This guide provides step-by-step instructions for donors on how to target their giving, with profiles of successful gifts. American philanthropists long have been generous in their support of colleges and universities. But donors do not always find the results they envisioned for their generosity and good intentions. ACTA has responded by publishing The Intelligent Donor’s Guide to College Giving. Find out how to ensure, in the words of philanthropist and investor Stephen Friess, “that philanthropic dollars are investments in the values of American and its future.”
In a paper commissioned by the Hudson Institute’s Bradley Center for Philanthropy and Civic Renewal, ACTA draws out the implications of the settlement in Robertson v. Princeton, the landmark donor-intent lawsuit against Princeton University. ACTA argues that universities have broken the compact of trust with donors, who must now take an active role in ensuring […]
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 cause of overspending. This brochure shows trustees both why and how to prioritize academic programs. All too often, attempts to reduce expenses have concentrated on the administrative side […]
This essay retraces the history of the CUNY renaissance and shows how the largest urban public university system in the country emerged as a model for successful higher education reform. It offers both a cautionary tale of the consequences of low academic standards and an example of what board leadership and vision can achieve even […]
A few years ago, my family gave $1 million to a large state school in the West—a fine institution, worthy of support. We shook hands with the development folks, and handed over a check. We had an idea of what we wanted. My father is a passionate advocate for liberty and freedom, and he asked […]
Students at Yale University’s School of Music–and aspiring musicians hoping to go there someday–must have been jumping for joy two weeks ago when the school announced that it had received an anonymous $100 million endowment gift that would guarantee them all free tuition. A few days later Tufts University, not to be outdone, announced that […]
As the student debt crisis approaches $1.6 trillion, tuition increases continue to outpace inflation and healthcare costs. The perfect storm of drivers includes misdirected federal student financial aid policies, runaway administrative expenses, an inherently costly residential model, ballooning retiree benefits and pension commitments, and a drop in state funding for public universities. But another huge […]
Launched in 1995, we are the only organization that works with alumni, donors, trustees, and education leaders across the United States 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 college education at an affordable price.
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