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May 25, 2023 by ACTA
Our survey reveals that many OSU students do not feel encouraged to express themselves—or to allow others to express themselves—freely.
Is it education or indoctrination? A credibility gap concerning such basic professional ethics imperils the reputation of colleges and...
May 2, 2023 by ACTA
Implementing Governance for a New Era is an action plan to assist college and university trustees in reforming higher education. Delivered to more than 16,000 college and university trustees in November 2014, the plan...
READ MORE“ACTA provides short, concise suggestions for trustees who can help administrations make real, beneficial change for the future of education.”
Inside Higher Ed | March 2, 2023 by Josh Moody
When Ruth Simmons assumed the presidency of Prairie View A&M University in 2017, it was considered a major boost...
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...
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.
Get Your CopyJanuary 19, 2023
It’s no secret that America’s colleges and universities are facing a troubling decline in viewpoint diversity and the willingness of students to openly express their opinions. Elite institutions like Yale sadly lead in this...
READ MORE“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.”
March 8, 2023
ACTA's Emily Koons Jae and Bryan Paul recently sat down with Jenna Robinson, president of the James G. Martin Center for...
Boston Herald | October 12, 2022 by Michael B. Poliakoff and Steven McGuire
“How do you bring about a free speech turnaround on campus? Maybe, just maybe, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology...
October 20, 2021 by ACTA
Washington, DC—The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) applauds the formation of the Alumni Free Speech Alliance (AFSA),...
March 30, 2023 by Michael B. Poliakoff
On March 29th, Michael Poliakoff testified along with other higher education experts before the Workforce and Higher Education Committee of the Ohio Legislature regarding SB 83, “The Enact Ohio Higher Education Enhancement Act.” Introduced...
READ MORE"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."
Forbes | March 29, 2023 by Michael B. Poliakoff
“Affirm and guarantee . . . that the institution will not use a diversity statement or any other assessment...
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.
Get Your CopyThe James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal | May 4, 2023 by Doug Sprei
I don’t sleep much after chairing a Braver Angels college debate. There’s a surge of excitement that reverberates for hours after I guide the collision of highly charged, diverse viewpoints that students carry into...
READ MORE“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.”
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...
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 freedom and plain, simple fairness, the consequences—especially for […]
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 Board of […]
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 this week that it has added a new Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice general education […]
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has unequivocally made clear that being a college trustee is a serious job for serious people. Some may say he is engineering a “hostile takeover” of New College of Florida (NCF); others will say he is saving higher education from “woke indoctrination” and wasteful spending through his new appointees to the […]
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?
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.
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.
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.
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