Events Archive - American Council of Trustees and Alumni https://www.goacta.org/events/ ACTA is an independent, non-profit organization committed to academic freedom, excellence, and accountability at America's colleges and universities Mon, 22 Apr 2024 13:53:12 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.goacta.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/favicon.ico Events Archive - American Council of Trustees and Alumni https://www.goacta.org/events/ 32 32 Antisemitism, Academic Freedom, and Board Leadership https://www.goacta.org/event/antisemitism-academic-freedom-and-board-leadership/ Mon, 18 Mar 2024 20:14:13 +0000 https://www.goacta.org/?post_type=event&p=32578 In the aftermath of the horrific events that took place in Israel on October 7, college and university leaders across the country have grappled with serious questions about institutional neutrality, the right to free speech, and protecting students from harassment. Join the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) on April 11, 2024, at 12:30 […]

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In the aftermath of the horrific events that took place in Israel on October 7, college and university leaders across the country have grappled with serious questions about institutional neutrality, the right to free speech, and protecting students from harassment.

Join the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) on April 11, 2024, at 12:30 p.m. for a webinar exploring antisemitism, how it manifests on campus, and how to prevent harassment of Jewish students while upholding free expression on campuses. The webinar will feature important discussion regarding the responsibilities of governing boards in times of crisis.

Panelists include: Lawrence H. Summers, President Emeritus at Harvard University and former U.S. Secretary of Treasury; Pamela Paresky, Senior Fellow at the Network Contagion Research Institute, Senior Advisor to the Open Therapy Institute, and Advisor to the Mindful Education Lab at New York University; Nadine Strossen, John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law Emerita at New York Law School and former president of the American Civil Liberties Union; and Eli Noam, director of the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information and Garrett Professor Emeritus of Public Policy and Business Responsibility at Columbia Business School.

Webinar attendees will gain clear insights into how to perform their fiduciary duties in times of crises while upholding academic freedom and free expression—the lifeblood of not only the American university, but our nation at large. 

Please direct questions to Clare Doyle at cdoyle@GoACTA.org.


This webinar is part of ACTA’s Institute for Effective Governance®.

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LEVY FORUM for Open Discourse https://www.goacta.org/event/levy-forum-for-open-discourse-2/ Mon, 13 Nov 2023 18:38:29 +0000 https://www.goacta.org/?post_type=event&p=23797 ACTA is pleased to announce the 2023-2024 series of the Levy Forum for Open Discourse, “God, Man, Society, & Civilization.” The Levy Forum is a speaker series hosted at the Palm Beach Synagogue, sponsored by ACTA board member Paul Levy and ACTA. The goal of these events is to promote the epistemic virtues that ACTA […]

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ACTA is pleased to announce the 2023-2024 series of the Levy Forum for Open Discourse, “God, Man, Society, & Civilization.” The Levy Forum is a speaker series hosted at the Palm Beach Synagogue, sponsored by ACTA board member Paul Levy and ACTA. The goal of these events is to promote the epistemic virtues that ACTA seeks to promote on university campuses across the country, such as curiosity, objectivity, and wisdom.

The Levy Forum is dedicated to exploring the most urgent social and political topics of our times in a spirit of fearless inquiry. This series features five exceptional authors and public intellectuals who will deliver remarks between December and March.   

Monday, April 15: Bernard-Henri Lévy delivered an address entitled “The Wars Against Ukraine and Israel and the Duty of the Jewish People.

Tuesday, March 5: John Bolton delivered an address entitled “Middle East Challenges for America and Israel.

Tuesday, February 6: Glenn Loury delivered an address entitled “What Has Become of the Partnership Between Blacks and Jews?

Wednesday, January 10: George Will delivered an address entitled “The Founders, the American Enlightenment, and Religious Freedom.”

SPEAKERS

Ayaan Hirsi Ali Headshot 4

Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Ms. Hirsi Ali is a Somali-born Dutch-American human rights activist, best-selling author, and former member of the Dutch Parliament. She has advocated for the rights of Muslim women and has called upon the Islamic world to embrace democratic values of freedom and self-determination from which human flourishing can arise. As campuses explode with virulent antisemitic support for Hamas terrorism, Ayaan’s message, based on her personal escape under harrowing circumstances from radical Islam, is urgently important.

