Berkeley Investigated for Undisclosed Foreign Funding

The U.S. Department of Education is probing the University of California, Berkeley for possibly incomplete foreign funding disclosures. Concerns were raised after media reports claimed Berkeley failed to report hundreds of millions from a foreign entity. This follows an executive order by President Trump aimed at increasing transparency in university funding.

The U.S. Department of Education has launched an investigation into the University of California, Berkeley's foreign funding disclosures, suggesting potential inaccuracies or omissions. This initiative follows media reports claiming that Berkeley withheld information about foreign funding amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars. Documents concerning foreign sources are being scrutinized.

This investigation coincides with President Donald Trump's executive order directing more stringent enforcement of laws mandating universities to disclose foreign funding details, amid concerns about foreign influence on campus. UC Berkeley has been cooperating with federal inquiries over recent years, as confirmed by Assistant Vice Chancellor Dan Mogulof.

Amid similar investigations at prominent institutions like Harvard University, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon criticized the previous administration for lax oversight on foreign contributions. The Trump administration has intensified scrutiny on universities due to various issues, drawing criticism from rights advocates concerned about potential impacts on free speech and academic freedom.

(With inputs from agencies.)