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ACTA’s resources address key issues of higher education quality and effectiveness. They provide college and university stakeholders with the tools they need to address topics such as curricular standards and academic rigor, the academic freedom of faculty and students, cost-effectiveness and allocation of resources, responsible governance, and how attentive institutions are to the needs of their students.

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Uncategorized | Civil Discourse

Faculty Partner Spotlight: Dr. David Wright

March 14, 2025

Since 2018, the CD&D Alliance has collaborated with hundreds of brilliant higher education faculty who care deeply about their students and their development into critical thinkers, compassionate professionals, and active citizens. For our inaugural newsletter, we will highlight one educator in North Carolina who has integrated our debates into his curriculum in a remarkable way. Dr. David Wright is a Senior Research Scholar in the Department of Computer Science at North Carolina State University (NCSU). Dr. Wright has demonstrated that all disciplines, not only liberal arts programs, can benefit greatly from practicing civil discourse. For years, he has taught a course called “Ethics in Computing,” which […]

The Forum | Civil Discourse

Student Fellow Spotlight: Lauren Fletcher

March 14, 2025

By Kayla Johnston and Sadie Webb In her final year at the University of North Carolina (UNC)–Greensboro, Lauren Fletcher has made a lasting impact as the Lee Barnes Student Fellow with the College Debates and Discourse (CD&D) Alliance. As a double major in English and political science with a concentration in public affairs, Lauren is passionate about fostering dialogue and plans to incorporate this passion into her future career in state government and, eventually, public opinion polling. For Lauren, working with the CD&D Alliance has been more than just an extracurricular activity—it has been a transformative experience. “I’m getting hands-on experience moderating […]
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Statement | Department of Education

Statement by ACTA President Michael Poliakoff on Reductions to the Department of Education

March 11, 2025 by Michael B. Poliakoff

We firmly believe that the Department of Education has a bloated bureaucracy and contains many programs that do not represent the interests and needs of the American people. But the speed at which the administration is slashing the department’s programs, contracts, and annual surveys is causing confusion and leaves many with questions about how—or even if— this information will continue to be collected.

Speeches & Testimony | Rising Tuition

ACTA Testimony on Maryland Senate Bill 713

March 6, 2025 by Anna Sillers

On March 5, Anna Sillers, ACTA’s Data Analyst Fellow, provided testimony in support of legislation that would require each college and university in the State of Maryland to display on its website a link to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard website. Anna noted, “The United States currently has more than $1.7 trillion in student debt, and yet the average public school four-year graduation rate is less than 40 percent. One way to both bring down the debt level and improve graduation rates is to ensure students and their families have accessible and up-to-date information when choosing where to […]
WHO WE ARE

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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