George F. Will Headshot

George Will

Dr. Will is a writer and political commentator whose twice-weekly column has appeared in the Washington Post since 1974. His books cover subjects ranging from baseball to statecraft, and he is the winner of a Pulitzer Prize for commentary.

Glenn_Loury

Glenn Loury

Dr. Loury is the Merton P. Stoltz Professor of the Social Sciences in the Department of Economics at Brown University. He is one of the nation’s leading social critics on the topics of racial inequality, the black family, affirmative action, and identity politics. Dr. Loury’s podcast, “The Glenn Show,” is one of the nation’s most vibrant forums for fearless discussion of the urgent issues of our times.

John R. Bolton Headshot

John Bolton

Ambassador Bolton served as assistant to the president and national security advisor under President Donald Trump from 2018 to 2019. He was the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations from 2005 to 2006 and served in high-level positions in the administrations of Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush. His incisive commentary on world affairs and America’s role has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and other major newspapers.

Bernard-Henri-Levy

Bernard-Henri Lévy

Mr. Lévy is a French philosopher, novelist, filmmaker, and playwright. For 50 years, he has covered the world’s “forgotten wars,” both independently and on behalf of the French government. He is the creator of many renowned documentaries, including three films on the war in Ukraine: Why Ukraine, Slava Ukraini, and Glory to the Heroes, the last of which will be released in December. In November 2023, he is on the front lines in Gaza and has rallied the West to support Israel’s struggle against terrorism.

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Defending Free Expression and Intellectual Diversity: What Trustees Need to Know https://www.goacta.org/event/defending-free-expression-and-intellectual-diversity-what-trustees-need-to-know/ Mon, 26 Jun 2023 14:10:27 +0000 https://www.goacta.org/?post_type=event&p=22141 The university’s purpose is inquiry—seeking the truth in conversation with others. But the […]

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The university’s purpose is inquiry—seeking the truth in conversation with others. But the raucous disruption of U.S. Fifth Circuit Judge Stuart Kyle Duncan at Stanford Law School, the shout-down of University of Florida President Ben Sasse, and the physical assault of Riley Gaines at San Francisco State University are only a few recent examples of the rising pressure on students, faculty, and even administrators to conform to political and social orthodoxies on campus. According to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, more than three in four liberal students (76%) think that shouting down a speaker is acceptable, while 56% of moderate students and 44% of conservative students say the same. These serious threats to free inquiry strike at the very heart of the university’s reason for existence.

Join the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) on August 9, 2023, at 2 p.m. EST for a webinar exploring free expression and intellectual diversity in American higher education. Dr. Steven McGuire, ACTA’s Paul & Karen Levy Fellow in Campus Freedom, will moderate the event. Panelists will examine the necessity of free expression and intellectual diversity, threats to these ideals in today’s activist climate, and ways to protect and promote them on campus. Trustees will leave the event with tools and specific action steps to cultivate free expression at their institutions.

PANELISTS

Marty Kotis

Marty Kotis, trustee of the University of North Carolina (UNC)–Chapel Hill and former member of the UNC Board of Governors

Marty Kotis serves as a trustee for the University of North Carolina (UNC)–Chapel Hill and is the founder and CEO of Kick Ass Concepts, which develops high-end commercial real-estate and concepts. Mr. Kotis has brought his entrepreneurial energy and activator style to UNC–Chapel Hill’s board, helping to initiate proactive reforms, including spearheading the board’s unanimous decision to establish at the university the School of Civic Life and Leadership. This new school will have its own dean and faculty and an ideologically balanced collection of course offerings to help students explore American civic principles with the freedom of expression, intellectual diversity, and open inquiry that such studies require. Mr. Kotis holds an M.B.A from the University of North Carolina–Greensboro and a B.S. in business from the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Dr. Erec Smith, associate professor of rhetoric and composition at York College of Pennsylvania and co-founder of Free Black Thought

Erec Smith is an associate professor of rhetoric and composition at York College of Pennsylvania and visiting scholar of politics and society at the Cato Institute. He is also one of the founders of Free Black Thought, a website and journal dedicated to spotlighting viewpoint diversity among black intellectuals. Professor Smith became a leader in the academic freedom movement when he argued that a keynote address delivered at a recent conference in his discipline exhibited the kind of performative politics that fails to effect real change and challenged the speaker’s claim that teaching standardized English to students of color is an act of white supremacy. He developed this argument further in A Critique of Anti-racism in Rhetoric and Composition: The Semblance of Empowerment, a book that dissects the over-reliance of anti-racist initiatives on identity politics and victimization and offers an alternative based on self-empowerment. Dr. Smith holds a Ph.D. in English with a concentration in language, literacy, and rhetoric; an M.A. in English from the University of Illinois Chicago; and a B.A. in English from Ursinus College.

