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Please note!
This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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FACT BRIEF

Has the Department of Education tightened enforcement of rules about foreign funding of US colleges?

By Ronny Hu
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YES

The Education Department has stepped up enforcement of a 1965 law requiring colleges and universities to report foreign funding of any type exceeding $250,000. There are no limits on funding from specific countries as long as reporting requirements are met.

Inside Higher Ed reports that between July 2019 and February 2020 the department received reports of $6.5 billion in previously undisclosed funds. The department has publicly launched investigations into 12 universities, raising concerns about undue foreign influence as well as national security. An August 20 notice to Stanford raises extensive questions about the California school's ties to China.

The department's effort has coincided with generally heightened federal scrutiny of Chinese activities in the U.S., but it also has raised questions about links to other countries including Qatar, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Russia.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Inside Higher Ed: Foreign gift investigations expand and intensify
Department of Education: Section 117 of the 1965 Higher Education Act
Department of Education: Notice of investigation of Stanford
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Gigafact
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.