American universities opening abroad

College students hoping to study abroad have traditionally arranged their semesters overseas with the help of a student-exchange program or a third-party broker. Now, there’s a new and growing alternative for American college students: studying abroad at a foreign campus of an American university. The New York Times reported yesterday on the recent race between American universities to set up campuses abroad. Many of America’s most prestigious schools are opening foreign branches, especially in the Persian Gulf, where generous donors are eager to draw American educational exports and China, especially popular with universities seeking to offer global educational options. Offering more students more choice in crafting an experience abroad can only be beneficial, but students should be wary. There’s something to be said for cultural exchange and language immersion – something U.S. universities are unlikely to export.

Justice catches up with Guantánamo

Military prosecutors are reportedly in the late stages of preparing a case against six detainees currently held at the United States detention facility in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, suspected to have been involved in the planning of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Among others, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, a former senior aide to Osama bin Laden who reportedly has claimed responsibility as the principal architect, will (finally) be charged and tried for his culpability in the attacks. Although those directly responsible for the attacks deserve to be punished, several aspects of the case are not as straightforward – the detainees are suspected to have undergone aggressive interrogation, including waterboarding, while in custody, and as of today still have yet to be charged by a military prosecutor. Closure for the families of victims of 9/11 and the nation as a whole is important, but not at the expense of the rule of law.

Borders and business

Last Friday, U.S. District Judge Neil Wake upheld the constitutionality of Arizona’s “”employer sanctions law”” – the new statute that allows the state to suspend and revoke the licenses of business that employ undocumented aliens. This is an unfortunate ruling for many Arizona businesses: Not only are they still reeling in the wake of a slumping economy, but they are now forced to compete with businesses from neighboring states without the same stringent restrictions. Even if an Arizona business refuses to hire undocumented aliens, the cost of maintaining proof of citizenship and complying with state regulations takes a toll on business. Yet the ruling is not all bad. The case upholds the basic principle that the state has the right to enact its own standards, which may exceed those of the federal government (even if they suck). Arizona’s “”pre-emption”” of federal standards is very much akin to California’s stringent environmental standards that exceed those written by the Feds. While the law itself may be flawed, Judge Wake’s stand on federalism deserves approval.

Election fraud

With the world’s attention focused on America’s long slog toward a new president, it’s easy to overlook news from the far corners of the world. But there’s another distant election that deserves a moment of our attention: Burma’s next parliamentary race, scheduled to take place in 2010. Saturday, Burma’s ruling military junta, which drew international attention for brutal crackdowns on pro-democracy protesters last September, announced upcoming “”multi-party, democratic elections”” to be held in two years. Sound familiar? That’s because the last election, held in 1990, was also “”multi-party”” and “”democratic”” – and ultimately nullified by the generals when a pro-democracy party won. Until Burma shakes the military dictatorship that’s been in power since 1962, any election will be a sham.