Karrin Taylor Robson

Karrin Taylor Robson, founder and president of Arizona Strategies and former member of the Arizona Board of Regents

Karrin Taylor Robson is a founder and president of Arizona Strategies, a premier land use strategy firm, and has worked with national organizations representing major landowners and stakeholders across the country to advance balanced federal environmental law and policy on endangered species acts and wetlands issues. In June 2017, she was appointed by Governor Doug Ducey to the Arizona Board of Regents, which is responsible for the governance of the state’s public universities. She also serves as the chair of the Joe Foss Institute, a board officer of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, a board member of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and invisionAZ, and a member of the Civic Leaders Group for the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. As a regent, she helped launch the Regents’ Cup, a debate competition for students at Arizona’s public universities that promotes rigorous, respectful discourse and celebrates free speech and democratic engagement. Ms. Robson holds a J.D. from Arizona State University College of Law and a B.A. in history from Arizona State University.

Abigail Thompson

Dr. Abigail Thompson, distinguished professor of mathematics at the University of California–Davis and co-founder and secretary of the Association for Mathematical Research

Abigail Thompson is a distinguished professor of mathematics at the University of California–Davis and a co-founder of the Association for Mathematical Research. In a 2019 op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, entitled “The University’s New Loyalty Oath,” she chastised the University of California system’s new hiring process for privileging some intellectual viewpoints over others, a violation of the university’s stand against McCarthy-era loyalty oaths. Professor Thompson argued that the rubric for assessing applicants’ diversity statements was not ideologically neutral, infringing on academic freedom and threatening intellectual diversity. ACTA honored her with its 2019 Hero of Intellectual Freedom award for this bold challenge. She holds a Ph.D. in mathematics from Rutgers University.

MODERATOR

Dr. Steven McGuire, ACTA’s Paul & Karen Levy Fellow in Campus Freedom

As ACTA’s Paul & Karen Levy Fellow in Campus Freedom, Steven McGuire leads our Campus Freedom Initiative.™ He frequently writes and speaks on free speech and academic freedom in the context of contemporary campus issues. Prior to joining ACTA, Dr. McGuire was director of the Matthew J. Ryan Center for the Study of Free Institutions and the Public Good and associate teaching professor in the Augustine and Culture Seminar Program at Villanova University. His academic research focuses on the history of political thought, in particular on the theme of modernity and its critics. He is the co-editor of several academic publications, andhis writing has appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Broad and Liberty, RealClearPolitics, Inside Higher Ed, The Public Discourse, Church Life Journal, Modern Age, Perspectives on Political Science, and the Political Science Reviewer. Dr. McGuire holds a Ph.D. from the Catholic University of America, an M.A. from the University of Saskatchewan, and a B.A. from the University of Lethbridge. He was a Bradley Fellow, an ISI Richard M. Weaver Fellow, and a 2021 Claremont Institute Lincoln Fellow.

This webinar is part of the American Council of Trustees and Alumni’s Institute for Effective Governance®.

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Student Debt and the Spending Crisis: What Trustees Need to Know to Spend Wisely https://www.goacta.org/event/student-debt-and-the-spending-crisis-what-trustees-need-to-know-to-spend-wisely/ Thu, 16 Mar 2023 17:17:26 +0000 https://www.goacta.org/?post_type=event&p=20692 In the next few months, the U.S. Supreme Court will hand down one […]

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In the next few months, the U.S. Supreme Court will hand down one of the most consequential decisions for higher education in recent years. But regardless of the future of the Biden administration’s loan forgiveness plan, to do the best for today’s and tomorrow’s graduates, colleges and universities must think creatively if they are to use scarce resources efficiently. And for some governing boards, it is an existential matter for their institution.

