House Republicans Subpoena Brown and Penn in Ivy League Tuition Probe

WASHINGTON, DC — July 3, 2025 House Republicans have intensified their investigation into Ivy League tuition practices by issuing subpoenas to Brown University and the University of Pennsylvania. The House Judiciary Committee, led by Chair Jim Jordan and Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, is examining allegations that Ivy League institutions coordinated tuition increases while employing "perfect price discrimination" through selective financial aid to maximize revenue.

This action follows a similar subpoena issued to Harvard University in June and requests for documents from other Ivy League schools, including Columbia, Dartmouth, Princeton, Cornell, and Yale. The committee has expressed dissatisfaction with the universities' responses to earlier document requests made in April, prompting the issuance of these subpoenas.

In response, Brown University stated it has "consistently cooperated" with the investigation, despite the extensive nature of the requests and the need to redact certain student information in compliance with federal law. The University of Pennsylvania indicated it has "promptly and consistently" engaged with the committee, providing thousands of pages of documents and committing to ongoing cooperation.

The investigation occurs amid broader tensions between elite universities and the Trump administration over issues such as antisemitism, international student policies, and civil rights. Critics argue that these actions threaten academic freedom and research funding. Despite the allegations, some experts, like Wellesley College economist Phillip Levine, contend that Ivy League schools offer high-quality, affordable education to lower-income students and are not engaged in anti-competitive pricing.

The subpoenas demand that Brown and Penn provide the requested documents by July 22. The outcome of this investigation could lead to new legislation, regulatory actions, or public hearings concerning tuition practices in higher education.

*Sources: *https://www.ft.com/content/d960acf7-0316-4f21-a4b7-3359761abd16