The twelve members of the Fulbright Scholarship Board for
Foreign Students submitted their collective resignation in response to recent
measures implemented by President Donald Trump's administration targeting the
international student system at U.S. universities. The members of the body,
established by Congress, considered the actions announced by the federal
government to represent a shift incompatible with the historical principles and
objectives of the academic program.
In the joint letter addressed to the relevant authorities,
the board members indicated that their resignation was effective immediately
and was approved by an overwhelming majority. According to the letter, the
officials refused to support what they described as "unprecedented"
and legally questionable initiatives that, they argued, compromise both
institutional integrity and U.S. national interests.
The signatories emphasized that the measures pursued by the
administration contradict the mission that Congress defined for the Fulbright
Program nearly eight decades ago, based on academic exchange, international
cooperation, and strengthening diplomatic ties through education. They stated
that, given the course taken by the administration, their continued service on
the board would have meant endorsing decisions they consider incompatible with
the program's core values.
The mass resignation of all 12 members suspends the
organization's operations while replacements are appointed and a decision is
made on how to continue overseeing one of the nation's most iconic academic
exchange programs. The State Department did not immediately comment on next
steps following the mass resignation.