Comment on FR Doc # 2026-13248
Estelle FreedmanOpposeIndividual
Summary: The commenter opposes the proposed rescission of the International Education Programs Regulations, arguing that it would remove essential procedural safeguards and academic oversight. They express concern that the change would undermine transparency, accountability, and the ability of academics to produce evidence-based scholarship.
I am deeply concerned about the proposed elimination of regulations governing the Title VI programs that support foreign language instruction and important international research and exchanges. The proposed change would eliminate legally binding procedural safeguards that often provide the only guarantee that proposals and applications will be assessed on their merits and with input from academic specialists. That academic input is both appropriate and critical to the integrity of these programs. The proposed rule would reduce the ability of academics to produce the evidence-based scholarship that informs education, public policy, cultural institutions, and public understanding of the past. I believe that the proposal would remove longstanding safeguards that provide transparency, accountability, and predictability for higher education institutions and researchers. I also believe that the existing regulations already provide considerable flexibility.