Freedom of speech, protected by our Constitution, has long been a vital component of political, social, and intellectual life in our country. The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) has dedicated itself for more than 23 years to working with trustees to ensure that our nation's colleges and universities preserve this essential freedom…

This guide, updated in 2019, outlines some of the key questions trustees should ask regarding the academic and financial operations of their institutions. Institutions vary significantly in terms of size, audience, and purpose. But by asking questions and following up, trustees can play a pivotal role in ensuring that the next generation receives…

Polarizing political beliefs are nothing new on campus, but the tactics employed by supporters of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement create new cause for concern, from the politicization of curricula and academic associations to efforts to silence Israeli speakers to overtly anti-Semitic behavior on campus. In a new essay, the…

Higher education is in the midst of a deep financial crisis, and the failure of governing boards to focus on academic programs is arguably the single greatest cause of overspending. This brochure shows trustees both why and how to prioritize academic programs. All too often, attempts to reduce expenses have concentrated on the administrative side…

What exactly is accreditation? The current system was created by the federal government during the Great Society era to ensure that federal funds flowed only to high-quality educational institutions. In passing the Higher Education Act over 40 years ago, Congress linked accreditation and federal student aid to prevent students from squandering…

"Governance for a New Era: A Blueprint for Higher Education Governance," is the product of a summit facilitated by ACTA [American Council of Trustees and Alumni] and chaired by Benno Schmidt, City University of New York Board chairman. Signatories to the statement, a diverse group of 22 distinguished national leaders, include college…

The State University System of Florida has in recent years faced major budgetary challenges, remarkable for the size of its reductions in state funding, even when compared to the large cuts seen in so many states struck by the recession of 2008. What is more surprising in the world of higher education, however, is the progress that Florida's…

Maine is blessed with universities that have records of significant achievement. The seven campuses of the University of Maine System (UMS) together educated over 23,000 students (full-time equivalent) during the past year. But for good reason, in recent years public confidence in higher education throughout the nation has fallen. Half of the…

This report examines Idaho's undergraduate-degree-granting colleges and universities. The authors focus on what students are learning (the curriculum), whether the marketplace of ideas is vibrant (intellectual diversity), how the universities are run (governance), and what a college education costs (affordability). In each case, the authors…

In 2011, the chief executives of the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State Colleges & Universities systems will leave their positions, along with the governor of the state. The state will continue to face fiscal challenges, and the campuses will have to figure out how to do more with less. As "Tribune" columnist Lori Sturdevant…

In 2011, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley signed into law the South Carolina Higher Education Efficiency and Administrative Policies Act, maintaining the transparency and accountability that lead to increased academic quality and affordability at colleges and universities. It is in this context that ACTA (American Council of Trustees and…

Illinois is the Land of Lincoln. In this great state, Lincoln got his start as a lawyer and a politician. In his 1832 Address to the People of Sangamon County, Lincoln outlined his vision for a practical and general education in which "every man may receive at least a moderate education, and thereby be enabled to read the histories of his own…

Parents and taxpayers are frustrated by reports of students who have failed to master the reading, writing, and thinking skills they expect of college graduates. They are searching for evidence of how much or how little students learn at competing institutions. And they are wondering why a third of full-time college graduates don't finish a…

Missouri is the "Show Me" State. And with this goal in mind, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) offers this report card to examine the state of higher education in Missouri. If the nation is to ensure its continued preeminence in higher education, policymakers, trustees, alumni, and taxpayers must know what is going on in…

At a time of widespread concerns about quality, cost and accountability in higher education, the importance of the lay governing board has never been greater. Lay governance is the means by which the perspective of informed citizens is brought to the heart of the university. And, in the best of all worlds, it provides a vehicle for thoughtful…