UMass Amherst bans Iranian nationals from taking certain science subjects

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/umass-bans-iranian-nationals-science-classes-stirs-backlash-n307806

This has to be one of the stupidest ideas I've ever heard.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

What tolerant liberals

You would expect them to do anything they can to annoy the government. I've seen them pride themselves in that.

[bedstuy]

No, I think it makes sense.  What exactly is the problem?

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

No, I think it makes sense.  What exactly is the problem?

Maybe if you believe that all Iranian students will work for the government to make WMDs, sure it makes  sense in that twisted world.

It's completely unreasonable and arbitrary discrimination based on nationality, motivated by political paranoia that Iran is trying to build a nuclear weapon (which, by the way, is most likely not their goal).

Hopefully it gets struck down or reversed, because this is pretty stupid.

[King]

But can they still buy the textbooks at the bookstore?

[Grumpier Than Thou]

Absolutely disgusting.

[bedstuy]

No, I think it makes sense.  What exactly is the problem?

Maybe if you believe that all Iranian students will work for the government to make WMDs, sure it makes  sense in that twisted world.

It's completely unreasonable and arbitrary discrimination based on nationality, motivated by political paranoia that Iran is trying to build a nuclear weapon (which, by the way, is most likely not their goal).

Hopefully it gets struck down or reversed, because this is pretty stupid.

It's not arbitrary and we do discriminate against certain nations.  We don't sell Iran weapons.  We don't hire Iranian nationals to work at Lockheed Martin.  It's part of our sanctions regime for Iran and it makes sense to guard our technology.

I think from the University's perspective, they want to protect themselves.  They don't want an Iranian graduate students even accidentally doing defense related research.  That's illegal and they could face fines and jail time if it does.

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

No, I think it makes sense.  What exactly is the problem?

Maybe if you believe that all Iranian students will work for the government to make WMDs, sure it makes  sense in that twisted world.

It's completely unreasonable and arbitrary discrimination based on nationality, motivated by political paranoia that Iran is trying to build a nuclear weapon (which, by the way, is most likely not their goal).

Hopefully it gets struck down or reversed, because this is pretty stupid.

It's not arbitrary and we do discriminate against certain nations.  We don't sell Iran weapons.  We don't hire Iranian nationals to work at Lockheed Martin.  It's part of our sanctions regime for Iran and it makes sense to guard our technology.

Yes it is arbitrary, because it's just a blanket ban rather than going on a case-by-case basis (as what was previously used, noted in the article). The aforementioned subjects that they are banned from are incredibly broad that could cover a vast range of careers, nuclear weapons technology being a tiny and loosely-related part of many of these careers. This is completely unnecessary discrimination.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Oh, I'm sure there are ample opportunities for students to "accidentally" engage in defense-related research in subjects like physics, chemistry, and computers

[Ban my account ffs!]

I also think it's ridiculous and that Israel and Iran both need to learn how to get along, Bedstuy.

[bedstuy]

No, I think it makes sense.  What exactly is the problem?

Maybe if you believe that all Iranian students will work for the government to make WMDs, sure it makes  sense in that twisted world.

It's completely unreasonable and arbitrary discrimination based on nationality, motivated by political paranoia that Iran is trying to build a nuclear weapon (which, by the way, is most likely not their goal).

Hopefully it gets struck down or reversed, because this is pretty stupid.

It's not arbitrary and we do discriminate against certain nations.  We don't sell Iran weapons.  We don't hire Iranian nationals to work at Lockheed Martin.  It's part of our sanctions regime for Iran and it makes sense to guard our technology.

Yes it is arbitrary, because it's just a blanket ban rather than going on a case-by-case basis (as what was previously used, noted in the article). The aforementioned subjects that they are banned from are incredibly broad that could cover a vast range of careers, nuclear weapons technology being a tiny and loosely-related part of many of these careers. This is completely unnecessary discrimination.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Oh, I'm sure there are ample opportunities for students to "accidentally" engage in defense-related research in subjects like physics, chemistry, and computers

Yes.  The University needs to coordinate that with their lawyers.  Right?  It's very serious, professors can go to jail for allowing foreign nationals to have access to their research.  Computers can involve cryptography, chemistry can involve chemical weapons and physics can involve nuclear technology. 

[H. Ross Peron]

So what about all the Chinese graduate students one sees on almost any American college campus?

[afleitch]

Iranians?What is this, 1985?

[DemPGH]

Depends upon whether or not they have to go back to Iran.

In grad school I knew several students from the region who were from countries, er, friendlier than Iran. They were on dual stipend - their countries were paying them to come here plus they were on stipend here as grad assistants as well. The catch was that they had to go back when their education was complete. Can't imagine that Iran of all places would be any different. So in this case we're going to train them so they can go back to a hostile country with state-of-the-art knowledge? Unwise. Assuming they have to go back, saying "we're not accepting Iranian nationals to these programs" is a sensible precaution.

[ElectionsGuy]

No, I think it makes sense.  What exactly is the problem?

Not a problem if you think the people of Iran and the state of Iran are one in the same. Otherwise its blatant bigotry and/or fear mongering.

[Badger]

Bedstuy is correct. This is simple enforcement of US sactions against slowing development of nuclear arms. The same sanctions followed and supported by many international partners. Note the policy applies to Iranian nationals, not anyone of Iraiian descent.

That said, I wouldn't mind seeing an opportunity for individual exemptions after hightened background checks and the like.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

The ban has been reversed. Individualized plans of study will be created. Common sense.

[World politics is up Schmitt creek]

Profoundly ashamed that my alma mater even considered this, even if SMilo is correct in saying that they've abandoned the idea

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

The ban has been reversed. Individualized plans of study will be created. Common sense.

Yep, this is what they should've done from the start. All they've done is bring some bad publicity to themselves because they were too lazy to do what the rest of the nation's colleges do already.

http://www.umass.edu/newsoffice/article/umass-amherst-will-accept-iranian-students

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

The ban has been reversed. Individualized plans of study will be created. Common sense.

What does the individualized plans of study mean? Will there still be courses they are not allowed to study in?

[checkers]

They had the same policy at my alma mater too. I was pretty shocked when I heard about it but it must be fairly common. Appalling, of course.

[they don't love you like i love you]

How many Iranians even go to school in the US? I'd imagine it can't be very easy for then to get a visa and all for one. Is this something that'd actually common?

[Stranger in a strange land]

How many Iranians even go to school in the US? I'd imagine it can't be very easy for then to get a visa and all for one. Is this something that'd actually common?

Not a huge number, but more than you'd think - around 10,000: http://www.statista.com/statistics/233880/international-students-in-the-us-by-country-of-origin/.

[Reaganfan]

Iranians?What is this, 1985?

I'm being quite serious...if they aren't called Iranians, what are they called today?

[Grumpier Than Thou]

Iranians?What is this, 1985?

I'm being quite serious...if they aren't called Iranians, what are they called today?

Maybe you missed the point of the post.