VideosGeneral Education
Julius Rosenwald & Booker T. Washington: The Secret of Resilience and Empowerment by Robert Woodson
Robert Woodson delivered these remarks at the 2025-2026 series of the Levy Forum […]
Speeches & Testimony
Yale professor Donald Kagan delivers remarks upon accepting the fourth annual Philip Merrill Award for Outstanding Contributions to Liberal Arts Education with an introduction by the Honorable Jose A. Cabranes. Professor Kagan implored participants to be freshmen—to approach issues from an independent perspective and to open their minds to a broad range of ideas and philosophies. He warned against being a sophomore, which, as its Greek root makes clear, means self-satisfied, opinionated, and know-it-all. The award was presented on October 17, 2008 in New York City.
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ACTA in the NewsGraduation Requirements
As Oklahoma leaders work to introduce three-year bachelor’s degree, concerns remain
Several initiatives underway in Oklahoma may soon make three-year bachelor’s degree programs a reality for Sooner State college students, but some observers argue that would diminish students’ learning experiences and produce graduates with a more narrow, vocational focus rather than a comprehensive education. As part of an overall higher education reform effort, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin […]
Press ReleasesCore Curriculum
Rising from an F to a B+ in ACTA’s Annual Ratings, New College of Florida’s New Core Curriculum Drives Dramatic Academic Turnaround
The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) annually assesses core curricula at over 1,100 U.S. colleges and universities as part of our What Will They Learn? project. Each school is assigned a letter grade based on seven core subject areas. As one of the most significant improvements recorded this year, New College of Florida has skyrocketed from an F to a B+ rating. By achieving a B+, it comes in the top 7.5% grades nationwide, and is now the highest-graded public school in Florida.
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ACTA in the NewsGeneral Education
Freshman Classes Getting Hooked on the Classics
Six years ago, a faculty committee at Ursinus College near Philadelphia sat down to review its core curriculum. The usual results of such meetings, some critics of higher education say, are minor adjustments in a smorgasbord of courses that don’t really have much to do with each other. At Ursinus, with 1,500 students and a […]
ACTA in the NewsGeneral Education
Learning the Value of Liberal Arts
I am upset that my daughter won’t take an economics course, and that her college won’t make her do so. You will be surprised how few of our nation’s finest colleges–I have a list of 50 in front of me–require general economics for graduation. But let’s first consider the broader issue of liberal arts courses […]
ACTA in the NewsGeneral Education
College students need solid, uniform base before learning what they want
College students around the country are returning to school this weekend. What are they going to learn when they get there? Not what they should, according to a recent publication of the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, titled “What Will They Learn? A Report on General Education Requirements at 100 of the Nation’s Leading […]
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