoral students at the University of Massachusetts, Soroush Farzinmoghadam with the help of Nariman Mostafavi and others have designed a tribute to that day – an installation that will be on display in the Campus Center through Feb. 27. Farzinmoghadam created “UMass 9/11 Intervention” for his master’s thesis in architecture. He is also a doctoral student in regional planning. The installation’s dimensions […]

State Department Expresses Surprise Over UMass policy

My sister Melissa just sent me a piece from today’s Boston Globe on the UMass Iranian student situation. The big blockbuster in the piece is this: The college’s new policy, which appears to be rare if not unique among US universities, appeared to catch the US State Department by surprise… The State Department had no idea that this policy was in the offing, and more important, seems to believe or suggest that the policy may be unnecessary. A US State Department official said that the department was aware of news reports about the UMass decision but that there had been no changes in federal policy regarding Iranian students and he could not say why UMass would change its policy. The department will […]

U. Mass. Will Not Admit Iranian Students to Schools of Engineering and Natural Sciences (Updated)

This announcement was recently posted on the website of the graduate school of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst: The University has determined that recent governmental sanctions pose a significant challenge to its ability to provide a full program of education and research for Iranian students in certain disciplines and programs. Because we must ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations, the University has determined that it will no longer admit Iranian national students to specific programs in the College of Engineering (i.e., Chemical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Mechanical & Industrial Engineering) and in the College of Natural Sciences (i.e., Physics, Chemistry, Microbiology, and Polymer Science & Engineering) effective February 1, 2015. The full announcement and reasoning (US sanctions […]

How to Fight for Human Rights in the 21st Century

My department has an MA program in international affairs, which has attached to it the Human Rights in Iran unit. On Tuesday, February 24, at 6 pm, the human rights professionals who are part of the Unit will be hosting an exciting mini-clinic on how to run a human rights campaign. Faculty from our MA program will also be there to answer questions about our department and masters program. You have to register in advance; seating is limited. Check out this announcement below. * * * * *  Mini-Clinic with the Human Rights in Iran Unit: Twenty-First Century Tricks of the Trade for Running a Human Rights Campaign Almost everyone these days seems to be behind the idea of human rights.  But […]