Senior Research Fellow
Request an InterviewKyle works closely with ACTA's Chief of Staff & Senior Vice President of Strategy Armand Alacbay to monitor developing trends in higher education and public policy and determine appropriate responses. While specializing in research, Kyle also assists with matters of trustee communications, public outreach, and by contributing to ACTA’s publications. Before joining ACTA, Kyle accrued a decade of leadership and managerial experience working in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where he was born and raised. He obtained an M.A. in Political Theory from the Catholic University of America in 2015, and a B.A. in History and Government from St. John’s University in 2012, where he served as a member of the President’s Society.
This morning the South Carolina House Higher Education Subcommittee unanimously advanced two bills strengthening training for members of its higher education governing and coordinating boards. House Bills 4736 and 4737 ensure that new members of the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education and new trustees serving public institutions will develop a comprehensive orientation and training […]
President Donald Trump’s “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” has had the industry buzzing. Detractors call it a “Faustian bargain” and a partisan “loyalty oath,” while supporters hold it up as a “reasonable” and “much-needed” reform. As debate rages, pressure has begun to build, as some state lawmakers have urged their public colleges and universities to sign or reject the administration’s proposal.
A recent press release by the U.S. Department of Education has created a bit of confusion, leading many to believe that the Trump administration is seeking to revoke Columbia University’s accreditation. As with most matters related to the byzantine process of accreditation, the truth is more complex and less attention-grabbing.
Accrediting agencies are tasked with providing a level of quality assurance for higher education. With an accreditor’s stamp of approval, colleges unlock access to billions of dollars in Title IV funding—federal loans, grants, and campus-based aid. Unfortunately, accreditors do not consistently deliver on their role and fail to hold institutions accountable for poor student outcomes.
President Trump made it clear during his campaign that higher education would be a priority for his administration, and his first 100 days have proved his sincerity. However, his executive-focused approach has led to controversy, confusion, litigation, and few durable legislative changes as of yet. In uncertain times, colleges and universities need steady leadership.
The failure of Congress to reform the Higher Education Act since its last reauthorization in 2008 has had devastating consequences for America’s students and taxpayers. For too long, the federal response to rising costs and dismal completion rates has been to throw more money at the problem.
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