ACTA is an independent, non-profit organization committed to academic freedom, excellence, and accountability at America's colleges and universities.
ACTA is an independent, non-profit organization committed to academic freedom, excellence, and accountability at America's colleges and universities.
ACTA is an independent, non-profit organization committed to academic freedom, excellence, and accountability at America's colleges and universities.
ACTA is an independent, non-profit organization committed to academic freedom, excellence, and accountability at America's colleges and universities.
Authors: ACTA’s Institute for Effective Governance
Authors
Scholars, higher education leaders, and policymakers have contributed to ACTA's library of resources.
ACTA Reasserts North Carolina Governor’s Appointing Authority for University Trustees
December 2016 by ACTA’s Institute for Effective Governance |
WASHINGTON, DC—The American Council of Trustees and Alumni released a statement in opposition to a proposal by North Carolina legislators to strip… Continue Reading >>
The Basics of Responsible Trusteeship
August 2016 by ACTA’s Institute for Effective Governance |
There are few positions that offer comparable challenges and rewards to those of a college trustee. As a trustee, you have the legal and fiduciary obligation… Continue Reading >>
Bold Leadership, Real Reform Bold Leadership, Real Reform
Best Practices in University GovernanceFebruary 2015 by ACTA’s Institute for Effective Governance |
Drawing on the experiences of universities across the country, Bold Leadership, Real Reform: Best Practices in University Governance… Continue Reading >> Continue Reading >>
Accreditation
A Call to Action for College TrusteesOctober 2013 by ACTA’s Institute for Effective Governance |
Today, virtually all colleges and universities in the United States are accredited (sometimes by more than one accrediting body). Yet there is widespread—and… Continue Reading >>
The Art of College Admissions
A Trustee Guide to the Value of Entrance ExamsJuly 2013 by ACTA’s Institute for Effective Governance |
In recent years, a number of educators have challenged the usefulness of SAT and ACT tests as indicators of college readiness, and some institutions have stopped… Continue Reading >>
Are They Learning?
A College Trustee's Guide to Assessing Academic EffectivenessJanuary 2013 by ACTA’s Institute for Effective Governance |
The most urgent task of colleges and universities is to prepare graduates for the challenges of career, community, and citizenship. Responsible institutions… Continue Reading >>
Setting Academic Priorities
A Guide to What Boards of Trustees Can DoMay 2012 by ACTA’s Institute for Effective Governance |
Higher education is in the midst of a deep financial crisis, and the failure of governing boards to focus on academic programs is arguably the single greatest… Continue Reading >>
Substance Abuse on Campus
What Trustees Should KnowFebruary 2012 by ACTA’s Institute for Effective Governance |
Get the facts about what's going on at campuses across the country and how universities' failure to emphasize their academic mission has created… Continue Reading >>
Trouble in the Dorms
A Guide to Residential Life Programs for Higher Education TrusteesOctober 2009 by ACTA’s Institute for Effective Governance |
This guide briefly retraces the rise of ideologically charged residential life programming on campuses and shows how such programs, despite their seemingly innocuous… Continue Reading >>
Restoring a Core
How Trustees Can Ensure Meaningful General Education RequirementsSeptember 2009 by ACTA’s Institute for Effective Governance |
In light of the findings in What Will They Learn? that many of our leading universities have… Continue Reading >>
Protecting the Free Exchange of Ideas Protecting the Free Exchange of Ideas
How Trustees Can Advance Intellectual Diversity on CampusJune 2009 by ACTA’s Institute for Effective Governance |
This report features ten best practices, gleaned from colleges and universities across the country, for promoting the free exchange of ideas in and out of the… Continue Reading >> Continue Reading >>
Measuring Up
The Problem of Grade Inflation and What Trustees Can DoFebruary 2009 by ACTA’s Institute for Effective Governance |
This guide suggests various strategies that boards of trustees can adopt to curb the problem of grade inflation at their schools. Addressing grade inflation… Continue Reading >>
The Higher Education Opportunity Act and You
What the Legislation Means for Boards of TrusteesFebruary 2009 by ACTA’s Institute for Effective Governance |
This guide looks at several key provisions of the new Higher Education Act and outlines what you, as a trustee, can do. The HEOA, which passed the House and… Continue Reading >>
Asking Questions, Getting Answers
A Guide for Higher Ed TrusteesJuly 2008 by ACTA’s Institute for Effective Governance |
This guide outlines some of the key questions trustees should ask regarding the academic and financial operations of their institutions. Institutions vary significantly… Continue Reading >>
Assessing the President’s Performance
A "How To" Guide for TrusteesAugust 2006 by ACTA’s Institute for Effective Governance |
Assessing the president's performance is one of the board's primary responsibilities, and its importance is second only to selecting the president. While… Continue Reading >>
