Frank Pallone: “I wanted to start out by talking about a recent development related to the Turkish Government, and what I consider a…”

“I wanted to start out by talking about a recent development related to the Turkish Government, and what I consider a serious threat to academic integrity at two great American universities. Negotiations are now under way between the Republic of Turkey and the University of California at Berkeley to establish a Turkish studies program at that university. In addition, Portland State University in Oregon has signed a contract with the government of Turkey to establish a similar program, although Portland State is currently reviewing the conditions of the grant. These efforts, I want to stress, are part of a pattern that set up Turkish studies programs at great American universities, all funded with strings attached, I should stress, by the government of Turkey. A similar study program was, in fact, set up at Princeton University in my home State of New Jersey and at other schools, all with endowments from the Turkish Government.”