Please join the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) on April 18, 2023, at 1 p.m. EST for a one-hour webinar designed specifically for college trustees and other higher education leaders to discuss college spending, budgets, and in what areas institutions can tighten their belts without harming academic quality or student outcomes. After this timely discussion, trustees will be better equipped to understand their institution’s budgets and maximize their institution’s resources.


PANELISTS

Hendricks

Matthew Hendricks—Founder, Perspective Data Science

Dr. Matthew Hendricks is the founder of Perspective Data Science, a data consultancy firm that provides organizations, particularly those in the education sector operating on small budgets, with state-of-the-art analytics. He works with institutions to help them make better policy decisions that promote financial stability and improve student outcomes. Dr. Hendricks previously served as chair of the Department of Economics and associate professor of economics at the University of Tulsa, where his scholarship focused on labor economics, applied econometrics, and education policy. His research on the impact of changes in base salaries on teacher productivity was published in the Journal of Public Economics and Economics of Education Review. Dr. Hendricks holds a B.S. in economics from St. John’s University and a Ph.D. in applied economics from the University of Minnesota.

The Honorable George “Hank” Brown—Former President, University of Colorado, and Former U.S. Senator

The Honorable Hank Brown served as president of the University of Colorado from 2005–2008. He was then named to the Quigg and Virginia S. Newton Endowed Chair in Leadership at the University of Colorado–Boulder and was an adjunct professor in the law school. Over his distinguished career in public service, he has served as the president of the University of Northern Colorado (1998–2002); as a member of the Colorado Senate (1972–1976); and as a member of both the U.S. House of Representatives (1981–1991) and the U.S. Senate (1991–1997). He led the university to record growth in enrollment, donations, and diversity and spearheaded the largest increase in state funding in the school’s history. Dr. Brown is one of 22 signatories to ACTA’s Governance for a New Era report, which calls on college trustees to work with faculty and presidents to form effective responses to ever-increasing tuition costs, outsized administrative expenditures, and the erosion of academic freedom. He received a B.S. in accounting from the University of Colorado, a master’s degree in law from George Washington University, and a J.D. from the University of Colorado School of Law, and is a certified public accountant (CPA).

Robert Dickeson

Robert C. Dickeson—Cofounder, Academic Strategy Partners

Dr. Robert C. Dickeson is cofounder of Academic Strategy Partners, now the Academic Strategy Consortium, which provides expert consultation to colleges, universities, and other organizations to improve institutional leadership, systems and processes, governance, planning, enrollment management, performance analytics, and financial standing. A national leader in higher education, Dr. Dickeson served as president of the University of Northern Colorado from 1981 to 1991. He has chaired blue-ribbon commissions appointed by three governors in two states; has been an officer of 80 corporate, government, foundation, and public affairs organizations; and served as commissioner from Colorado to the Education Commission of the States. As co-founder and Senior Vice President of Lumina Foundation for Education, he led the national effort to control college costs. He is the author of more than 200 publications in the fields of higher education leadership and policy and public administration. Dr. Dickeson’s book, Prioritizing Academic Programs and Services, is based on his extensive consulting experiences serving several hundred two- and four-year colleges and corporations ranging from hospitals to bank holding companies. Dr. Dickeson holds an A.B., M.A., and Ph.D. in political science and public administration from the University of Missouri–Columbia.

Alice Brown

Alice Lee Williams Brown—Principal, AWB & Associates

Alice Lee Williams Brown taught at Appalachian State University, Eastern Kentucky University, Ohio University, and the University of Kentucky prior to leading the Appalachian College Program at the University of Kentucky. After 10 years, the Program became the non-profit Appalachian College Association housed in Berea, KY. For the next 15 years, Dr. Brown raised over $50 million to provide fellowships for faculty and research experiences for students at 35 small private colleges across the five states of central Appalachia. Since retiring as President Emerita from that association, she has received funding from various foundations to research colleges that closed or almost closed and the importance of trusteeship. Her research has resulted in the publication of 15 articles, three books, and a confidential report on the almost closing of Sweet Briar College. She reviews proposals for the Skelly Foundation and the US Department of Education, has served on the boards of the Southern Education Foundation, Colby-Sawyer College, HERS, the Association of Collaborative Leadership, Teaching Learning Technology, the Appalachian Studies Association, and has advised non-profit organizations and private colleges. She earned her B.S. and M.A. from Appalachian State University and her Ed.D. from the University of Kentucky.


