Indiana Senate Bill 48, which was signed into law yesterday by Governor Eric Holcomb, requires each public institution to “prominently display” on its website links to its U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard as well as similar links for each degree program. College Scorecard provides important data for prospective students, including each institution’s average annual cost, median earnings for graduates, and median debt after graduation. This data can even be disaggregated to examine outcomes for most major degree programs. This simple action will have an outsized impact, ensuring that students and families can easily access the information they need to make informed college decisions. ACTA was proud to support the bill when it was introduced, and we hope to see more lawmakers take similar steps to increase transparency in higher education. ACTA’s letter of support is below:
Dear Senator:
I wanted to reach out to you in light of your recent work on SB 48. As a nonprofit organization committed to the preservation of academic freedom, excellence, and accountability, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) appreciates your efforts to strengthen accountability at our nation’s colleges and universities. We share your sentiment that transparency is essential to ensuring that public higher education remains effective at responding to the needs of the people of Indiana.
In this spirit, I would like to offer our aid if there is any way we can be of assistance. For over 25 years, ACTA has worked with trustees and public officials across the country to ensure that all Americans can receive a high-quality education at an affordable price. We have testified before various state legislatures and commissions in states including Florida, New Jersey, Alaska, Georgia, Montana, Texas, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Ohio, on matters such as curricular quality, academic assessment, and institutional accountability.
If there is anything we can do to help your efforts to support SB 48 or in any matter in the future, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly.
We are immensely grateful for your commitment to American higher education, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Armand B. Alacbay
Chief of Staff & SVP of Strategy
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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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