The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of the General Counsel (OGC) on Thursday announced the opening of a foreign funding investigation into the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) following the discovery of inaccurate and untimely financial disclosures from foreign sources.
The investigation centers on potential violations of Section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which mandates that institutions receiving federal financial assistance report gifts and contracts from foreign sources valued at $250,000 or more annually.
According to the Department, a review of UPenn’s submitted foreign reports revealed inconsistencies and omissions. Acting General Counsel Tom Wheeler highlighted UPenn’s concerning compliance history, noting the university failed to disclose any foreign funding until February 2019, despite the decades-long statutory requirement…