MODERATOR

Anna Sillers

Anna Sillers—Data Analyst Fellow, ACTA

Anna Sillers serves as the data analyst fellow in ACTA’s Trustee & Government Affairs Department where she oversees HowCollegesSpendMoney.com. She is responsible for examining education data related to college spending and tuition to understand how spending can hurt or help students and led the quantitative research for ACTA’s The Cost of Excess. Prior to joining ACTA, she was an associate consultant for Manhattan Strategy Group, where she served as a researcher and data analyst for the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Labor. She holds a B.A. in economics from Mount Holyoke College and an M.P.P. from Georgetown University.

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LEVY FORUM for Open Discourse https://www.goacta.org/event/levy-forum-for-open-discourse/ Thu, 05 Jan 2023 18:21:01 +0000 https://www.goacta.org/?post_type=event&p=20117 LEVY FORUM for Open DiscoursePresentsWalter Russell Mead, author of: The Arc of the Covenant: the United States, Israel, and the Fate of the Jewish People Henry Kissinger: “The Arc of a Covenant is an extraordinary contribution to the growing literature on the complexities and opportunities of U.S. foreign policy in Europe and the Middle East.” […]

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Walter Russell Mead
Walter Russell Mead
James Clarke Chace Professor of Foreign Affairs and the Humanities at Bard College and a columnist for the Wall Street Journal.
Mead Book

LEVY FORUM for Open Discourse
Presents
Walter Russell Mead, author of:
The Arc of the Covenant: the United States, Israel, and the Fate of the Jewish People

Henry Kissinger: “The Arc of a Covenant is an extraordinary contribution to the growing literature on the complexities and opportunities of U.S. foreign policy in Europe and the Middle East.”

George Will: “Walter Russell Mead is today’s most penetrating writer on geopolitics because he also is an extraordinarily accomplished historian.”

Niall Ferguson: “No writer on the complexities of American foreign policy is better at getting to the heart of the matter than Walter Russell Mead.”

Please join us on Thursday March 2, 2023 at the Palm Beach Synagogue (120 North County Road) for this exciting and important event. Wall Street Journal columnist and Bard College Professor Walter Russell Mead will speak about his 2022 book, The Arc of a Covenant: The United States, Israel, and the Fate of the Jewish People, and answer questions from the audience.

Professor Mead is just now returning from Israel, where he participated in a wide-ranging interview  at the Tikvah Fund’s Hertog Forum with Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu on the history of the U.S.-Israel alliance, Israel’s role in global affairs, and the Arab-Israeli peace process. 

This is the third and final event of the inaugural season of the Levy Forum for Open Discourse. My wife Karen and I are delighted now to have a home in Palm Beach and to support this forum for the community, where we can have fearless discussion of the most urgent social and political topics of our times. We hope you can join us next week for this special event!

— Paul Levy

Admission is free, but please register here to reserve a place.

The reception will begin at 5:00 pm, with the lecture and discussion to follow at 6:00


Paul Levy is the founder and managing director of JLL Partners, and Karen Levy is a trustee of Rockefeller University. Their philanthropy spans healthcare, the arts, Jewish Studies, and especially education. Mr. Levy is a member of the Board of Directors of the American Council of Trustees and Alumni. The Levys reside in Palm Beach.

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Philanthropy Roundtable’s “Protecting Donor Intent in Higher Education Grantmaking” https://www.goacta.org/event/philanthropy-roundtables-protecting-donor-intent-in-higher-education-grantmaking/ Tue, 17 Nov 2020 17:19:05 +0000 https://www.goacta.org/?post_type=event&p=14913 Higher education can be among the most rewarding and meaningful areas for one’s […]

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Higher education can be among the most rewarding and meaningful areas for one’s donor dollars, yet it is the most challenging sector for donor intent and grant compliance. Unless one is careful, college and university administrations may ignore, creatively interpret, disregard, or directly violate your donor intent.

In 2001, Michael Moritz and Ohio State University entered into an endowment agreement under which Michael provided $30.3 million designated for 30 full scholarships to law students each year in perpetuity. Nine months later, Michael was killed by a hit-and-run driver. OSU never provided the 30 annual scholarships, but rather spent the endowment dollars on salaries and expenses to entertain wealthy alumni. Now Jeffrey Moritz is trying to find a way to enforce the endowment agreement between OSU and his father. He moved the probate court to reopen Michael’s estate for that purpose. He sued no one, but OSU and the Ohio Attorney General suddenly appeared at a hearing to oppose reopening the estate, and three years of litigation ensued. The result: The probate court declined to reopen the estate, and the court of appeals affirmed. Jeffrey is deciding whether to seek review in the Ohio Supreme Court.

