U.S. Higher Education Has a Foreign Money Problem
The relationship between universities and the federal government is about to get a lot more contentious.
Where does all its money come from?
Photographer: Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The federal government is asking Harvard University about money it has received from foreign governments, such as China, Iran, Russia, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. A similar letter went to Yale. The allegation is that these schools may have accepted these donations without reporting them, as is required by law, and the matter is especially sensitive because such funds may have been used for research related to matters of national security.
These letters reflect a huge shift in how the federal government treats higher education. And the change may be here to stay.