(DCNF)—The Department of Education (ED) opened an investigation Thursday into the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) over its alleged failure to accurately report the foreign funding it receives.
ED said the Ivy League university has a long history of “inaccurate and incomplete” reporting of foreign funding and has initiated a public records request from the school. The department is seeking information regarding UPenn’s tax records, all foreign gifts, grants, contracts and agreements the university has been involved with since 2017 as well as its internal policies regarding complying with federal disclosure requirements.
“UPenn has a troubling Section 117 compliance history, having failed to disclose any foreign funding until February of 2019 despite a decades-long statutory obligation to do so,” Acting General Counsel Tom Wheeler said in ED’s press release. “Although the previous Administration degraded the Department’s enforcement of universities’ legal obligations to disclose foreign gifts and contracts, the Trump Administration will vigorously uphold the law and ensure universities are transparent with their foreign gifts and investments.”
The department is also requesting information from UPenn on all staff responsible for conducting research in collaboration with foreign entities and those involved with administering the Foreign Government Talent Recruitment Program.
Higher education institutions are required by law to report donations of $250,000 or more from foreign sources.
The Trump administration made it a priority to root out foreign influence in American universities, with President Donald Trump signing an executive order in April demanding transparency with universities’ involvement with foreign entities and compliance with existing foreign funding reporting requirements. The administration has already put several universities, including Harvard University, under review for an alleged failure to accurately report their affiliations. Harvard reportedly accepted roughly $1.1 billion from foreign sources since 2017, according to an Open the Books report released in April. The organization also found that several universities may have failed to adequately disclose funds accepted from China, according to a January report.
UPenn has previously found itself at odds with ED officials due to its policy of allowing men to compete on women’s sports teams. The department in April issued an ultimatum to the school threatening its federal funds over its alleged noncompliance with Title IX.
UPenn did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
“OGC [Office of the General Counsel] will investigate this matter thoroughly, ensuring that universities cannot conceal the infiltration of our nation’s campuses by foreign governments and other foreign interests,” Wheeler continued. “The American people and Congress have a right to know the impact of foreign funding on our universities, including some of our critically important research universities. We hope the University of Pennsylvania will be cooperative and forthcoming in response to this investigation.”
The ED investigation into foreign funding is coupled with an ongoing effort in Congress to restrict Department of Homeland Security funds for American universities that maintain partnerships with Chinese government-backed entities.
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At Last, a Company With Integrity in the Gold IRA Industry
For several years, I’ve been vetting out precious metals companies in search of the best. I believe in gold and silver but it’s hard to find integrity in the Gold IRA industry. The vast majority operate with shady tactics and gigantic spreads that take advantage of Americans who simply want to protect their life’s savings.
I’ve found a handful that I like and I’ve worked with some of them. By no means would I “unrecommend” them because, again, I vetted them out and found them to be above the fold. Unfortunately, it isn’t hard to be better than the rest when the rest are so darn awful.
After years of searching, I finally found a company that truly operates with integrity. Augusta Precious Metals has three important attributes that set them far above the competition:
- Non-Commissioned Sales Team: I cannot stress how important and unique this is. With just about every other company in the Gold IRA industry, the sales teams make commission from every account they open. This means they steer their clients toward the gold and silver products with the highest commission. With Augusta Precious Metals, the team is solely focused on putting the best gold and silver for their clients into their IRA. They get paid to serve the best interests of the Gold IRA client, NOT their own commission pay.
- Incredibly Low Fees: Most Americans would be shocked if they knew the spread other Gold IRA companies charge. Augusta charges just 5% versus up to 45% elsewhere.
- No Pressure, No Gimmicks: There’s an understanding among most in the Gold IRA industry that fear and pressure is the way to go. Augusta Precious Metals takes a sober approach when working with clients because they hold integrity in the highest possible regard. This is why they don’t offer gimmicks like “free” or “bonus” silver. It’s also why they do not apply pressure tactics to get quick sales. Their educational and transparent approach to doing business is exceedingly rare in the Gold IRA industry.
