Annual ATHENA Roundtable & Philip Merrill Award Gala
DARE TO BE WISE: Enlightenment and the American College Campus
Join UsJoin ACTA in promoting Academic Excellence, Academic Freedom, and Accountability in higher education.
Engage TodaySee how much average college tuition has increased since 2016—and why.
Learn moreFind top-rated colleges based on core curriculum requirements.
Search schoolsGiving is your legacy. Advising you is ours. Let us help you craft your next gift.
Make your gift countAugust 18, 2023
The Ohio State University Board of Trustees unanimously passed a resolution adopting the Ohio State Philosophy on Institutional and Leadership Statements in Support of the Chicago Principles.
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 school to provide an urgently needed alternative assessment based on an institution’s core curriculum, the program of study that all students […]
What Will They Learn? 2022-2023August 3, 2023
ACTA president Michael Poliakoff and Higher Ed Now producer Doug Sprei interview Richard Haass, president emeritus of the Council…
June 30, 2023
ACTA’s president Michael Poliakoff interviews John Agresto, author of The Death of Learning, published last year by Encounter Press….
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 PDFazcentral | August 10, 2023 by Ray Stern
The Arizona Board of Regents said Tuesday the state’s public universities have dropped the use of diversity, equity and inclusion…
AZ universities drop use of diversity, equity and inclusion statements in job applicationsJune 21, 2023
Introduction The University of Texas (UT)–Austin is a public Ivy that draws applicants from all corners of the United…
May 25, 2023 by ACTA
Introduction Building and supporting a campus culture that embraces free expression and viewpoint diversity depends on the implementation of…
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 PDFWall Street Journal | August 11, 2023 by Steven McGuire
When the Supreme Court struck down the University of North Carolina’s affirmative-action program in June, the trustees of its flagship Chapel Hill campus were quick to respond.
Can Harvard Use Application Essays to Discriminate by Race?July 25, 2023 by Robert C. Dickeson
The purpose of this guide is to assist governing board trustees in the execution of their most important task:…
Inside Higher Ed | August 10, 2023 by Katherine Knott
After years of discussions over whether college accreditors should have bright-line metrics to gauge college performance, a federal advisory
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 PDFDARE TO BE WISE: Enlightenment and the American College Campus
Join UsForbes | June 21, 2023 by Michael B. Poliakoff
The answer spans “significant progress” to “beyond a doubt.” We are seeing meaningful breakthroughs in the Texas capital, and the University of Austin (UATX) is clearly destined to be a new national model. Meanwhile, survey data released today show that making even more progre…
Newsweek | April 14, 2023 by Michael B. Poliakoff and Paul S. Levy
Even in a year of disgraceful coast-to-coast shout-downs, stretching from Yale Law School to Stanford Law School, the persecution of Professor Amy Wax stands out. It should summon the legal profession and American higher education to action. If we fail to reassert the core values of academic free…
Washington Post | March 1, 2023 by Henry Olsen
TUCSON — If, like me, you are worried about political polarization and what it is doing to our country, I invite you to consider Arizona’s Regents’ Cup. It might just offer you a ray of hope for our democracy. I recently participated as a moderator and judge at the event. Sponsored by the Arizona…
RealClear Education | February 17, 2023 by Michael B. Poliakoff and Steven McGuire
Will every State University of New York (SUNY) student be compelled to absorb fashionable social justice theories,without being required to learn the basics of American history or government? Is the whole of the American experience less important than a narrow slice of it? SUNY reported…
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 representing over three million students, encouraged by ACTA, reaffirmed their commitment to free speech on campus by adopting the Chicago Principles on Freedom of Expression.
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 civil discourse debates through ACTA’s college debates program partnership with Braver Angels and Bridge USA.
news outlets reaching 14 million readers have 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.
Discover MoreSign up to receive updates on the most pressing issues facing our college campuses.