2025 Annual Report

The American Council of Trustees and Alumni is an independent, nonprofit organization committed to promoting academic freedom, excellence, and accountability at America’s colleges and universities. Founded in 1995, ACTA works with alumni, trustees, and education leaders across the country 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 education at an affordable price.

This report highlights our many accomplishments in the past year.

Academic Excellence

In 2025, ACTA launched its Civic Education Initiative with the ambitious goal of ensuring that every college student graduates with comprehensive knowledge of the American story. We made remarkable progress, convening our National Commission on American History and Civic Education at George Washington’s historic home; issuing a new survey assessing college students’ knowledge of American literature, culture, and scientific achievements; and supporting policymakers across the country to pass legislation promoting civic education.

ACTA staff in 2025 also counseled faculty and administrators at Auburn University, Grove City College, the University of Chicago, and John Adams College on improving their academic offerings. The president of the University of Dallas personally celebrated the university’s superb “A+” What Will They Learn? rating. The Manhattan Institute incorporated ACTA’s WWTL ratings into its new college rankings system, shining a light on institutions that are committed to the rigorous requirements that cultivate a broad range of knowledge and practical skills. The rankings system also indicates which institutions house an ACTA Oasis of Excellence or Hidden Gem.

Academic Freedom

This year, ACTA advanced civil discourse, free expression, and intellectual leadership through three flagship initiatives. The College Debates and Discourse (CD&D) Alliance, partnering with Braver Angels and BridgeUSA, engaged more than 7,000 students on 93 campuses in 187 debates and workshops, fostering vigorous but respectful exchange with no incidents of incivility. Through the Campus Freedom Initiative™, supported by the Diana Davis Spencer Foundation, ACTA launched its first free expression report cards, evaluating university policies against the Gold Standard for Freedom of Expression™. Meanwhile, the Levy Forum for Open Discourse featured leading scholars and public intellectuals and continued its fourth season, “America at 250: Toward a More Perfect Union,” examining the nation’s heritage and future through April 2026.

Accountability

ACTA was called on to give legislative testimony in Minnesota, Maryland, North Carolina, and Ohio on matters of fiscal transparency and fairness in admissions. Policymakers in Texas, Tennessee, Kansas, Connecticut, and Oklahoma contacted us for guidance on legislation related to institutional governance and student support. In November, ACTA also hosted a webinar exclusively for the governing boards of the 18 universities in the Big Ten Conference after trustees in our network expressed concerns about a proposed $2.4 billion private equity deal between the conference and University of California (UC) Investments. Our webinar panelists—including trustees from the University System of Maryland, the University of Michigan, Pennsylvania State University, the University of Southern California, and the University of Minnesota—explained that trustees did not receive sufficient information about the finances and structure of the proposed deal, compromising their ability to exercise proper stewardship.