Trump administration to investigate Penn’s foreign funding as deadline hits for school to respond to demands over trans swimmer
The Trump administration has demanded the school remove Lia Thomas swimming records. It also opened a new investigation into the university over foreign funding.
Thursday was the deadline for the University of Pennsylvania to respond to the U.S. Department of Education’s demands regarding the school’s decision to allow a transgender swimmer to compete on the women’s team.
Neither Penn nor the White House has responded to requests for comment on whether Penn will comply with the demands.
But the department Thursday afternoon in a separate matter announced its office of general counsel was beginning an investigation into the school’s “foreign funding after discovering inaccurate and untimely foreign financial disclosures.” The department already has started similar probes at Harvard and the University of California, Berkeley as it opens another front in its effort to gain more control over the nation’s colleges and their operations.
The department has asked Penn to supply a myriad of documents, including tax records, agreements with foreign entities, and all university research personnel and contract personnel “involved in bilateral or multilateral research collaborations with non-U.S. research institutions.”
Colleges that receive federal funds by law must disclose gifts and contracts from foreign sources worth $250,000 or more.
“OGC will investigate this matter thoroughly, ensuring that universities cannot conceal the infiltration of our nation’s campuses by foreign governments and other foreign interests,” said Acting General Counsel Tom Wheeler. “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.”
Penn did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It‘s not the first time Penn has been asked about foreign donations. Former president Amy Gutmann faced questions about Penn’s donations from China during her nomination hearing to become the U.S. ambassador to Germany in 2021. Universities’ ties to China have become an issue of increasing importance with lawmakers concerned about the country’s influence.
Last month, the department said Penn violated federal civil rights law by allowing Lia Thomas to swim during the 2021-22 season and gave it 10 days to meet several demands.
President Donald Trump‘s administration has already paused $175 million in funding to Penn because of Thomas’ participation.
» READ MORE: Trump administration demands Penn restore accolades to female swimmers after allowing trans swimmer to compete
Following the $175 million freeze, the department ordered Penn to “restore to all female athletes all individual athletic records, titles, honors, awards or similar recognition for Division I swimming competitions misappropriated by male athletes” or risk the loss of federal funding.
The federal agency also said Penn must issue a statement assuring the university community that it will comply with Title IX and send a letter of apology to each swimmer whose record is restored “for allowing her educational experience in athletics to be marred by sex discrimination.”
The university has maintained that it was in full compliance with all National Collegiate Athletic Association rules and eligibility at the time, which allowed Thomas to compete, and that it remains in compliance. The NCAA earlier this year, in response to a Trump executive order, banned transgender athletes in women’s sports, and the university has said it will follow that guidance.
Penn’s team drew national attention when Thomas competed as debate ensued over trans athletes’ right to play sports. Thomas became an Ivy League champion and broke records at the women’s swimming and diving championships held at Harvard University in February 2022. Because Thomas’ performances include Ivy League meet records and national championship titles, it‘s not clear that Penn could act to remove them.