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ACTA in the NewsHistorical Literacy
National group backs NC REACH Act
North State Journal | May 22, 2025 by A.P. Dillon
RALEIGH — A national group focused on academic freedom and excellence is backing a North Carolina House bill that…
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GuidesAccreditation
Five Bipartisan Principles for Accreditation Reform
ACTA & Third Way | June 10, 2025 by Kyle Beltramini and Emily Rounds
Accrediting agencies are tasked with providing a level of quality assurance for higher education. With an accreditor’s stamp of approval, colleges unlock access to billions of dollars in Title IV funding—federal loans, grants, and campus-based aid. Unfortunately, accreditors do not consistently deliver on their role and fail to hold institutions accountable for poor student outcomes.
PROMOTING ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Richard Haass: Guarding Democracy by Teaching Civics
June 24, 2025
ACTA president Michael Poliakoff speaks with Richard Haass, distinguished diplomat and president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Richard Haass: Guarding Democracy by Teaching Civics
No U.S. History?
ACTA’s report, “No U.S. History? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major,” found that 18 of the top 25 public universities did not have a wide-ranging American history requirement for students seeking a B.A. in history in the major or core curriculum.
Download PDFDEFENDING ACADEMIC FREEDOm
The DEI Pipeline with guest John Sailer
May 27, 2025
In this episode of Radio Free Campus, co-hosts Steve McGuire and Justin Garrison discuss the amazing work done by the University of Michigan Board of Regents to improve campus freedom. They also welcome guest John D. Sailer.
The DEI Pipeline with guest John SailerPodcastsCivil Discourse
Free Speech Soars at GMU Law School
May 20, 2025
Dubbed “Washington’s School for Civil Discourse,” George Mason University’s (GMU) Antonin Scalia Law School exposes students to all legal and political…
PodcastsCivil Discourse
Reinvigorating Civil Discourse at M.I.T.
May 8, 2025
In this episode of Higher Ed Now, ACTA’s Bryan Paul interviews Senior Lecturer Linda Rabieh to learn how the Civil Discourse…
ACTA Gold Standard for Freedom of Expression
ACTA now provides a blueprint to help higher education regain and live by this core principle. The ACTA Gold Standard for Freedom of Expression™ provides clear guidance for institutions to create a culture of free thought on their campuses.
Download PDFENSURING ACCOUNTABILITY
Colleges Face Major Tax Blow in Trump’s Proposed IRS Rules on Race
Bloomberg | June 18, 2025 by Elizabeth Rembert, Amanda Albright and Simone Foxman
The Trump administration is privately considering unleashing what advocates and critics agree would be one of its biggest cudgels yet to pressure colleges to end slews of programs and practices benefiting students who are racial minorities.
Colleges Face Major Tax Blow in Trump’s Proposed IRS Rules on RaceThe ForumAccreditation
ACTA Publica: Columbia’s Accreditation At Risk?
June 12, 2025 by Kyle Beltramini
A recent press release by the U.S. Department of Education has created a bit of confusion, leading many to…
ACTA in the News
Moral Failure and Government Intrusion at Harvard
Law & Liberty | June 11, 2025 by Michael B. Poliakoff
To understand the crisis in American higher education, it is necessary to hold two thoughts at once. American higher…
Governance for a New Era
Governance for a New Era is a blueprint for higher education governance. Signatories to the statement, a diverse group of 22 distinguished national leaders dedicated to ensuring America’s colleges and universities shed 20th century thinking and successfully meet 21st century challenges.
Download PDFIN THE
NEWS
ACTA in the NewsFederal Funding
Colleges Face Major Tax Blow in Trump’s Proposed IRS Rules on Race
Bloomberg | June 18, 2025 by Elizabeth Rembert, Amanda Albright and Simone Foxman
The Trump administration is privately considering unleashing what advocates and critics agree would be one of its biggest cudgels yet to pressure colleges to end slews of programs and practices benefiting students who are racial minorities.
ACTA in the News
Moral Failure and Government Intrusion at Harvard
Law & Liberty | June 11, 2025 by Michael B. Poliakoff
To understand the crisis in American higher education, it is necessary to hold two thoughts at once. American higher education remains the envy of the world, with seven of its universities in the top 10 of Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings. Yet the behavior on many campuses has c…
ACTA in the NewsAccreditation
Trump has called the higher ed accreditation system his ‘secret weapon.’ Here’s what to know about Harvard’s.
Boston Globe | June 5, 2025 by Hiawatha Bray and Maren Halpin
In a campaign video during his most recent run for the presidency, President Trump called the college accreditation system his “secret weapon” in his plan to reshape higher education.
ACTA in the News
Trump wants to make Harvard great again
Las Vegas Review-Journal | May 28, 2025 by Debra J. Saunders
The status quo came tumbling down at Harvard after Hamas massacred 1,200 innocents on Oct. 7, 2023. As much of the world was revolted at the gratuitous slaughter, the swells at Harvard were working on a suitable statement. They deleted the word “violent” to describe the attack.
HOW ACTA IS SUCCEEDING
370
institutions have been counseled by ACTA on matters of cost effectiveness, financial governance, and institutional spending. See ACTA’s one-of-a-kind higher education financial analysis tool: HowCollegesSpendMoney.com.
146
institutions and systems representing nearly four million students, encouraged by ACTA, reaffirmed their commitment to free speech on campus by adopting the Chicago Principles on Freedom of Expression or a policy of institutional neutrality.
256
institutions have improved their core curriculum requirements based on ACTA’s annual What Will They Learn?® initiative. Visit WhatWillTheyLearn.com
16,000+
students from 100+ Institutions have engaged in 400+ civil discourse debates, dialogues, and workshops through ACTA’s college debates program partnership with Braver Angels and Bridge USA.
1,452
news outlets in 2024 covered ACTA’s nationwide impact on academic excellence, academic freedom, and accountability in higher education.
275
million dollars in gifts to higher education have been guided through ACTA’s Fund for Academic Renewal. Visit AcademicRenewal.org.
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Launched in 1995, we are the only organization that works with alumni, donors, trustees, and education leaders across the United States to support liberal arts education, uphold high academic standards, safeguard the free exchange of ideas on campus, and ensure that the next generation receives an intellectually rich, high-quality college education at an affordable price.
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