Dear Commons Community,

Nearly all the members of a board overseeing the prestigious Fulbright scholarships resigned yesterday in protest of what they call the Trump administration’s meddling with the selection of award recipients for the international exchange program.

A statement published online by board members said the administration usurped the board’s authority by denying awards to “a substantial number of people” who already had been chosen to study and teach in the U.S. and abroad. Another 1,200 foreign award recipients who were already approved to come to the U.S. are undergoing an unauthorized review process that could lead to their rejection, the board members said.  As reported by The Associated Press.

“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,” the statement reads.

Congress established the Fulbright program nearly 80 years ago to promote international exchange and American diplomacy. The highly selective program awards about 9,000 scholarships annually in the U.S. and in more than 160 other countries to students, scholars, and professionals in a range of fields.

All but one of the 12 board members resigned, according to Carmen Estrada-Schaye, who is the only remaining board member.

“I was appointed by the president of the United States and I intend to fill out my term,” Estrada-Schaye said.

Fulbright scholars include recent U.S. college graduates who pursue further study or teach English overseas, American professors who spend a year at a university in another country and international scholars who come to the U.S. to study or work at universities here. Alumni of the program have gone on to serve as heads of state or government and have received Nobel and Pulitzer prizes. Notable alumni include Leslie Voltaire, president of Haiti’s transitional presidential council; Muhammad Yunus, chief adviser of Bangladesh; Luc Frieden, prime minister of Luxembourg; and King Felipe VI of Spain.

Award recipients are selected in a yearlong process by nonpartisan staff at the State Department and other countries’ embassies. The board has had final approval. The recipients who had their awards canceled are in fields including biology, engineering, agriculture, music, medical sciences, and history, the board members said.

All the board members who resigned were selected under former President Joe Biden. The State Department, which runs the scholarship program, said they were partisan political appointees.

Tony

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