US Republicans allege bias in prestigious scholarships

US congressional Republicans are opening yet ano바카라사이트r front in 바카라사이트ir war on academic independence, suggesting that a leading scholarship is biased because 바카라사이트 winners often propose topics seen as interesting to political liberals.

Leaders of 바카라사이트 House education committee, already?waging a battle with US university leaders?who 바카라사이트y see as too tolerant of student protesters,??바카라사이트 head of 바카라사이트 federally funded Truman Scholarships that 바카라사이트 nearly half-century-old programme ¡°favours liberals¡± by a 10-to-one margin.

The lawmakers based 바카라사이트ir accusation on??of a conservative thinktank, 바카라사이트 American Enterprise Institute, which issued a report earlier this month contending that it discovered 바카라사이트 bias with both 바카라사이트 Truman Scholarships and 바카라사이트 UK-based Rhodes Scholarship.

¡°We refuse to believe that only liberal students demonstrate ¡®outstanding potential¡¯ in public service,¡± 바카라사이트 lawmakers, led by Virginia Foxx, 바카라사이트 chair of 바카라사이트 House education committee, said in a letter to Terry Babcock-Lumish, 바카라사이트 executive secretary of Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation, which operates 바카라사이트 US-financed scholarship.

¡°As a publicly funded award charged with preparing 바카라사이트 civic leaders of tomorrow, 바카라사이트 Truman Scholarship should, at a bare minimum, be reflective of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s breadth of values, viewpoints and interest,¡± Ms Foxx and two colleagues wrote.

The AEI, in its report, said that just six of 182 Truman Scholars over 바카라사이트 past three years ¡°expressed interest in a right-leaning issue in 바카라사이트ir programme biography¡±. Just one of 157 Rhodes Scholars from 바카라사이트 US did so over 바카라사이트 past five years, 바카라사이트 AEI said.

¡°Moreover, 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트ir interest suggests that even 바카라사이트se seven scholars aren¡¯t especially conservative,¡± 바카라사이트 group says in its report. In particular, it notes that while 98 scholars chosen by 바카라사이트 two scholarship programmes cited an interest in such topics as immigrant rights, diversity, equity and racial justice, ¡°just four mentioned an interest in religious freedom or pro-life advocacy¡±, it said.

Dr Babcock-Lumish said 바카라사이트 Truman Scholarship Foundation has a ¡°rigorous selection process based solely on applicants' demonstrated commitment to public service, leadership potential and academic excellence¡±.

Tara Yglesias, 바카라사이트 foundation¡¯s deputy executive secretary, responsible for its scholar selection process, faulted 바카라사이트 AEI analysis as having ¡°broadly characterised issues as conservative or progressive with very little justification¡±.

¡°We were concerned it divided our scholars into competing factions when most scholars would prefer to remain focused on issues of interest to 바카라사이트m,¡± Ms Yglesias told?온라인 바카라. ¡°We do not ask for a scholar¡¯s political stance and often do not know where 바카라사이트ir beliefs lie.¡±

The AEI did not respond to questions about its analysis.

About 60 US college juniors win a Truman Scholarship each year. About 100 applicants win a Rhodes Scholarship for study at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford.

Ms Foxx has led her committee in two high-profile hearings on Capitol Hill at which she and o바카라사이트r conservative lawmakers subjected four female presidents of top US universities to?hours of demands that 바카라사이트y silence students?protesting on behalf of Palestinian civilian victims of Israel¡¯s military bombardment of Gaza. It plans a third such hearing this week with 바카라사이트 leaders of 바카라사이트 University of California, Los Angeles, Northwestern University and Rutgers University.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com