Is US higher education becoming a geopolitical battleground? Lessons from the Chicago probe
Federal scrutiny of US higher education continues to intensify, as the University of Chicago confirms it has received information requests from the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) concerning its admissions practices and international student enrollment.According to over 200 pages of bond issuance documents dated July 11, the university disclosed that it had received these federal inquiries and warned that ongoing or future investigations could directly or indirectly impact its financial operations. Bloomberg was the first to report the news, and the university’s disclosures were later reviewed by the Chicago Sun-Times.Federal inquiries and potential investigationsIn the documents, the University of Chicago stated that the DOJ and DHS issued information requests relating to “admissions practices and international students.” The university added that “there may be prospective investigations or inquiries.” While the immediate financial impact was noted as not material at the time, the university acknowledged the possibility of a material adverse effect on its financial profile due to federal developments, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.The university did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the federal scrutiny. The DOJ and DHS also declined to comment, as noted by the Chicago Sun-Times.A third of the student body is internationalThe bond documents reveal that approximately one-third of the University of Chicago’s student population is composed of international students. The university noted that any restrictions limiting its ability to enroll international students would have a “materially adverse impact on the financial condition of the University,” according to statements cited by the Chicago Sun-Times.The documents also disclosed that 18% of the university’s total revenue during the last academic year came from federal funding. This includes $543 million from various US government sources.Loss of grants and policy developmentsThe university acknowledged in the documents that it had already lost several federal grants, including from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. The university has appealed these decisions and, as of the time of disclosure, had not lost access to any funds. This information was reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.The scrutiny of the university comes amid broader policy shifts. One month before the bond documents were dated, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced changes to visa criteria for students from China and Hong Kong. Rubio stated that the US would increase scrutiny on visa-holding students in “critical fields” and those with “connections to the Chinese Communist Party,” according to the Chicago Sun-Times.Other investigations and DEI developmentsIn March, the University of Chicago was named among 46 institutions placed under investigation by the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights for alleged Title VI violations related to participation in a doctoral conference. In April, the DOJ ended its challenge to the Diversifying Higher Education Faculty in Illinois Scholarship, which it labeled a DEI initiative. The DOJ stated the University of Chicago was among schools that confirmed they were no longer involved with the program.The university clarified it had not participated in the scholarship since 2023, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here.