Led by Joanne Florino, the Adam Meyerson Distinguished Fellow in Philanthropic Excellence and co-author of our donor intent guidebook Protecting Your Legacy, this webinar will discuss the Moritz case and how higher education donors can protect their donor intent and identify potential violations.

Speakers:

Emily Koons Jae, Director, Fund for Academic Renewal, American Council of Trustees and Alumni

David Marburger, Attorney, Marburger Law and Former Colleague of Michael Moritz

Jeffrey Moritz, Son of Michael Moritz

Joanne Florino, Adam Meyerson Distinguished Fellow in Philanthropic Excellence, The Philanthropy Roundtable (Moderator)

*Hosted by Philanthropy Roundtable

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How Colleges Spend Money Tutorial (August 26) https://www.goacta.org/event/hcsm2/ Wed, 01 Jul 2020 17:11:26 +0000 https://www.goacta.org/?post_type=event&p=14445 University trustees will face an unprecedented task in the coming months. Notwithstanding the complicated question of how and when to safely open campuses, there are the very real economic implications of today’s global health crisis on America’s institutions of higher education. Earlier this year, Moody’s Investors Service downgraded its outlook for the higher education sector […]

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University trustees will face an unprecedented task in the coming months. Notwithstanding the complicated question of how and when to safely open campuses, there are the very real economic implications of today’s global health crisis on America’s institutions of higher education.

Earlier this year, Moody’s Investors Service downgraded its outlook for the higher education sector to “negative,” citing “unprecedented enrollment uncertainty” as a key concern.  All of this overlays an already fragile financial climate. An eye-opening survey earlier this year indicated that a plurality of college trustees identified the financial sustainability of higher education institutions as their top concern for the sector and over 40% of trustees at public institutions expressed the greatest worry over fiscal solvency. These findings present additional concerns in light of the unpredictable global health crisis where financial viability and cost effectiveness must now be forefront of many institutions’ agenda.

In 2019, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) launched HowCollegesSpendMoney.com, a dynamic, user-friendly website that features unique analytic tools which enable university trustees to benchmark their institutions’ spending patterns against those of their peers and other institutions. We are pleased to announce that we recently updated the website to include newly released data from the U.S. Department of Education.

The site now features the latest provisional spending data currently available and an updated methodology aligned to best practices in higher education finance. The site allows users to produce customized charts of key data on their schools’ administrative versus instructional expenditures, fiscal priorities, and financial health. This valuable tool will enable you with the resources you need to conduct an independent analysis of your institution’s finances and ensure that resources are allocated appropriately and with the utmost prudence to preserve academic excellence.

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How Colleges Spend Money Tutorial (August 20) https://www.goacta.org/event/hcsm1/ Wed, 01 Jul 2020 17:05:58 +0000 https://www.goacta.org/?post_type=event&p=14444 University trustees will face an unprecedented task in the coming months. Notwithstanding the complicated question of how and when to safely open campuses, there are the very real economic implications of today’s global health crisis on America’s institutions of higher education. Earlier this year, Moody’s Investors Service downgraded its outlook for the higher education sector […]

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University trustees will face an unprecedented task in the coming months. Notwithstanding the complicated question of how and when to safely open campuses, there are the very real economic implications of today’s global health crisis on America’s institutions of higher education.

Earlier this year, Moody’s Investors Service downgraded its outlook for the higher education sector to “negative,” citing “unprecedented enrollment uncertainty” as a key concern.  All of this overlays an already fragile financial climate. An eye-opening survey earlier this year indicated that a plurality of college trustees identified the financial sustainability of higher education institutions as their top concern for the sector and over 40% of trustees at public institutions expressed the greatest worry over fiscal solvency. These findings present additional concerns in light of the unpredictable global health crisis where financial viability and cost effectiveness must now be forefront of many institutions’ agenda.

In 2019, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) launched HowCollegesSpendMoney.com, a dynamic, user-friendly website that features unique analytic tools which enable university trustees to benchmark their institutions’ spending patterns against those of their peers and other institutions. We are pleased to announce that we recently updated the website to include newly released data from the U.S. Department of Education.

