Rep. Elise Stefanik pressed interim University of Michigan president Domenico Grasso on Thursday over the university’s failure to conduct a security audit after Chinese nationals were arrested for spying on a U.S. military installation in Michigan.
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During a House Education and the Workforce Committee hearing, Stefanik cited the case of five Chinese students who were caught taking illegal photos of military drills and equipment at Camp Grayling, a remote state military installation. The students were accused of misleading U.S. law enforcement and deleting evidence via the CCP-controlled messaging app WeChat.
Stefanik asked whether the University of Michigan had conducted a full audit to determine if intellectual property or federally funded research had been compromised. Grasso acknowledged that no audit was done, stating the spying occurred miles from campus and the accused students were undergraduates with no access to university research.
Grasso said, “We are unaware of any research that was compromised by these individual students,” and expressed doubt that the students had engaged in “something nefarious” on campus. He also noted that the university is improving background checks and seeking closer cooperation with federal intelligence agencies to vet students before they enter the U.S.
Stefanik emphasized the importance of a thorough audit given the confirmed spying off campus. Grasso admitted uncertainty about all ongoing research activities but pointed to improved security measures aimed at preventing future risks.
The exchange highlights ongoing congressional scrutiny of foreign influence and espionage concerns involving Chinese students at U.S. universities.
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