Listen Here
By Zakary Reinhart
reinhartz@findlay.edu
On Sept. 14, Ohio U.S. Sen. Jon Husted and Michigan House Education and Workforce Committee Chair Tim Walberg proposed a bill that would limit international student athletes to no more than 20% of any roster for any colleges that receive federal student aid.
The proposed bill, titled the TEAM USA Act, would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to enforce this new requirement. The bill would require schools to report their rosters annually to the U.S. Department of Education and the relevant athletic association, taking effect in the 2029-2030 academic year.
At the University of Findlay, there are 120 international students on the athletic rosters. An act like this could have an effect on Oiler rosters.
“I don’t like it,” said head soccer coach at the University of Findlay, Andy Smyth.
According to Smyth, Findlay’s men’s soccer roster has 45 players, nine of whom are international students, placing it right at the 20% mark.
“I think it’s pretty short sighted,” Smyth said. “I think it’s sort of pandering to, you know, a faction of people who want to limit any opportunities to, you know, to people who aren’t Americans.”
Some of Findlay’s rosters are comprised of more than 20% international students. For example, eight of the 11 athletes currently on the Findlay women’s tennis roster are international students.
Smyth sees the effects of this bill stretching far past simple sporting policy.
“I think part of the education system is exposing people to as many different thoughts, cultures, lifestyles as possible,” Smyth said.
Husted and Walberg claim that the bill protects American student-athletes.
“Well, as we consider what we need to do to save college sports, we better make sure we’re focused on saving it for American student-athletes,” Husted said in a statement. Husted’s concern is that international student-athletes are taking opportunities away from American athletes to compete at the next level. Since 2001, the number of international student athletes receiving scholarships has almost tripled.
