UNT Expels Visiting Scholars from China
Channel: Andrew Fancher
Date: 2020-09-17

DENTON — Two days into the fall semester, the University of North Texas chose to end its relationship with visitors receiving money from the Chinese Scholarship Council. 

The CSC provides government-funded scholarships for those wishing to attend Chinese Universities, as well as mainland scholars looking to study abroad. 

Jim Berscheidt, the primary spokesperson for UNT, said the decision is "limited to 15 visiting researchers... and does not impact any student enrolled... at the university." 

Despite UNT's response, several of these scholars claim they are students of the university. For our report, two researchers came forward and chose to remain anonymous.

All 15 scholars have one month to leave the United States. In this time, they must end their housing leases, sell personal vehicles, test negative for COVID-19, and purchase a one-way plane ticket to China. 

Plane tickets start at roughly $2,000, involve multiple self-transfers, and are purchased out of pocket. Failure to leave by September 30th could bring forced deportation.

Twelve days after cutting ties with the CSC, Berscheidt said that UNT took this action based on "specific and credible information... from federal and local law enforcement." Allison Beckwith, a spokesperson for the Denton Police Department, said they are "in no way involved in this case." 

To our knowledge, UNT is the only American institution to cut ties with the Chinese Scholarship Council.

Chinese subtitles and translation by Yuheng.

© 2021 Andrew Pierce Fancher. All Rights Reserved.

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