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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 21, 2002)
CIA has covert mission: Recruit students Authorities for the CIA offer University students a little insight into their undercover world—and jobs Reporter’s notebook Brook Reinhard News Editor Attention students: The GIA wants you. And they don’t care if you’ve smoked a few joints, as long you can get a B average in school. America’s intelligence experts came to the University on Wednesday for the first time in five years to pitch their spy pro grams, and I came to write about them. Af ter all, journalists make perfect spies. “In Oregon, it doesn’t seem like it, but we’re not your typical company,” ex plained a GIA information specialist who would only give his first name, Bill. “I’m sorry sir, no cameras,” Bill said as an Emerald photographer was denied entry by Bill and his gray-suited spy-buddy, Jill. After chucking a few other cameras out of the public meeting, GIA analyst Jill got down to business. “We’re going to try to cover a wide range of jobs, depending on your major,” she said. Jill described job openings at the CIA as the 20 to 30 students took notes. Several people in the meeting had come prepared to fight the GIA. They passed around anti-CIA pamphlets as Jill did her best to ignore them. “Think Q in James Bond,” Jill said as she described one job. “When we have a techni cal issue, we ask them to fix it for us.” After talking about positions at the CIA ranging from the analyst who often writes briefs for the president of the United States, to the translation technicians who monitor foreign-language media and turn it into Eng lish, Jill finally started talking about the cloak-and-dagger aspects of the CIA. “The clandestine service is a collection service of last resort,” she said. “It requires you to work undercover.” As Jill spoke, a couple of well-dressed students entered the room. Snazzy ties, crisp white shirts, the works. The two of them sat down next to me — had they found me out? Nope. I glanced over, saw the resumes in front of them, and realized they were just well-dressed fraternity brothers running late for the CIA session. Should have known better. I turned my attention back to Jill. She was busy issuing the standard spying-is risky disclaimers. “People do put their lives in danger, and they can get killed,” she said. The CIA hiring process, no matter what jobs students are interested in, can be tense. It takes six to nine months to process a security clearance, take poly graph tests and complete medical checks. The presenters said once that’s completed, there’s no guarantee a job will still be avail able. Students need a college degree and a minimum GPA of 3.0 to apply. Drug users are OK, as long as a student’s been clean for at least one year. “If you’re a regular cocaine user and plan to be one, you’re probably not going to get a job for the CIA,” Jill said. “But if you’ve smoked a joint or two, it may not hang you up.” The agents then opened the meeting up to questions. Some students asked about health issues, relocation and how many languages they’d have to speak to be hired. While Jill refused to answer many contro versial questions about the past history of the CLA, most questions focused on the life of a spy. “Do they pull out your fingernails?” asked one student. “How long are documents classified?” asked another. Jill added that ideal spy candidates would be 25 to 30 years old. “We don’t like to send 22-year-olds put on what could be life-and-death situa tions,” she said. ' . • . For people interested in the agency* Bill and Jill advised students.to qjieck out the group’s Web site at www.eia.gov. Contact the news editor atbfookreinhard@dailyemerald.com. Michael J. Kleckner Emefald The CIA didn't allow photographers to take pictures inside the meeting room, so in this surreptitious picture snapped from an undisclosed location, the identity of everyone involved has been obscured to protect operatives from the prying eyes of enemies. Danielle Hickey Emerald Work is beginning on Moss Street to make room for the new child care center. Childcare continued from page 1 the city.” He added residents’ primary con cern with the University building nearby is the increased traffic in the neighborhood. One University employee disagreed. “My understanding is that the Uni versity put the houses on our site out to bid, and these houses have been sold,” EMU Child Care Center Coor dinator Dennis Reynolds said. Some residents spoke in support of the proposed structure. “It’s fine as far as I’m concerned,” Fairmount resident Ellen Maddex said. She said the current child care fa cilities are in disrepair, and construct ing a new center is a good move. There is still some concern among the neighbors. “Instead of beautification, they’re doing uglification, and some of the neighbors in that area are unhappy,” Osanka said. But the University maintains its intentions are to improve the area. Associate Vice President for Insti tutional Affairs Jan Oliver said the University only intends to cut down several small trees, and the building is designed to accommodate two of the old trees growing in the area. The appeal will be reviewed by the Eugene Planning Commission during a public hearing at 6 p.m. Oct. 29 in the Sloat Room of the Atrium Building, located at 99 W. 10th Ave. Contact the reporter atjilliandaley@dailyemerald.com. Today's crossword solution 75 Foot long Sub Expires 11/3/02 SUBSHOP 1225 ALDER 345-2434 Not valid with any other discounts or coupons MON-SAT 11AM-8PM • SUN 11:30PM-8PM 1 i News brief Alumnus speaks on U.S. foreign policy University alumnus Victor Tom seth will give a free public lecture ti tled “What Went Wrong? The Road to Baghdad” today at 3:30 p.m. in the Adelaide Church Memorial Reading Room at the Knight Library. Students will also have the oppor tunity to speak with Tomseth in an informal coffee hour discussion in the International Lounge at 10 a.m. In his lecture, Tomseth will be ad dressing relations between the Mid dle East and the United States and how they’ve deteriorated. Islam, ter rorism, international security, world politics and U.S. foreign policy all will be covered in the presentation. Tomseth has served at U.S. con sulates and embassies in many coun tries throughout his career — Thai land, Iran, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Laos — as well as with the State Department in Washington, D.G. In 1979, he was one of 52 Ameri cans held hostage following the seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Iran by Islamic militants. After his re lease, Tomseth continued his career in foreign diplomacy until retiring in 1996. Tomseth was one of three Uni versity alumni members to be honored with the Profiles in Achievement Award at a banquet Friday. 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