The Education Department launched investigations into the University of California, Berkeley and Harvard University over their foreign funding reporting practices.
The Trump administration initiated its investigation into UC Berkeley on Friday and Harvard last week. Both universities were flagged for foreign funding disclosures that were “incomplete or inaccurate.”
Under Section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, institutions of higher education receiving federal funds must “disclose foreign source gifts and contracts with a value of $250,000 or more annually to the Department.”
President Donald Trump signed an executive order earlier this week to tighten transparency requirements for foreign funding of U.S. colleges and research institutions. The order has two main provisions. The first directs the Education Department to reverse Biden-era policies that made it easier for institutions to “obscure details regarding foreign funding.” It also calls for stricter enforcement to ensure universities properly report such funding.
UC Berkeley acknowledged failing to report millions of dollars in foreign government funding between June and July 2023.
“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. Despite widespread compliance failures, no new Section 117 investigations were initiated for four years, and ongoing investigations were closed prematurely,” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement. “I have great confidence in my Office of General Counsel to investigate these matters fully, and they will begin by thoroughly examining UC Berkeley’s apparent failure to fully and accurately disclose significant funding received from foreign sources.”
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The Education Department gave Harvard 30 days to supply the agency with information from a records request, including a list of all foreign gifts and grants the university has received. In 2024, the Office of the General Counsel closed an investigation into Harvard regarding violations of Section 117. The investigation was launched in 2020 by the first Trump administration.
“Unfortunately, our review indicated that Harvard has not been fully transparent or complete in its disclosures, which is both unacceptable and unlawful,” McMahon said. “This records request is the Trump Administration’s first step to ensure Harvard is not being manipulated by, or doing the bidding of, foreign entities, which include actors who are hostile to the interests of the United States and American students. We hope Harvard will respect its own motto and be truthful in its federal filings and foreign relationships.”