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Join ACTA in promoting Academic Excellence, Academic Freedom, and Accountability at America’s colleges and universities.

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Civic Literacy

ACTA Lauds UNC Board of Trustees for Bold Commitment to Civic Values, Freedom of Expression, and Intellectual Diversity on Campus 

January 30, 2023 by ACTA

In a unanimous vote, UNC–Chapel Hill’s Board of Trustees moved to establish the School of Civic Life and Leadership at the university. The School of Civic Life and Leadership will be a stand-alone program with its own dean and faculty and an ideologically balanced roster of courses, which will count toward UNC–Chapel Hill’s core requirements.

FOR
TRUSTEES

Gabel's moonlighting endangers public trust

StarTribune  |  December 29, 2022 by Armand B. Alacbay

Christmas came early for University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel, as the university’s Board of Regents voted 9 to 3 earlier this month to approve a conflict management plan paving the way for Gabel...

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“ACTA provides short, concise suggestions for trustees who can help administrations make real, beneficial change for the future of education.”

Douglas Faigin
Trustee, California State University
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Be an Informed Board Member

Colleges and universities depend on informed and engaged trustees. ACTA’s tools and resources equip board members to be effective fiduciaries for America’s institutions of higher education. Be prepared for your next board meeting with ACTA’s trustee toolkit.

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FOR
ALUMNI

Emma Camp: "Speech Activists Can Certainly Make Waves"

October 4, 2022

In March 2022, the New York Times published a piece by Emma Camp, titled "I Came to College Eager to Debate. I Found Self-Censorship Instead." The story quickly went viral, and Emma was thrust into the spotlight...

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“I appreciate the assistance of the Fund for Academic Renewal in structuring the gift and my agreement. The guidance will ensure that my objectives for the gift will be honored by the University for many years to come.”

Angelo Pizzagalli
Founder of the Pizzagalli Chair of Free Enterprise at University of Vermont
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FOR
POLICYMAKERS

DeSantis appointees could transform New College for the better

Tallahassee Democrat  |  January 23, 2023 by Michael B. Poliakoff and Steven McGuire

Gov. Ron DeSantis has taken a bold step to make Florida’s public liberal arts college, the New College of Florida, an effective, academically rigorous institution. This month, he appointed six new members to the...

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"ACTA’s resources are very informative for my staff as we work to solve issues in higher education. I commend the hard work of ACTA."

Larry Hogan
Governor, State of Maryland
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Protecting Students and Taxpayers

Read how policymakers can reform the higher education quality assurance process to protect students and taxpayers, preserve university and college independence and autonomy, and allow innovation in post-secondary education that will retain America's leadership.

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FOR STUDENTS
& PARENTS

What Will They Learn? 2022-2023

January 18, 2023 by ACTA

Most college ranking systems, like the U.S. News & World Report, do not evaluate what students actually learn in the classroom. What Will They Learn? is the only rating system that examines the course catalogs of each...

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“Our very best wishes for ACTA’s continued success. We are in desperate need of educated citizens if as a country we are to survive.”

Barbara and Irving Cohen
Grandparents
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IN THE NEWS
  • Trustee Selection

    DeSantis appointees could transform New College for the better

    Tallahassee Democrat  |  January 23, 2023 by Michael B. Poliakoff and Steven McGuire

    Gov. Ron DeSantis has taken a bold step to make Florida’s public liberal arts college, the New College of Florida, an effective, academically rigorous institution. This month, he appointed six new members to the board of New College. They include, among others, Mark Bauerlein, Professor Emeritus of English at Emory University, Charles R. Kesler, Dengler-Dykema […]

  • Philanthropy

    Ineffective Altruism

    Law & Liberty  |  January 17, 2023 by Rebecca Richards

    The desire to make a difference is embedded in the human psyche. The effective altruism movement, recently made famous by the exploits of one of its most prominent advocates, taps into this aspect of our nature and offers a clearly defined, logical answer to the core question of which causes and organizations to support. While this […]

  • Heckler's Veto

    Backlash to Ben Sasse’s candidacy to lead the University of Florida highlights anti-conservative bias on campus

    The Hill  |  October 19, 2022 by Steven McGuire

    Critics of Sen. Ben Sasse’s (R-Neb.) bid to become president of the University of Florida […]

  • Free Speech

    Title IX, Pronouns, and Campus Freedom

    RealClear Policy  |  August 12, 2022 by Steven McGuire

    Is refusing to use someone’s preferred pronouns harassment or free speech? The courts have so far sided with free speech, but the Biden administration seems determined to push the issue and threaten free expression on American campuses by applying Title IX to gender identity.  The Biden administration’s proposed new rules would prohibit “policies and practices that prevent…student[s] from participating in a recipient’s education […]

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FEATURED RESOURCES BY ACTA

  • How Colleges Spend Money

    Two out of three college students now graduate with an average of over $28,000 in student debt, and the price of tuition continues to rise at an unsustainable rate, faster even than health care. So how do colleges spend that money?

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  • What Will They Learn?®

    The goal of ACTA's What Will They Learn?® project is to encourage colleges and universities to strengthen their general education programs—so that students graduate better prepared for the workforce, ready to participate in their communities as responsible citizens, and acquainted with our cultural and intellectual inheritance.

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  • FAR: Fund for Academic Renewal

    Intentional, directed giving has the power to renew our colleges and universities. ACTA's Fund for Academic Renewal serves donors who want to make transformative gifts to higher education, gifts that help institutions live up to their highest ideals. FAR guides donors and their advisors through every step in the gift-making process.

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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.

  • 92

    institutions representing over two million students, encouraged by ACTA, reaffirmed their commitment to free speech on campus by adopting the Chicago Principles on Freedom of Expression.

  • 256

    institutions have improved their core curriculum requirements based on ACTA’s annual What Will They Learn?® initiative. Visit WhatWillTheyLearn.com

  • 4,000

    students from 100+ Institutions have engaged in civil discourse debates through ACTA’s college debates program partnership with Braver Angels and Bridge USA.

  • 367

    news outlets reaching 14 million readers have covered ACTA’s nationwide impact on academic excellence, academic freedom, and accountability in higher education.

  • 188

    million dollars in gifts to higher education have been guided through ACTA’s Fund for Academic Renewal. Visit AcademicRenewal.org.

WHO WE ARE

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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