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Make your gift countOctober 20, 2025
American higher education desperately needs reform and the hour is late. Declining educational quality, oppressive ideology coupled with intolerance, and rising costs amidst questions about return on investment have caused public confidence in the sector to sink. For the first time in generations, the nation’s global competitive edge in human capital is at risk.
For too long, colleges and universities have neglected teaching the American story to undergraduates, with fewer than one in five institutions requiring a course in U.S. government or history for graduation. Most students are leaving college without a grasp of their own system of government, a situation that is particularly alarming in an age of rising polarization. ACTA has taken a significant step to address this crisis by convening the National Commission on American History and Civic Education, comprised of esteemed historians, political scientists, and education leaders.
September 17, 2025
The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) is pleased to announce that Lawrence H. Summers, the Charles W. Eliot University Professor and president emeritus at Harvard University, is the winner of the 2025 Philip Merrill Award for Outstanding Contributions to Liberal Arts Education.
Harvard President Emeritus Lawrence H. Summers Named ACTA’s 2025 Philip Merrill Award WinnerSeptember 11, 2025
ACTA president Michael Poliakoff speaks with Lee Strang, the inaugural director of the new Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture and…
The Hill | September 8, 2025 by John Kenneth White
New York Times columnist Thomas Byrne Edsall recently described President Trump’s “mind-boggling intrusiveness ” Unlike any other 21st century…
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 PDFOctober 20, 2025 by Steven McGuire and Justin Garrison
In 2020, college and university presidents lined up to issue statements about George Floyd’s tragic death, despite the event’s lack of any direct connection to higher education. They were much quieter after Charlie Kirk’s horrific murder last month, even though that incident was a direct assault on the very purpose of their institutions.
Why Didn’t More College Leaders Condemn Charlie Kirk’s Murder?October 14, 2025
Since the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) launched its national campaign to encourage colleges and universities to…
The New York Sun | October 9, 2025 by Novi Zhukovsky
The Trump administration’s efforts to reform American higher education have long been contentious, but its latest maneuver has done…
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 PDFOctober 20, 2025
American higher education desperately needs reform and the hour is late. Declining educational quality, oppressive ideology coupled with intolerance, and rising costs amidst questions about return on investment have caused public confidence in the sector to sink. For the first time in generations, the nation’s global competitive edge in human capital is at risk.
ACTA Proposes an Honorable CompactInside Higher Ed | October 14, 2025 by Jessica Blake
The Department of Education has delayed the semiannual convening of its accreditation advisory committee for the second time this…
October 9, 2025
ACTA’s Nick Down interviews Thad Westbrook, chairman of the University of South Carolina’s (USC) Board of Trustees. Mr. Westbrook earned his…
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 PDF
October 20, 2025 by Steven McGuire and Justin Garrison
In 2020, college and university presidents lined up to issue statements about George Floyd’s tragic death, despite the event’s lack of any direct connection to higher education. They were much quieter after Charlie Kirk’s horrific murder last month, even though that incident was a direct assault …
Inside Higher Ed | October 14, 2025 by Jessica Blake
The Department of Education has delayed the semiannual convening of its accreditation advisory committee for the second time this year, according to an email sent to committee members and obtained by Inside Higher Ed. The meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and In…
The New York Sun | October 9, 2025 by Novi Zhukovsky
The Trump administration’s efforts to reform American higher education have long been contentious, but its latest maneuver has done more than just elicit sharp division: It has sparked a conservative backlash and been branded a modern-day “loyalty oath.” The administration’s new “Compact for Aca…
October 8, 2025
The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) will honor Pano Kanelos, the founding president of the University of Austin (UATX), as our 2025 Hero of Intellectual Freedom. A passionate advocate for liberal education and intellectual diversity, Dr. Kanelos and his fellow co-founders formed UA…
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.
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.
institutions have improved their core curriculum requirements based on ACTA’s annual What Will They Learn?® initiative. Visit WhatWillTheyLearn.com
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.
news outlets in 2024 covered ACTA’s nationwide impact on academic excellence, academic freedom, and accountability in higher education.
million dollars in gifts to higher education have been guided through ACTA’s Fund for Academic Renewal. Visit AcademicRenewal.org.
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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