Join Us
Wagner, Colonialism, and K-Pop: How Language Learning Connects Us to Culture and History
March 4, 2026
ACTA’s Academic Affairs Fellow Veronica Bryant is joined by Dr. Marie Kawthar Daouda, stipendiary lecturer in French at the…
You Can Help Shape the Future of Higher Education
Join ACTA in promoting Academic Excellence, Academic Freedom, and Accountability in higher education.
Engage TodayWork together
WITH ACTA
Understand the Issues
Connect with Our ExpertsChoose the Right Tools
View ACTA’s ResourcesGuide Change Together
View Success Stories
Transparent data for informed trustees, policymakers, and students.
See how much average college tuition has increased since 2016—and why.
Learn more
We ask what no other college ranking system does. What will they learn?
Find top-rated colleges based on core curriculum requirements.
Search schools
Target your giving to programs that reflect your values
Giving is your legacy. Advising you is ours. Let us help you craft your next gift.
Make your gift countThe
Latest
Civic Education
ACTA Testimony to Tennessee House Education Committee on HB291
March 10, 2026
Colleges and universities must commit to treating all members of the community, regardless of race or gender, with equal dignity. They need to do this not out of begrudging compliance with a government mandate, but in response to a moral imperative that, as this guide explains, is rooted in the very purpose of an institution of higher education.
Civic Education
Educating for a More Perfect Union
ACTA and the Museum of the American Revolution are celebrating our nation’s 250th anniversary year with an evening panel discussion on how to reinvigorate history and civics education in American college and university classrooms and across the public history sector.
PROMOTING ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
How the Korean Language Surge Can Revive Foreign Language Study
March 12, 2026 by Jane Mangelli
At a time when many colleges are downsizing or eliminating foreign language programs, often citing low enrollment and budgetary pressures, higher education leaders should take note of the “hallyu,” or “Korean wave,” that has swept the nation. Even as overall language study declines, enrollment in Korean language courses is growing nationwide. The Modern Language Association reports that undergraduate and graduate enrollments in Korean language courses have increased by nearly 45% in the past 10 years. The trend coincides with the recent popularity of Korean culture among the college demographic. By taking advantage of this interest, universities can renew interest in…
How the Korean Language Surge Can Revive Foreign Language Study
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
University of Oklahoma Report Card
March 17, 2026
ACTA’s Campus Freedom Initiative™ (CFI) has evaluated universities in several states against our Gold Standard for Freedom of Expression™, a 20-point action plan for reestablishing higher education’s commitment to excellence and open inquiry. Below we present the University of Oklahoma Gold Standard evaluation. University of Oklahoma receives credit for fifteen out of twenty Gold Standard measures. Our research highlights University of Oklahoma strengths in protecting free expression and identifies areas it must work on to improve the student experience. Explore the full University of Oklahoma Gold Standard evaluation to learn more.
University of Oklahoma Report CardIndiana University─Bloomington Report Card
March 17, 2026
ACTA’s Campus Freedom Initiative™ (CFI) has evaluated universities in several states against our Gold Standard for Freedom of Expression™,…
Tenure Can’t Stay the Same
Inside Higher Ed | March 16, 2026 by Dr. Bryan Paul
Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt’s recent announcement that tenure will be phased out at the state’s public regional universities and community colleges…
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
ACTA Testimony to Tennessee House Education Committee on HB291
March 10, 2026
On March 10, ACTA President Michael Poliakoff testified before the Tennessee House of Representatives’ Education Committee on House Bill 291. HB 291, introduced by Representative Ron Gant, requires all undergraduate students to take a minimum of 3 credit hours of American history. The course must include an understanding of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the […]
ACTA Testimony to Tennessee House Education Committee on HB291ACTA in the NewsPresidential Assessment
Ohio State Is Not Alone: How University Presidents Keep Getting Too Close to Outside Interests
University Herald | March 10, 2026 by Chris John
When Ohio State University President Ted Carter resigned on Monday after admitting he had allowed a podcaster and entrepreneur…
ACTA in the NewsGraduation Requirements
As Oklahoma leaders work to introduce three-year bachelor’s degree, concerns remain
The College Fix | February 26, 2026 by Sara Carr
Several initiatives underway in Oklahoma may soon make three-year bachelor’s degree programs a reality for Sooner State college students,…
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 NewsGeneral Education
Bipartisan Policy Center report finds U.S. higher education system failing the nation
The Washington Times | March 11, 2026 by Sean Salai
America’s education system has failed the nation by increasingly producing underemployed college graduates who lack essential job skills, according to a report published Wednesday. The Bipartisan Policy Center’s analysis of federal data noted that half of all bachelor’s program graduates between …
ACTA in the NewsPresidential Assessment
Ohio State Is Not Alone: How University Presidents Keep Getting Too Close to Outside Interests
University Herald | March 10, 2026 by Chris John
When Ohio State University President Ted Carter resigned on Monday after admitting he had allowed a podcaster and entrepreneur “inappropriate access to Ohio State leadership” to advance her private business interests, the reaction across higher education was familiar: shock, disappoin…
Press ReleasesForeign Language
ACTA’s New Report Shows Foreign Language Study Is in Freefall at U.S. Colleges
March 3, 2026
Washington, DC — The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) has released Ivory Tower of Babel: Rebuilding Language Learning in Higher Education for a More Secure and Competitive America, a new report examining the steep decline of foreign language study in U.S. higher education. The repor…
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.
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.
Discover MoreSTAY INFORMED
Sign up to receive updates on the most pressing issues facing our college campuses.