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Please join us in celebrating a quarter-century of shared work to promote academic excellence and academic freedom at America’s colleges and universities and in looking ahead to the frontiers before us.
Click Here to register for the 25th Plus One Anniversary Celebration
Join ACTA in promoting Academic Excellence, Academic Freedom, and Accountability at America’s colleges and universities.
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Please join us in celebrating a quarter-century of shared work to promote academic excellence and academic freedom at America’s colleges and universities and in looking ahead to the frontiers before us.
Click Here to register for the 25th Plus One Anniversary Celebration
September 8, 2021 by ACTA
Drawing on empirical data from student surveys, as well as insights from faculty and higher education leaders across the country, ACTA’s report details how the rapid shift to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the ongoing free speech crisis on college campuses...
The vast expansion of online learning forced by the coronavirus crisis has led to a high-tech crackdown on free...
When COVID-19 forced universities to shut down their campus, Zoom became the platform that connected instructors and students. However,...
August 17, 2021 by ACTA
The American Council of Trustees and Alumni has released its groundbreaking report The Cost of Excess: Why Colleges Must Control Runaway Spending, a comprehensive analysis of college spending trends and the impact spending has...
READ MORE“ACTA provides short, concise suggestions for trustees who can help administrations make real, beneficial change for the future of education.”
North State Journal | August 11, 2021 by Matt Mercer
CHAPEL HILL — According to former UNC Chapel Hill trustee Charles Duckett, what actually happened behind the scenes was...
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 CopyThe College Donor Digest | August 16, 2021 by Emily Burden Rees
Good communication is key to a rewarding giving experience. The Intelligent Donor’s Guide to College Giving explains that “donors and universities both benefit from clearly establishing donor intent in the gift agreement because it helps preclude potential misunderstandings about the purpose of...
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.”
The College Donor Digest | August 2, 2021 by Emily Koons Jae
Donors—and nonprofits—had cause to celebrate this June when the Supreme Court upheld donor privacy. In the 6-3 decision, Americans for Prosperity...
Forbes | August 30, 2021 by Michael B. Poliakoff
For good reason, the Pell Grant program has enjoyed wide bipartisan support. It is properly called the cornerstone of America’s investment in college financial aid, and for nearly half a century, it has been an...
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."
Campus Reform | September 14, 2021 by Angela Morabito
An American Council of Trustees and Alumni found that spending on student services did not move the needle on...
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 Copyparentology | August 17, 2021 by Larry Duncan
The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) has released a comprehensive report on college spending trends and their findings are not promising. According to the report, spending at four-year colleges and universities is out of...
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.”
September 8, 2021 by ACTA
Drawing on empirical data from student surveys, as well as insights from faculty and higher education leaders across the country, ACTA’s report details how the rapid shift...
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we have had to postpone our Fall 2020 event. ACTA's 25th Plus One Anniversary Celebration will take place on November 11-12, 2021. As good fortune would have it, we have been able to schedule the same exciting roster of events, culminating at the storied Library of Congress, which T...
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An American Council of Trustees and Alumni found that spending on student services did not move the needle on graduation rates at 4-year public colleges. ‘Campus Reform’ spoke with one Johns Hopkins professor who called on colleges to ‘refund some of this money.’ Colleges’ spending patterns are driving up costs for students but do not […]
Virtual learning during COVID-19 increased cancel culture at American universities, according to a report. Large portions of American college students — especially those who identify as Republican — report self-censorship for fear of repercussions from professors and classmates. A recent report reveals that virtual learning environments during COVID-19 led to an acceleration of cancel culture […]
The Board is responsible for the College’s financial resources, senior administration and reputation, but often feels inaccessible to and removed from students. Dartmouth has had a Board of Trustees since its founding in 1769 — as stipulated by the College’s Charter — to act as a fiduciary of the College. As the Board grew in size and […]
The vast expansion of online learning forced by the coronavirus crisis has led to a high-tech crackdown on free speech by teachers and students, according to a groundbreaking review of America’s new classrooms. The report by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni found that the rapid shift to Zoom-type learning preceded a new wave of bullying […]
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.
Colleges and universities have investigated their spending practices due to ACTA’s work. Visit our site, HowCollegesSpendMoney.com.
Institutions have adopted the Chicago Principles on Freedom of Expression due to ACTA’s outreach.
Colleges and universities have improved their core curriculum requirements based on ACTA’s annual What Will They Learn?® initiative.
WhatWillTheyLearn.com
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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