Latest news with #J.WilliamFulbright
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Fulbright Scholarship Board resigns over political interference, Trump administration wants to cancel 200 grants
Entire Fulbright Scholarship Board comprising 12 persons resigned citing interference by the Donald Trump administration. The entire board, which is responsible for approving the Fulbright Scholarship, resigned Wednesday, citing interference from the Donald Trump administration, as the administration wanted to cancel the awarding of Fulbright scholarships to almost 200 American professors and researchers who are prepared to go to universities overseas, the NYT reported. These are scholarships that the board already approved over the winter after a yearlong selection process. These were sent to the State Department as the department was supposed to send acceptance letters. But the department started sending rejection letters to these scholars. What is the Fulbright program? The Fulbright program was established in 1946 after legislation introduced by J. William Fulbright, a Democratic senator from Arkansas. The Fulbright-Hays Act of 1961 formalized legal statutes for the program. It says the selection of scholars, teachers and others falls under the authority of a 12-member board appointed by the president. The nearly 200 scholars who are receiving rejection letters are part of a group of about 900 American scholars approved by the board over the winter. All 12 people on the board who were appointed by the Biden administration quit citing usurpation of the authority of the Board. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Tired of High Power Bills? Plug in This Device elecTrick - Save upto 80% on Power Bill Learn More Undo "The administration is also currently subjecting an additional 1,200 foreign Fulbright recipients to an unauthorized review process and could reject more. We believe these actions not only contradict the statute but are antithetical to the Fulbright mission and the values, including free speech and academic freedom, that Congress specified in the statute," the board said in a statement. "Through generations of war and peace, the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Program has been a bipartisan pillar of American diplomacy—an enduring symbol of our nation's commitment to mutual understanding and diplomacy, academic excellence, and international cooperation. It has promoted US interests and global stability. Fulbright alumni have gone on to become leaders of government, industry, academia, arts, and culture in every part of the world," the statement noted.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
The Fulbright Board Resigns, Citing Unlawful Interference by the Trump Administration
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." The dozen board members of the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board voted to resign, effective immediately. The reason for their resignation is the political interference of the Trump administration, which rejected some 200 Fulbright scholars who were previously approved by the board. The board wrote in their resignation statement, 'the current administration has usurped the authority of the Board and denied Fulbright awards to a substantial number of individuals who were selected for the 2025-2026 academic year. The administration is also currently subjecting an additional 1,200 foreign Fulbright recipients to an unauthorized review process and could reject more. We believe these actions not only contradict the statute but are antithetical to the Fulbright mission and the values, including free speech and academic freedom, that Congress specified in the statute.' The Fulbright program was established in 1946 by Senator J. William Fulbright, a Democrat from Arkansas, and formalized in 1961 with the Fulbright-Hays Act, signed into law by President John F. Kennedy. The State Department manages the program. 'The bipartisan Fulbright Board was mandated by Congress to be a check on the executive and to ensure that students, researchers and educators are not subjected to the blatant political favoritism that this administration is known for,' Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire, said in a statement, per the New York Times. 'While I understand and respect the bipartisan Fulbright Board for resigning en masse rather than grant credibility to a politicized and unlawful process, I am painfully aware that today's move will change the quality of Fulbright programming and the independent research that has made our country a leader in so many fields.' The Fulbright board noted, 'Our resignation is not a decision we take lightly. But to continue to serve after the Administration has consistently ignored the Board's request that they follow the law would risk legitimizing actions we believe are unlawful and damage the integrity of this storied program and America's credibility abroad. Indeed, the erosion of the Fulbright program weakens America and our national security interests. Institutions and the rule of law matter and have distinguished our country for almost 250 years.' They concluded, 'It is our sincere hope that Congress, the courts, and future Fulbright Boards will prevent the administration's efforts to degrade, dismantle, or even eliminate one of our nation's most respected and valuable programs. Injecting politics and ideological mandates into the Fulbright program violates the letter and spirit of the law that Congress so wisely established nearly eight decades ago.' Read the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board's full resignation statement, here. You Might Also Like 12 Weekend Getaway Spas For Every Type of Occasion 13 Beauty Tools to Up Your At-Home Facial Game
