An Iranian refugee and physician is warning American universities about the dangers of accepting foreign funding, particularly from Qatar, and the rise of radicalism on campuses, drawing parallels to the conditions that led to the Islamic Revolution in her home country. The argument comes amid widespread protests on US campuses following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.
In an opinion piece, Dr. Sheila Nazarian, who fled Iran as a child, suggests that foreign funding, specifically $7.7 billion from Qatar since 1986, has allowed certain ideologies to flourish. She points to instances where student groups have expressed support for Hamas, such as Columbia University's Students for Justice in Palestine chapter posting "Long live the global intifada!" and Harvard University groups holding Israel "entirely responsible" for the attacks. Nazarian asserts that praising terrorists should be treated with the same severity as academic dishonesty by universities.
Nazarian’s perspective highlights concerns raised by a JINSA report detailing how Qatar uses financial investments to influence American academic institutions. The report notes that Qatar presents its funding as philanthropic, often through non-governmental entities like the Qatar Foundation. JINSA argues that such actions are not philanthropy but rather a strategic purchase of institutional vocabulary and academic prestige to serve specific foreign policy objectives.
The op-ed also references a Department of Justice lawsuit against UCLA, citing the university's alleged indifference to discrimination and violence against Jewish and Israeli students during a protest. It notes that since 1986, foreign sources have contributed $67.6 billion to American universities, with investigations during the Trump administration uncovering billions in unreported foreign funds.
Nazarian contrasts the current campus climate with what she believes universities should foster: an environment that produces patriotic Americans and drives innovation. She draws a direct line from the rise of radicalism on Iranian campuses to the eventual establishment of the Islamic Republic, a path she fears could be replicated in the United States if universities prioritize foreign money and radical ideologies over their educational mission and national values. She advocates for universities to reject funding from nations that support terrorist organizations and to uphold standards that promote American leadership and values.