ACTA presented the Jerry L. Martin Prize for Excellence in College Trusteeship to Paul S. Levy, a former trustee at the University of Pennsylvania, for his steadfast commitment to protecting academic freedom. He was introduced at the event by ACTA President Michael Poliakoff and Columbia University Law Professor Philip Hamburger.
The Jerry L. Martin prize was established in 2015 to honor those trustees who have shown exceptional courage and effectiveness in challenging the groupthink and status quo mentality that threatens the future of American higher education. Paul Levy has conducted himself in a way that sets a new standard for higher education governance.
Higher education has taken a beating lately. The industry has been roiled by seemingly endless crises on topics ranging from affordibility and student debt to free speech and antisemitism. It is hardly surprising that public confidence in higher education has plummeted, as over two-thirds of Americans now believe it is headed in the wrong direction.
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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