WASHINGTON, DC—In response to growing public concern—not to say outcry—about the ever-rising price and deteriorating quality of higher education, Congress passed the Higher Education Opportunity Act. In response to this behemoth of a law—the summary itself is more than 200 pages—the American Council of Trustees and Alumni today released a concise guide to help university governing boards navigate through key passages.
The guide identifies and highlights seven provisions of the HEOA and outlines actions trustees can take to control costs and ensure educational quality, including demanding greater accountability, overseeing the accreditation process and focusing on student learning. It has been sent to the boards of 500 top universities across the country.
The American Council of Trustees and Alumni is an independent non-profit dedicated to academic freedom, academic quality and accountability. Since its founding in 1995, ACTA has counseled boards, educated the public and published reports about such issues as good governance, historical literacy, core curricula, the free exchange of ideas and accreditation in higher education.