CIA'S RESPONSE TO CDA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90M00551R001200600012-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 7, 2014
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: November 7, 1988
• Content Type: LETTER

Declassified
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- 7 NOV 1988
Director
Intelligence Community Staff
Washington,'D.C. 20505
ICS 4752-88
The Honorable Louis Stokes, Chairman
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Mr. Chairman:
i /7-37Z-
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25X1
Enclosed is the Central Intelligence Agency's response to the
Congressionally directed action relating to the administration of CIA's
Undergraduate Training Programs (UTP). The request was made on pages 15 and
16 of the unclassified report (Number 100-591) associated with the House
version of the Intelligence Authorization Act for FY 1989.
Copies of this letter and the CIA response have been provided to the
Senate Select Committee on Intelligence as well as the Subcommittees on
Defense of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.
Sincerely,
STAT
Enclosure: As stated
THIS DOCUMENT IS UNCLASSIFIED
IN ITS ENTIRETY
Lieutenant General, USA
'Inward J. Alnz 0
UNCLASSIFIED
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UNDERGRADUATE TRAINING PROGRAM
This report responds to a request for a report on differences between the
CIA and NSA undergraduate training programs. Specifically, the unclassified
report accompanying the House version of the Intelligence Authorization Act
for FY 1989 directed us to reconcile differences between the two agencies in
payments to students and work obligations. The report also addresses
Committee concerns that not enough effort has been made to recruit high school
students.
Program Administration
In light of Committee concerns, we have re-examined the CIA's
under-graduate training program--the Undergraduate Scholar Program--and have
assessed the significance of differences with the NSA's program. In our view,
the two programs meet the intent of the FY 1987 Intelligence Authorization Act
as each:
-- Recruits nationwide for minority high school students who have
demonstrated the capability to develop skills critical to our
missions.
Offers similar benefits that include identical salaries, the payment
of college tuition, books, fees and supplies, and round-trip travel
expenses from school to each Agency for the summerwork period.
The two programs are marginally different in the following areas:
Student Payments. Unlike NSA, CIA pays room and board during the academic
year. However, CIA does not pay students for housing during summer work
periods as NSA does. We understand that our per diem rate during the summer
is considerably lower than NSA's per diem payments. Despite these
differences, we believe that both programs comply with the Authorization Act,
which authorizes payment of certain expenses but does not limit payments to
the expenses listed.
The CIA has structured the minority undergraduate program to meet the
objectives of the legislation. As such, our intent in paying the students
room and board during the academic year was to ensure that promising minority
students would not be excluded from the program because they or their family
could not meet the financial burden of paying for room and board. Such
payments also enable the student, who might otherwise have to work during the
academic year, to devote their full attention to academic excellence.
Student Service Obligation. Both the CIA and NSA compute the student's
service obligation as one and half years for each year of academic
sponsorship. The CIA, however, credits summer tours toward that obligation,
consistent with the Agency policy of giving summer employees (e.g.,
cooperative students and summer only employees) credit for government service.
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'
We believe our policy is consistent with other Agency programs and does
not conflict with the legislation or any written guidance from the Committee.
We also view the crediting of summer tours toward obligated service as a wise
investment because we anticipate that employees from the Undergraduate Scholar
Program will work far beyond their "payback period" by making their careers
with the Agency.
Program Recruitment Efforts
To get a quick start on the program in 1987, we used our college contacts
to identify high school applicants who might need financial assistance.
During 1988, we initiated an aggressive recruitment program on high school
campuses to attract the bright minority students, especially those needing
financial assistance. We sent letters to high schools informing them of our
program, established relationships with high school guidance counselors, and
contacted the Southeastern Regional Office of the National Scholarship Fund
for Negro Students, which assists black high school students in finding
scholarships and other financial aid.
We believe our program is a success. We exceeded the 1987-1988 academic
year recruitment target by six students and have hired 17 students for the
1988-1989 school year. Our student participants had grade point averages
(GPA) of 3.6 and average Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores of 1160, both
of which exceed CIA's minimal qualification requirements--a 2.75 GPA and a 900
SAT score--that are documented in the program's recruitment brochures. Senior
Agency management views the Undergraduate Scholar Program as an excellent
means of enhancing our minority recruitment efforts and of attracting talented
young people with the critical skills we need.
In conclusion, we have made considerable progress in building a program
that meets the goals of the FY 1987 Intelligence Authorization Act. We
believe that the marginal differences between our program and NSA's reflect
justifiable discretionary choices by managers.
Declassified in Part- Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/18: CIA-RDP90M00551R001200600012-9
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SUBJECT: CIA's Response to CDA
DCl/ICS/LL,
Distribution: (ICS 4752-88)
(10/27/88) STAT
Original - Chmn/HPSCI (Stokes)
1 - Chmn/SSCI (Boren)
1 - Chmn/Subcommittee on
1 - Chmn/Subcommittee on
1 - D/ICS
1 - PBO/CIA Program Monitor
1 - C/ED/PBO
1 - LL CDA F ie
1 - ICS Registry
Defense/HAG (Chappell)
Defense/SAC (Stennis)
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STAT
STAT