Spring 2025 Higher Ed at a Glance

Higher Ed Reform Legislation in the States

Higher education reform is a hot topic in state legislatures this year. From banning legacy admissions to improving civic education to increasing cost transparency, policymakers are challenging the status quo to restore the promise of higher education. ACTA has issued a list of these new legislative reforms, found here.

ACTA Statement on Reductions to the U.S. Department of Education

In March, ACTA President Michael Poliakoff released a statement in response to the reduction of the U.S. Department of Education. Click here to read ACTA’s full statement.

2025 Higher Education Policy Action Agenda

As a new administration came into office and Congress began its first session, ACTA called on our federal representatives to turn their attention to American higher education and finally take decisive action. View ACTA’s 2025 policy action agenda.

Can Arizona Achieve a Gold Standard for Freedom of Expression?

ACTA recently issued a survey and report card on the state of free expression at Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, and the University of Arizona. For more information, or to request a report card on your state’s colleges and universities based on our Gold Standard for Freedom of Expression™, please contact Steven McGuire, ACTA’s Paul & Karen Levy Fellow in Campus Freedom.

Fourth Annual Campus Free Speech Roundtable

In December, ACTA Policy Research Fellow Kyle Beltramini participated in North Carolina U.S. Representative Greg Murphy’s fourth annual Congressional Campus Free Speech Roundtable. To view Mr. Beltramini’s remarks, click here. To watch the roundtable, click here.

Dismantling DEI in Texas

In January, the Texas Senate Higher Education Subcommittee released an interim report on how public institutions have been responding to Senate Bill 17, which called on universities to implement important reforms, including adopting a policy on institutional neutrality and fully eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion bureaucracies. ACTA Associate Director of External Affairs Nick Down previously testified before the subcommittee in support of both these recommendations. To read more, click here.

Policymaker’s Toolkit

Higher education across the nation is under scrutiny. Publicly funded colleges and universities are particularly vulnerable, as they represent a massive investment by state taxpayers. ACTA’s new Policymaker’s Toolkit outlines steps that state lawmakers can take to strengthen fiscal accountability, support trustees, and generate better outcomes for students, taxpayers, and the nation. Download the guide here or contact Nick Down for a hard copy.