This is a report, not necessarily unbiased, but quite useful, about the Pat Roberts Intelligence Scholars Program. This is a pilot project (four million dollars, max of about 150 students; the program lasts through Spetember of 2006) that encourages students to study certain languages and areas of the world, their tuition is paid for two years, and then they are required to spend eighteen months working for a federal agency as analysts. The pilot program is meant to bring analysts into intelligence agencies as quickly as possible. Also see the NSA site
and this on line discussion of the article with Professor Felix Moos, the founder of the program.
Unfortunately, the NSA site is dated. Application deadline was in January. Hopefully this will be more than just a pilot program. I am impressed with how they were able to cut through the normal red tape and get something actually going forward.
Clearly the participants should be accorded the same rights to privacy as any CIA agent, especially in the academic setting. There are far too many kooks out there to make their identity public.