Bill Overview
Title: Preventing Malign Chinese Influence on Academic Institutions
Description: This bill requires institutions of higher education (IHEs) to disclose information regarding gifts from and contracts with China-affiliated organizations. China-affiliated organization refers to any entity that receives support directly or indirectly from the Chinese government, including certain educational institutes or programs, think tanks, and business entities. Under current law, an IHE must disclose to the Department of Education (ED) a gift or contract from a foreign source that is valued at $250,000 or more, considered alone or in combination with all other gifts from or contracts with that foreign source in a calendar year. This bill establishes a special disclosure rule relating to China-affiliated organizations. Specifically, the bill requires an IHE to disclose a gift from or contract with a China-affiliated organization that is valued at $5,000 or more, considered alone or in combination with all other gifts from or contracts with that organization in a calendar year. Additionally, the bill requires an IHE that receives federal grants to annually file a report with ED that identifies any activities conducted pursuant to a contract or other agreement between the IHE and a China-affiliated organization, including any joint research or academic exchanges. Such a contract or other agreement must be made available on a publicly accessible website of the IHE.
Sponsors: Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA]
Target Audience
Population: People associated with US institutions of higher education
Estimated Size: 40000000
- The bill specifically targets institutions of higher education (IHEs) in the United States that engage with China-affiliated organizations.
- There are roughly 4,000 institutions of higher education in the United States.
- Not every IHE will have engagements with China-affiliated organizations, but those that do may see significant administrative impacts due to the lower threshold for disclosure ($5,000).
- Many students, faculty, and staff at these institutions may be indirectly affected due to potential changes or additional scrutiny on collaborations, research, and funding from China-affiliated organizations.
- IHEs receiving federal grants are specifically mentioned to have additional reporting requirements, which may encompass a significant portion of the US higher education sector.
Reasoning
- Given the high number of students and faculty in higher education institutions potentially affected, it is important to include perspectives from administrators, faculty, and students.
- There could be concerns about administrative burdens due to increased reporting requirements, which may affect overall institutional efficiency.
- Stakeholders may also worry about the impact on collaboration and academic freedom if relationships with China-affiliated organizations become strained.
- There may also be individuals who are supportive of such transparency for national security reasons.
- It's important to include a range of opinions from those directly involved in research collaborations to those who may only be tangentially aware of these arrangements.
Simulated Interviews
University Administrator (Boston, MA)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think this policy introduces necessary checks to ensure transparency in our international engagements.
- However, the $5,000 threshold is quite low and could inundate us with paperwork, affecting efficiency.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 8 |
Postdoctoral Researcher (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm concerned this policy could jeopardize our funding without clearer guidelines on what is allowed.
- International collaborations are critical to my field and this policy creates uncertainty.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 9 |
Undergraduate Student (New York, NY)
Age: 21 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I see the need for transparency, but the real implications on students like me are unclear.
- I hope it doesn't interfere with study abroad or language programs between the countries.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Professor (Chicago, IL)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm worried this policy will create hurdles in our research partnerships.
- There's a risk of over-regulating academic freedom, which is vital to our institution's ethos.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 9 |
Policy Analyst (Washington, D.C.)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I support this measure as it aligns with national security interests.
- IHEs need accountability when engaging internationally, but oversight shouldn't hinder valuable cooperation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Graduate Student (Austin, TX)
Age: 28 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy makes me worry about losing part of our funding.
- It's unclear how it might influence our ability to sustain important global partnerships.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
University President (Seattle, WA)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Ensuring transparency is vital but needs to be balanced carefully to not discourage valuable partnerships.
- The $5,000 disclosure threshold seems excessively low and administratively burdensome.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 9 |
Data Analyst in Higher Education (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy might significantly increase my workload without clear benefits.
- Compliance resources are already stretched thin; such measures should ideally streamline, not complicate, processes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 9 |
Research Assistant (Miami, FL)
Age: 26 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's a bit concerning; we heavily rely on international funding.
- Policies should ensure security but not at the expense of scientific progress and collaboration.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 9 |
IT Specialist at a Community College (Pittsburgh, PA)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Our college doesn't have many ties to China-affiliated organizations, so the impact might be minimal.
- General sentiment is that this policy is more relevant for larger universities with diverse international engagements.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $10000000 (Low: $5000000, High: $15000000)
Year 2: $10000000 (Low: $5000000, High: $15000000)
Year 3: $10000000 (Low: $5000000, High: $15000000)
Year 5: $10000000 (Low: $5000000, High: $15000000)
Year 10: $10000000 (Low: $5000000, High: $15000000)
Year 100: $10000000 (Low: $5000000, High: $15000000)
Key Considerations
- Effectiveness of the bill depends on IHEs' ability and willingness to comply voluntarily or through enforcement by ED.
- The impact on academic freedom and international collaboration should be considered.
- Potential chilling effect on beneficial academic and cultural exchanges between US and Chinese entities.
- The cost estimation includes both direct administrative costs and the proactive implementation of compliance measures by IHEs.