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Educating for a More Perfect Union
May 13, 2026
The American Council of Trustees and Alumni and the Museum of the American Revolution celebrated our nation’s 250th anniversary year…
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Latest
A Broadside for the Nation
April 21, 2026
In this Broadside for the Nation, we explain in detail why American higher education must restore this foundational requirement for college graduates to know the American story, what such a course might include, and, crucially, how to make this vision a reality.
Civic Education
Educating for a More Perfect Union
The American Council of Trustees and Alumni and the Museum of the American Revolution celebrated our nation’s 250th anniversary year with an evening panel discussion on how to reinvigorate history and civics education in American college and university classrooms and across the public history sector.
PROMOTING ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Sometimes the Best Gifts Are Served with Eggs
The College Donor Digest | May 14, 2026 by Victoria Kiper
Wanting to give back, but unsure of where to start, many donors default to the simplest option: writing a blank check to their alma mater and calling it a day. Universities, of course, are more than happy to accept unrestricted gifts. But too often, donors miss an opportunity to make their giving personal, meaningful, and directly connected to […]
Sometimes the Best Gifts Are Served with Eggs
No U.S. History?
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 PDFDEFENDING ACADEMIC FREEDOm
University of Maryland–College Park Report Card
May 12, 2026
ACTA’s Campus Freedom Initiative™ (CFI) has evaluated universities in several states against our Gold Standard for Freedom of Expression™, a 20-point action plan for reestablishing higher education’s commitment to excellence and open inquiry. Below we present the University of Maryland–College Park Gold Standard evaluation. University of Maryland–College Park receives credit for nine out of twenty Gold Standard measures. Our research highlights University of Maryland–College Park strengths in protecting free expression and identifies areas it must work on to improve the student experience. Explore the full University of Maryland–College Park Gold Standard evaluation to learn more.
University of Maryland–College Park Report CardUniversity of Colorado–Boulder Report Card
May 12, 2026
ACTA’s Campus Freedom Initiative™ (CFI) has evaluated universities in several states against our Gold Standard for Freedom of Expression™,…
No Two Minds Alike: How Trustees Can Promote Intellectual Diversity
May 8, 2026
American universities ought to be places where intellectual diversity thrives, and students and faculty can freely express, debate, and…
ACTA Gold Standard for Freedom of Expression
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 PDFENSURING ACCOUNTABILITY
TN bill would add required American history course in colleges
The Nashville News.Net | April 22, 2026 by Danielle Smith
Legislation being considered by Tennessee lawmakers would require all undergraduate students to take classes on American history and government. The more than 80 public and independent higher education institutions in Tennessee collectively serve approximately 360,000 students. Michael Poliakoff, president of the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, testified in March about House Bill 291. He sees it as a […]
TN bill would add required American history course in collegesShould Louisiana college president searches be secret? A bill is raising transparency concerns.
The Advocate | April 22, 2026 by Sam Karlin
A Louisiana state lawmaker says he plans to amend his bill that would have kept records secret about who is applying…
Spring 2026 Higher Ed at Glance
April 8, 2026
ACTA in the States From improving civic education to protecting free expression to strengthening college governance, state policymakers are…
Governance for a New Era
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 PDFIN THE
NEWS
ACTA in the NewsCivil Discourse
Cornell’s Chance To Stand Up for Civil Discourse by Defending Its President
The New York Sun | May 8, 2026 by Michael B. Poliakoff and Steven McGuire
The protesters who blocked the car of Cornell’s president, Michael Kotlikoff, on April 30 seemed intent on gaining victim status. Despite all reasonable care on the president’s part, one was slightly bumped, prompting a predictable overreaction. Some of their foolish fellow students have taken th…
ACTA in the NewsAcademic Freedom
When the Guild Shows Its Hand: The AAUP and AFT Just Told Us What They Think Academic Freedom Is For.
AEIdeas | May 7, 2026 by Samuel J. Abrams and Steven McGuire
Speaking as chair of the Faculty Senate, University of Michigan history professor Derek Peterson used his five minutes at commencement to praise pro-Palestinian activists for opening “our hearts to the injustice and inhumanity of Israel’s war in Gaza.” This was not an exercise of academic freedom…
HOW ACTA IS SUCCEEDING
370
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.
146
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.
256
institutions have improved their core curriculum requirements based on ACTA’s annual What Will They Learn?® initiative. Visit WhatWillTheyLearn.com
26,500+
students from 140 institutions have engaged in 660 civil discourse debates, dialogues, and workshops through ACTA’s college debates program partnership with Braver Angels and Bridge USA.
795
news outlets in 2025 covered ACTA’s nationwide impact on academic excellence, academic freedom, and accountability in higher education.
275
million dollars in gifts to higher education have been guided through ACTA’s Fund for Academic Renewal. Visit AcademicRenewal.org.
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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