Federal Appeals Court Upholds Ban on Academic Travel to Cuba

Washington — A federal appeals court here has upheld a lower court’s ruling against a group of academics who challenged Bush-administration restrictions that have virtually ended academic travel to Cuba.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit last week rejected a challenge to 2004 federal rules that, among other actions, barred short-term study trips to the Caribbean nation, permitting only visits lasting at least 10 weeks. The rules also prohibit colleges sponsoring the trips from accepting students from other institutions and allow only full-time tenured faculty members to lead trips.

The lawsuit was brought in 2006 by the Emergency Coalition to Defend Educational Travel, a group of about 450 faculty members and other higher-education professionals. The plaintiffs argued that the restrictions violate academic freedom.

But last year, a judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia rejected that argument, ruling that the government was not telling colleges what they could teach, only where they could hold classes. In its opinion, the appeals court agreed with the lower court’s decision.

Since the regulations were put in place, the number of study-abroad programs in Cuba has dwindled from more than 200 to just a handful.

Despite the ruling, those who favor freer travel to Cuba may have reason to be hopeful. President-elect Barack Obama has said he favors loosening restrictions on travel there. Indeed, aides to Mr. Obama said he was taking a broad look at Bush-administration executive orders and rules he may reverse when he takes office. There’s no word whether the ban on Cuba travel will be among them. —Karin Fischer