The site now features the latest provisional spending data currently available and an updated methodology aligned to best practices in higher education finance. The site allows users to produce customized charts of key data on their schools’ administrative versus instructional expenditures, fiscal priorities, and financial health. This valuable tool will enable you with the resources you need to conduct an independent analysis of your institution’s finances and ensure that resources are allocated appropriately and with the utmost prudence to preserve academic excellence.

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What Will They Learn? Tutorial (June 15) https://www.goacta.org/event/what-will-they-learn-tutorial-june-15/ Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:33:06 +0000 https://www.goacta.org/?post_type=event&p=14346 The COVID-19 outbreak has interrupted our daily routines drastically. We recognize these unfortunate times are overwhelming for school counselors and educators, and especially for those students considering a college education in the near future.  That’s why we want you to know about a free, online college guide from the American Council of Trustees and Alumni […]

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The COVID-19 outbreak has interrupted our daily routines drastically. We recognize these unfortunate times are overwhelming for school counselors and educators, and especially for those students considering a college education in the near future. 

That’s why we want you to know about a free, online college guide from the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) called What Will They Learn?® This unique resource evaluates an institution’s commitment to teaching the skills and knowledge that will prepare students for successful careers. We present this information alongside tuition and graduation rates so that families can find schools close to home that are dedicated to student success and responsible stewardship of tuition dollars.

WhatWillTheyLearn.com

What Will They Learn?® assesses the general education programs at over 1,100 four-year colleges and universities in America. Schools are graded on an “A” through “F” scale based on whether they require college-level courses in seven core subject areas: Composition, Literature, Foreign Language (intermediate-level), U.S. Government or History, Economics, Mathematics, and Natural Science.  

WhatWillTheyLearn.com makes it possible for school counselors to compare the cost of attendance, four-year graduation rates, and curricular quality across customized comparison groups by bringing the information together on an easy-to-navigate website. 

We hope you will join us for a short webinar discussing the resources available at WhatWillTheyLearn.com. We encourage interested parents and students to join us as well. Currently, we have two dates open for registration.

  • To register for the webinar on Monday, June 15, from 1–2 p.m. EST, please click here.
  • To register for the webinar on Tuesday, June 16, from 3–4 p.m. EST, please click here.

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What Will They Learn? Tutorial (June 16) https://www.goacta.org/event/what-will-they-learn-tutorial-june-16/ Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:32:53 +0000 https://www.goacta.org/?post_type=event&p=14348 The COVID-19 outbreak has interrupted our daily routines drastically. We recognize these unfortunate times are overwhelming for school counselors and educators, and especially for those students considering a college education in the near future.  That’s why we want you to know about a free, online college guide from the American Council of Trustees and Alumni […]

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The COVID-19 outbreak has interrupted our daily routines drastically. We recognize these unfortunate times are overwhelming for school counselors and educators, and especially for those students considering a college education in the near future. 

That’s why we want you to know about a free, online college guide from the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) called What Will They Learn?® This unique resource evaluates an institution’s commitment to teaching the skills and knowledge that will prepare students for successful careers. We present this information alongside tuition and graduation rates so that families can find schools close to home that are dedicated to student success and responsible stewardship of tuition dollars.

WhatWillTheyLearn.com

What Will They Learn?® assesses the general education programs at over 1,100 four-year colleges and universities in America. Schools are graded on an “A” through “F” scale based on whether they require college-level courses in seven core subject areas: Composition, Literature, Foreign Language (intermediate-level), U.S. Government or History, Economics, Mathematics, and Natural Science.  

WhatWillTheyLearn.com makes it possible for school counselors to compare cost of attendance, four-year graduation rates, and curricular quality across customized comparison groups by bringing the information together on an easy-to-navigate website. 

We hope you will join us for a short webinar discussing the resources available at WhatWillTheyLearn.com. We encourage interested parents and students to join us as well. Currently, we have two dates open for registration:

  • To register for the webinar on Monday, June 15, from 1–2 p.m. EST, please click here.
  • To register for the webinar on Tuesday, June 16, from 3–4 p.m. EST, please click here.

The post What Will They Learn? Tutorial (June 16) appeared first on American Council of Trustees and Alumni.

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