VideosHistorical Literacy
The Decline and Fall of History
Professor Niall Ferguson's remarks upon receiving the Philip Merrill Award for Outstanding Contributions to Liberal Arts Education.
Speeches & Testimony
Upon accepting the 2015 Philip Merrill Award for Outstanding Contributions to Liberal Arts Education,The Honorable Hank Brown—former U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator, and president emeritus of the University of Colorado—focused on the importance of a solid core curriculum, rigorous assessment, honest grading standards, and intellectual diversity in higher education. The award was presented on October 16, 2015 at ACTA’s 20th Anniversary celebration.
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CONTENT
General Education
The Case for American History
Dr. Louise Mirrer, president and CEO of the New-York Historical Society, passionately conveyed the role our nation’s founding principles played in advancing justice and freedom, and stressed how important it is that college students understand these principles. Mirrer has dedicated her life to teaching Americans about America’s exceptional history. Her remarks were given upon accepting […]
Costs
Re-liberalizing the Liberal Arts
Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr., president of Purdue University, paid tribute to the transformative nature of the liberal arts when studied rigorously and in an atmosphere where the robust clash of ideas is allowed to flourish. He gave this speech upon accepting ACTA’s 2018 Philip Merrill Award for Outstanding Contributions to Liberal Arts Education on October […]
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PRESS MENTIONS
ACTA in the NewsTrusteeship
U. of Colorado Regents Delegate Power to Administrators in Hopes of Focusing on Major Policy Issues
The governing board of the University of Colorado System has voted to overhaul its organization and authority in a series of significant steps that cede power to campus officials. In resolutions unanimously approved last week, the Board of Regents gave the system’s president and campus chancellors increased power over personnel matters, reduced the board’s number […]
ACTA in the NewsCosts
Healing America's universities, including the University of Colorado
The first job of any trustee is to be a fiduciary, to look after the academic and fiscal health of the institution. When that health is compromised, it’s a trustee’s duty to administer effective treatment. The University of Colorado recently had a check-up in the form of a report by the American Council of Trustees […]
ACTA in the NewsGeneral Education
How We Could Radically Rethink the Core Curriculum in Higher Education
In the spirit of a new year, I’d like to propose a radical resolution for colleges and universities across America: ditch your general education requirements. At a time when so-called “soft skills” such as communication and problem-solving are in demand at major employers around the world, a new core curriculum represents the best chance for college-bound […]
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