The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law has urged Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to promptly release public records detailing foreign sources funding American colleges and universities, following a fourth consecutive postponement by the Department of Education announced last Wednesday.
The Department initially scheduled the publication of Section 117 foreign funding reports for July 15 before delaying the release to July 29, August 12, and August 26. On August 26, officials postponed the rollout once again until September 11. In response to the repeated delays, the Brandeis Center filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking a copy of the Department's compiled report containing the names of foreign sources from prior reporting cycles.
"While we commend Secretary McMahon for her prior work to increase transparency, the American people have a right to know more," said Hon. Kenneth L. Marcus, chairman and CEO of the Brandeis Center and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education for Civil Rights. "Four postponements in less than two months leave the American people waiting for information about foreign funding of higher-ed institutions that federal law requires to be open to scrutinization. Americans deserve to know which foreign governments, state-controlled entities, or their intermediaries are sending billions of dollars into our campuses and classrooms and what influence may accompany that money."
Critics warn it may influence campus policies and responses to antisemitism.
Concerns regarding the impact of this financial pipeline have increasingly drawn public and legal scrutiny. Earlier this year, Marcus detailed in the Wall Street Journal how extensive Qatari funding at Carnegie Mellon University may have compromised the institution's handling of antisemitism complaints, marking one of the earliest major exposés on how foreign money can shape campus culture and policy.
The push for transparency follows a broader wave of legal and legislative actions by the Brandeis Center to combat foreign influence. Last month, the Center formally requested that the Department of Justice investigate Northwestern University’s compliance with the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) regarding its $737 million relationship with Qatar and the Qatari government-controlled Qatar Foundation, following similar scrutiny directed at Georgetown University in May. Beyond enforcement requests, the Brandeis Center is actively urging Congress to pass the DETERRENT Act to significantly strengthen foreign funding disclosure requirements and close existing oversight loopholes in higher education.