The University of California, Berkeley sees national outcry. Recent media reports show that it misled the public by failing to disclose hundreds of millions of dollars received from a foreign government. This is no surprise. It was the Trump administration that initiated this investigation in 2023. Their primary goal was to see that U.S. universities follow the letter of the law when it comes to foreign funding.
The Trump administration started this investigation after lawmakers and universities raised concerns over foreign influence on American campuses. President Donald Trump’s executive order. This order is an important step toward holding universities accountable for transparency on where they’re getting foreign dollars from, and what they’re being used for. The order is a testament to Trump’s concerns about the corrosive and corrupting effect of foreign donations on institutions of higher education and our national security.
The probe comes at a time when Trump has threatened major repercussions to schools that do not comply, including stripping federal dollars. As our nation’s flagship public university, Berkeley is one of many elite institutions facing greater scrutiny from the administration.
As a result, in 2023 Berkeley made national news for not reporting large amounts of foreign government funding. That undisclosed amount quickly adds up to hundreds of millions of dollars. These actions beg the question of the university’s transparency, as well as their adherence to federal regulations. Current legislation requires the universities to publicly report the source and intended use of foreign funds to provide transparency, oversight, and accountability.
In response to Reuters inquiry on the investigation, Assistant Vice Chancellor Dan Mogulof email stated that. He reiterated the City of Berkeley’s steadfast dedication to working with federal investigations.
“Over the course of the last two years, UC Berkeley has been cooperating with federal inquiries regarding 117 reporting issues, and we will continue to do so,” – Dan Mogulof
The Trump administration’s crackdown on foreign funding also extends to various contentious topics within academia, including pro-Palestinian campus protests and diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon called the Biden-Harris administration’s bluff. She lamented their failure to provide meaningful oversight over foreign funding, arguing that it has resulted in a runaway influx of foreign gifts on our nation’s college campuses.
“The Biden-Harris Administration turned a blind eye to colleges and universities’ legal obligations by deprioritizing oversight and allowing foreign gifts to pour onto American campuses,” – U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon
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