OFAC Issues Cuba Educational License to Southern Illinois University
The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued a specific license permitting Southern Illinois University (SIU) to engage in educational activities with Cuba. SIU's previously obtained license expired on June 30, 2004 and OFAC had advised SIU that the license would not be renewed.
SIU enlisted the support of several members of Congress in its efforts to convince OFAC to issue a new Cuba travel license. While the efforts to obtain the license paid off, the new license is more restrictive then the previous license. Consistent with the new Cuba travel regulations issued by OFAC on June 16, 2004, the new license is valid for only one year, not two, and the license contains a number of restrictions on who can travel to Cuba and for what purpose.
Many U.S. universities have curtailed or cancelled their Cuba study programs as a result of the June 16, 2004 changes to the Cuba travel regulations.