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Make your gift countOctober 28, 2025 by Kyle Beltramini
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.
For too long, colleges and universities have neglected teaching the American story to undergraduates, with fewer than one in five institutions requiring a course in U.S. government or history for graduation. Most students are leaving college without a grasp of their own system of government, a situation that is particularly alarming in an age of rising polarization. ACTA has taken a significant step to address this crisis by convening the National Commission on American History and Civic Education, comprised of esteemed historians, political scientists, and education leaders.
The College Fix | October 24, 2025 by Jenna Mulhern
Lawrence Summers, president emeritus of Harvard University, will be honored with an outstanding education award this weekend for his long reputation of defending rigorous academics, advocating for free speech, and attempting to steer modern universities back to their “truth-seeking” mission. The Philip Merrill Award for Outstanding Contributions to Liberal Arts Education comes from the American Council of Trustees and Alumni as part of its 30th anniversary celebration Friday in Washington, D.C. The award recognizes his outstanding contributions to higher education, particularly his commitment to academic rigor and expanding access to quality education.
Former Harvard president to be honored for dedication to ‘truth-seeking,’ academic rigorSeptember 17, 2025
The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) is pleased to announce that Lawrence H. Summers, the Charles W….
September 11, 2025
ACTA president Michael Poliakoff speaks with Lee Strang, the inaugural director of the new Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture and…
ACTA’s report, “No U.S. History? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major,” found that 18 of the top 25 public universities did not have a wide-ranging American history requirement for students seeking a B.A. in history in the major or core curriculum.
Download PDFOctober 30, 2025
In this episode of Radio Free Campus, co-hosts Steve McGuire and Justin Garrison discuss the Trump administration’s Compact for Excellence in Higher Education. Steve also talks about diversity of thought and campus freedom with Josh Dunn, the director of the Institute of American Civics at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Intellectual Diversity on Campus with guest Josh DunnOctober 20, 2025 by Steven McGuire and Justin Garrison
In 2020, college and university presidents lined up to issue statements about George Floyd’s tragic death, despite the event’s…
October 14, 2025
Since the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) launched its national campaign to encourage colleges and universities to…
ACTA now provides a blueprint to help higher education regain and live by this core principle. The ACTA Gold Standard for Freedom of Expression™ provides clear guidance for institutions to create a culture of free thought on their campuses.
Download PDFOctober 28, 2025 by Kyle Beltramini
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.
ACTA Publica: Conflicts in the CompactOctober 21, 2025
The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) is pleased to announce that Sarah Hubbard and her seven colleagues…
October 20, 2025
American higher education desperately needs reform and the hour is late. Declining educational quality, oppressive ideology coupled with intolerance,…
Governance for a New Era is a blueprint for higher education governance. Signatories to the statement, a diverse group of 22 distinguished national leaders dedicated to ensuring America’s colleges and universities shed 20th century thinking and successfully meet 21st century challenges.
Download PDFThe College Fix | October 24, 2025 by Jenna Mulhern
Lawrence Summers, president emeritus of Harvard University, will be honored with an outstanding education award this weekend for his long reputation of defending rigorous academics, advocating for free speech, and attempting to steer modern universities back to their “truth-seeking” mission. The …
October 21, 2025
The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) is pleased to announce that Sarah Hubbard and her seven colleagues on the University of Michigan (U-M) Board of Regents will receive the Jerry L. Martin Prize for Excellence in College Trusteeship.
October 20, 2025 by Steven McGuire and Justin Garrison
In 2020, college and university presidents lined up to issue statements about George Floyd’s tragic death, despite the event’s lack of any direct connection to higher education. They were much quieter after Charlie Kirk’s horrific murder last month, even though that incident was a direct assault …
Inside Higher Ed | October 14, 2025 by Jessica Blake
The Department of Education has delayed the semiannual convening of its accreditation advisory committee for the second time this year, according to an email sent to committee members and obtained by Inside Higher Ed. The meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and In…
institutions have been counseled by ACTA on matters of cost effectiveness, financial governance, and institutional spending. See ACTA’s one-of-a-kind higher education financial analysis tool: HowCollegesSpendMoney.com.
institutions and systems representing nearly four million students, encouraged by ACTA, reaffirmed their commitment to free speech on campus by adopting the Chicago Principles on Freedom of Expression or a policy of institutional neutrality.
institutions have improved their core curriculum requirements based on ACTA’s annual What Will They Learn?® initiative. Visit WhatWillTheyLearn.com
students from 100+ Institutions have engaged in 400+ civil discourse debates, dialogues, and workshops through ACTA’s college debates program partnership with Braver Angels and Bridge USA.
news outlets in 2024 covered ACTA’s nationwide impact on academic excellence, academic freedom, and accountability in higher education.
million dollars in gifts to higher education have been guided through ACTA’s Fund for Academic Renewal. Visit AcademicRenewal.org.
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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