Despite restriction, University students able to study in Cuba

Despite restriction, University students able to study in Cuba
By: Tariq Noaman
Posted: 12/3/09

Exactly how 'grande' are the academic interactions between Hopkins
students and faculty with this robust island nation? More specifically,
is it possible for a Hopkins student to study in Cuba under a study
abroad program?

Surprisingly the answer is yes, according to senior philosophy major
Graham Ellis.

Ellis took Spanish classes at the University of Havana over a 10 week
period this past summer. Impassioned by what he believed were the "truly
noble ideals" of the Cuban Revolution, Ellis sought to study in Cuba to
see how these ideals play out in the daily Cuban experience. The
processes through which he was able to study in Cuba was rather
complicated, however.

"Hopkins has a valid license that enables students to study in Cuba,"
said Lori Citti, director for study abroad programs at Hopkins. "However
as of now, "There is no 'study abroad program' in Cuba."

Citti noted, however that despite restrictions that the Department of
the Treasury has imposed on study abroad programs offered at other
universities (Harvard being a prime example), it is possible for a
Hopkins student to study in Cuba through direct enrollment in a Cuban
university under the Hopkins license. This is exactly what Ellis was
able to do thanks to two years of research on US legislation against
Cuba, specifically on travel restrictions to Cuba.

When Ellis first notified the Office of Study Abroad of his intention to
study in Cuba, he was told that there was no possibility. The Bush
administration had already eliminated nearly all channels of academic
exchange with Cuba earlier in the decade.

"I started to dive a bit further, and met Dr. Gonzalez [Director of the
Spanish and Latin American Subdivision of the Department of Romance
Languages] who used to take students to Cuba over spring break," said Ellis.

After having studied US legislation on Cuba, he found a loophole through
the Office of Foreign Assets (OFAC) under the Department of the Treasury
- which administers and upholds economic sanctions in accordance with US
foreign policy and national security interests.

It was from the OFAC that Ellis had to obtain permission to travel to
Cuba. In order to study in cuba he had to (among other requirements) be
a matriculating student at a university that has a program in Cuba (or
an academic license), the duration of the study had to be longer than 10
weeks, he had to pursue a formal course of study in Cuba and the
university had to approve all of the proposed classes and accept them
for credit.

While he was communicating with OFAC, he was also talking to members of
the University administration to obtain approval for his course of
study. It was once he obtained approval from both the university and
OFAC that he enrolled in the University of Havana independently.

Ellis was able to stay for three months by using a loophole having to do
with immigration policy in Cuba. Though he travelled to Cuba with a
tourist visa, Cuban law requires that a foreign student change this visa
to a student visa upon arrival. This student visa lasts for the duration
of the intended program of study and expires on the last day of the program.

After having completed his ten-week summer term he flew out of Cuba to
the nearby Bahamas before flying back in thus renewing his tourist visa.
It was during this extended period of stay that he was able to truly see
the legacy of the Cuban revolution in action. He saw how "the far less
than ideal Revolution served to give Cubans a rich sense of culture"
rendering it one of "the most culturally rich, diverse and profound
nations in the region."

"The Embargo has no grounding at this point," Ellis said as he expressed
disdain at the fact that after nearly 50 years it continues to "cause
the Cubans suffering."
He feels strongly that both the US and the Cuban governments need to
reach a diplomatic understanding by opening up real discussion.

Peter Agre, Nobel Laureate in chemistry and leader of the Hopkins
Malaria Research Institute expressed the same sentiments. Taking into
account the existence of "higher priorities on the Obama agenda" than
the easing of relations with Cuba, he hopes never the less that
relations with Cuba will be normalized.

Agre, president of the Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
led a delegation of scientists to Cuba in mid-November with strictly
"the advancement of science in mind," Representing the AAAS and without
any political agenda in mind, Agre and his delegation met with the
Deputy Foreign Minister, the President of the Cuban National Academy for
the Sciences and the Director of the Latin-American Medical School among
other scientific notables.

His delegation also visited the biotechnology institute, the malarial
institute and the vaccine institutes of Cuba. As scientists, they were
all required by Cuban law to travel as private citizens but were not
permitted to travel as tourists.

"This trip was entirely formal, and involved meeting with top scientists
and personnel to foster goodwill with the hope of increasing scientific
cooperation," Agre said. "Cubans have done things that Americans would
like to know more about. Public health has clearly become a priority in
Cuba where the infant mortality rate is less than those of some American
cities."

He noted Cuba's success in eradicating malaria - an area of his research
- and pointed to the talent of the Cubans of "doing more with less"
especially considering the fact that all Cuban scientists are government
employees.

Agre was shocked by what he saw however, comparing Cuba to post-World
War II Italy and referring to the embargo as "not an act of war but an
act of starvation."

"Cuba will be an area of great interest in the months and years to come
- specifically pertaining to the advancement of sciences and the public
health breakthroughs we have witnessed in this country," Agre said.
"Cuba continues to be a beacon for the practice of science and
specifically for the advancement of medicine."

Despite restriction, University students able to study in Cuba - News &
Features (3 December 2009)
http://media.www.jhunewsletter.com/media/storage/paper932/news/2009/12/03/NewsFeatures/Despite.Restriction.University.Students.Able.To.Study.In.Cuba-3845375.shtml