This research project examines export control policy in the United States, mainly the 1976 Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) as it relates to research practices in higher education. The goal of this project is to raise awareness of the current export control regulations, examine the importance of academic freedom in higher education, illustrate Eastern Washington University’s (EWU) growing research potential, and offer guidance for if or when EWU engages in export control related practices. In support of these goals, EWU’s 2018-2023 strategic plan, international student population, strength of STEM programming, the faculty values statement, and current export control policy were reviewed. The research concludes with the following recommendations for EWU: that the institution (1) strengthen its already-in-place reactionary stance (its current export control policy) for complying with current export control regulations, and (2) implement safeguards to protect and promote academic freedom, and question the ethicality of policies that provide access to knowledge for some groups of people while restricting that access to others.
","abstract_html":"<p>This research project examines export control policy in the United States, mainly the 1976 Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) as it relates to research practices in higher education. The goal of this project is to raise awareness of the current export control regulations, examine the importance of academic freedom in higher education, illustrate Eastern Washington University’s (EWU) growing research potential, and offer guidance for if or when EWU engages in export control related practices. In support of these goals, EWU’s 2018-2023 strategic plan, international student population, strength of STEM programming, the faculty values statement, and current export control policy were reviewed. The research concludes with the following recommendations for EWU: that the institution (1) strengthen its already-in-place reactionary stance (its current export control policy) for complying with current export control regulations, and (2) implement safeguards to protect and promote academic freedom, and question the ethicality of policies that provide access to knowledge for some groups of people while restricting that access to others.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Watts, Michael G."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS) in Communications","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Communication Studies","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2019,"date_issued":"2019-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2019-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:12:52Z","subjects":["Defense and Security Studies","Economic Policy","Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research","Higher Education"],"languages":[],"rights":["Access is available to all users"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dc.ewu.edu/theses/592","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Watts, Michael G."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Communication Studies"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS) in Communications"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Defense and Security Studies","Economic Policy","Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research","Higher Education"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Access is available to all users"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://dc.ewu.edu/theses/592"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This research project examines export control policy in the United States, mainly the 1976 Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) as it relates to research practices in higher education. The goal of this project is to raise awareness of the current export control regulations, examine the importance of academic freedom in higher education, illustrate Eastern Washington University’s (EWU) growing research potential, and offer guidance for if or when EWU engages in export control related practices. In support of these goals, EWU’s 2018-2023 strategic plan, international student population, strength of STEM programming, the faculty values statement, and current export control policy were reviewed. The research concludes with the following recommendations for EWU: that the institution (1) strengthen its already-in-place reactionary stance (its current export control policy) for complying with current export control regulations, and (2) implement safeguards to protect and promote academic freedom, and question the ethicality of policies that provide access to knowledge for some groups of people while restricting that access to others.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Export control awareness: the initial discussion & necessary considerations of engaging in export control practices at Eastern Washington University"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Watts, Michael G."],"dc:description.abstract":["This research project examines export control policy in the United States, mainly the 1976 Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) as it relates to research practices in higher education. The goal of this project is to raise awareness of the current export control regulations, examine the importance of academic freedom in higher education, illustrate Eastern Washington University’s (EWU) growing research potential, and offer guidance for if or when EWU engages in export control related practices. In support of these goals, EWU’s 2018-2023 strategic plan, international student population, strength of STEM programming, the faculty values statement, and current export control policy were reviewed. The research concludes with the following recommendations for EWU: that the institution (1) strengthen its already-in-place reactionary stance (its current export control policy) for complying with current export control regulations, and (2) implement safeguards to protect and promote academic freedom, and question the ethicality of policies that provide access to knowledge for some groups of people while restricting that access to others.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://dc.ewu.edu/theses/592"],"dc:rights":["Access is available to all users"],"dc:subject":["Defense and Security Studies","Economic Policy","Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research","Higher Education"],"dc:title":["Export control awareness: the initial discussion & necessary considerations of engaging in export control practices at Eastern Washington University"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Communication Studies"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS) in Communications"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:12:52Z"}