Education Department announces foreign funding investigation against University of Michigan

The Education Department announced on Tuesday it is opening a foreign funding investigation against the University of Michigan after alleged inaccurate disclosures in the school’s foreign reports.

The department is demanding the university provide a litany of documents within 30 days, including tax records relating to foreign funding since 2020, a copy of written agreements with foreign governments and companies and a list of all foreign gifts since 2020.

“Despite the University of Michigan’s history of downplaying its vulnerabilities to malign foreign influence, recent reports reveal that UM’s research laboratories remain vulnerable to sabotage, including what the U.S. Department of Justice recently described in criminal charges as ‘potential agroterrorism’ by Chinese nationals affiliated with UM. As the recipient of federal research funding, UM has both a moral and legal obligation to be completely transparent about its foreign partnerships,” said Chief Investigative Counsel Paul Moore.

“Unfortunately, tens of millions of dollars in foreign funding in UM’s disclosure reports have been reported in an untimely manner and appear to erroneously identify some of UM’s foreign funders as ‘nongovernmental entities,’ even though the foreign funders seem to be directly affiliated with foreign governments. OGC [Office of General Counsel] will vigorously investigate this matter to ensure that the American people know the true scope of foreign funding and influence on our campuses,” he added.

Noncompliance could put the university at risk of Department of Justice enforcement, which includes civil actions.

The Hill has reached out to UM for comment.

The investigation adds to other Republican pressure against the school’s foreign ties. The university ended its 20-year partnership with Shanghai Jiao Tong University at the beginning of the year.

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