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Make your gift countSeptember 15, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) is proud to announce the release of A Nation Born in a Day: Visions of the American Founding, a new collection of essays directly challenging the claims of the New York Times’ 1619 Project. Published with Stone Tower Press, edited by ACTA President Dr. Michael Poliakoff, and featuring a foreword by Sir Niall Ferguson, the volume brings together ten distinguished historians and scholars, including the late Gordon Wood, to explore the events of 1776 that set forth principles of liberty, equality, and self-government that changed the course of world history and continue to guide us today. That foundational narrative, well-understood for two and a half centuries, is given new life and urgency by ten of the nation’s finest modern scholars of American history and politics.
September 24, 2026 by Monica Boryczewski
The first half of the twentieth century was a turbulent time for the United States. In the 31 years between 1914 and 1945, the country experienced a major economic boom, the Great Depression, and two world wars. It was an era marked by uncertainty and instability for its citizens, especially for the writers who reached maturity during World War I. One member of this Lost Generation, born on this day in 1896, was F. Scott Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald’s short stories and novels focus on the shifting social, political, and economic movements during this period. His literature offers modern readers a…
F. Scott Fitzgerald: A Window into America’s Lost GenerationACTA in the NewsArtificial Intelligence
Post Alley | September 21, 2026 by Sally J. McMillan
American colleges begin a new school year in a continuing crisis mode that began with the introduction of generative…
ACTA in the NewsCivic Education
Pensacola News Journal | September 19, 2026 by Clifford Humphrey
Americans famously are lovers of liberty. This year we celebrate 250 years of enjoying historically unprecedented civil, economic, and…
ACTA’s A Broadside for the Nation: Preparing College Students for Informed Citizenship convenes 24 historians and education leaders who argue that America’s 250th anniversary demands a renewal of civic education. The report urges colleges to require every student to complete a semester-long course on the American story.
Download PDFSeptember 29, 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 Vanderbilt University Gold Standard evaluation. Vanderbilt University receives credit for eighteen out of twenty Gold Standard measures. Our research highlights Vanderbilt University’s strengths in protecting free expression and identifies areas it must work on to improve the student experience. Explore the full Vanderbilt University Gold Standard evaluation to learn more.
Vanderbilt University Report CardSeptember 29, 2026
ACTA’s Campus Freedom Initiative™ (CFI) has evaluated universities in several states against our Gold Standard for Freedom of Expression™,…
September 29, 2026
ACTA’s Campus Freedom Initiative™ (CFI) has evaluated universities in several states against our 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 PDFSeptember 22, 2026
Yesterday, ACTA submitted public comment on the notice of proposed rulemaking for the Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization (AIM) Committee. The Department of Education’s proposed regulations represent a crucial first step in revitalizing higher education quality assurance. We have advocated for many of the Department’s proposed reforms for over 20 years and are heartened to see […]
ACTA Comments on Latest Accreditation RegulationsAugust 21, 2026 by Kyle Beltramini
This week the U.S. Department of Education (ED) published its proposed revisions to higher education’s system of quality assurance….
August 19, 2026 by Armand B. Alacbay
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon’s “National Call to Action to University Presidents and Governing Boards” reflects the reality that…
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.
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Austin, Texas
Guarding Our Heritage of Religious Freedom
Join UsACTA in the NewsArtificial Intelligence
Post Alley | September 21, 2026 by Sally J. McMillan
American colleges begin a new school year in a continuing crisis mode that began with the introduction of generative artificial intelligence tools four years ago. Blue book sales have risen nearly 40 percent as professors return to timed, handwritten exams. The University of Chicago has banned AI…
ACTA in the NewsCivic Education
Pensacola News Journal | September 19, 2026 by Clifford Humphrey
Americans famously are lovers of liberty. This year we celebrate 250 years of enjoying historically unprecedented civil, economic, and religious liberty. Liberty, though, is an easily misunderstood concept, and our country’s 250th anniversary is a timely occasion to remind ourselves what it truly…
ACTA in the NewsCore Curriculum
The Washington Post | September 15, 2026 by Joshua Katz and Solveig Gold
Four years ago, the prevailing wisdom was that if you wanted to make six figures immediately after college graduation, you should consider studying computer science. Departments saw record enrollment, and universities started building centimillion-dollar complexes to accommodate the growth. Today…
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 140 institutions have engaged in 660 civil discourse debates, dialogues, and workshops through ACTA’s College Debates & Discourse Alliance.
news outlets in 2025 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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