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Join ACTA in promoting Academic Excellence, Academic Freedom, and Accountability in higher education.

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The
Latest

Civic Education

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

New Yale Report on Trust in Higher Education Is an Important Step Toward Higher Education Reform

The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) commends Yale University for its willingness to take a hard look in the mirror with its newly released Report of the Committee on Trust in Higher Education. While so many others avoid taking any responsibility for the decline of American higher education, Yale has acknowledged the need to make changes in the face of the American people’s deep dissatisfaction with our colleges and universities: “Those of us in higher education have too often resisted calls to critically examine our own institutions, professions, and modes of thought,” the Report states. 

PROMOTING ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

David Rohrbacher: Inside New College’s Curriculum Turnaround

May 12, 2026

ACTA’s Veronica Bryant welcomes David Rohrbacher, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs and Professor of Classics at the New College of Florida. NCF made headlines after they skyrocketed from an “F” grade to a “B+” rating in ACTA’s What Will They Learn? Project (WWTL), becoming this year’s “most improved school.” WWTL assigns letter grades based on the rigor […]

David Rohrbacher: Inside New College’s Curriculum Turnaround
See All Academic Excellence Initiatives
See All Academic Excellence Initiatives

DEFENDING 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 Card
See All Academic Freedom Initiatives
See All Academic Freedom Initiatives

ENSURING 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 colleges
See All Accountability Initiatives
See All Accountability Initiatives

IN THE
NEWS

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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