An Ivy League College fired a whistleblower who reported “bending” of federal regulations to keep international student enrollment high, according to a lawsuit.
In a lawsuit obtained by Radar, Yocasta Brens filed suit against the Teacher’s College of Columbia University in New York City. The suit was filed this week in federal court. Brens once worked as the college’s director of the Office of International Student Services.
The lawsuit stated that Brens was an exemplary employee between 2019 and 2021 when she worked at the college.
But, in 2019, Brens alleged that the college’s director of the Office of International Affairs requested that Brens and her staff process immigration documents on behalf of a group of potential students from South Africa.
She requested the processing without the necessary documentation, including evidence of funding and full-time engagement in a prescribed program — both required by federal regulations, the suit stated.
Then in December, a dean accused Brens of being too “inflexible” in the application of federal regulations, according to the student.
Brens followed the college’s whistleblower policy and filed a complaint in 2019 against the director of the Office of International Affairs. Months later, Brens was told she would then be reporting to that director.
In October, Brens said the director still refused to provide health insurance documentation for the students, which was required by federal law.
Brens also told another administrator...
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