Higher Ed Now

Kyler Gray, a rising senior at the University of Central Florida, is an emerging higher education leader. On top of full time studies, he serves as the president of the UCF student body, CEO of the Student Government Association, *and* as the sole student member of the university's Board of Trustees -- representing 68,000 students in the UCF community. We sat down with Kyler to explore his passion...

April Lawson is a guiding light and director of debates at Better Angels, a remarkable national organization that has surged into the spotlight by effectively teaching citizens to combat polarization and restore civil dialogue across America. April's leadership informs Better Angels' partnership with ACTA -- and our shared vision to help students build a culture of respectful dialogue and viewpoin...

Is there really a disjunct between the world of the practical and the world of the liberal arts? Dr. Fred Beuttler, guiding light of the Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies of the University of Chicago, certainly doesn't think so. In this episode he returns to ACTA for an illuminating conversation with Michael Poliakoff.

Back in 2011, Wallace Hall was sounding alarms about admissions wrongdoings at the University of Texas System, where he served as Regent. His activism drew blistering criticism and brought him to the brink of impeachment -- until 2015, when an investigation fully validated his claims. In light of global headlines about the college admissions scandal, Hall's stance is regarded as heroic. In a conve...

David Corey, Professor of Political Science at Baylor University, drives a dialogue with ACTA's Michael Poliakoff and Erik Gross about the vital qualities of liberal education, the lessons offered by the classics, and how to teach and model rational discourse for students.

Manu Meel, a rising senior at the University of California Berkeley who serves as the CEO for Bridges USA, discusses how students can reform our political culture by bringing constructive discourse back to our college campuses. 

Even after more than a year of weathering intense criticism and professional censure for airing her controversial views in public, University of Pennsylvania Law School Professor Amy Wax remains as engaging, outspoken, and unapologetic as ever. Whether you agree or disagree with her viewpoints, her wit and sharp intellect fuel a provocative dialogue on academic freedom that will endure for years t...

Kai Fox, a rising junior at American University who serves as CEO for Students for Free Expression, outlines his group's mission to build a student-led community to drive a culture of free speech and viewpoint diversity on college campuses across the U.S.

When Professor Samuel Abrams of Sarah Lawrence College wrote an opinion piece for The New York Times in October 2018, he didn't expect a stunning  backlash from students, faculty and administrators. The episode has become one of the hottest touchpoints in the national conversation on academic freedom and viewpoint diversity. In this podcast, Abrams joins former University of Pennsylvania trustee P...

Sean Decatur, President of Kenyon College, sat down for a skype interview with ACTA's Erik Gross (a Kenyon alumnus) to talk about the virtues and benefits of a liberal arts education, and how his experience as a scientist influences his leadership of a liberal arts institution.

Seton Hall University Professor Robert Kelchen explores higher ed accountability, and explains how accreditation practices, private-sector interests, and internal requirements have become so important to institutional success and survival.

Jonathan Zimmerman, professor of History of Education at the University of Pennsylvania and author of The Case for Contention: Teaching Controversial Issues in American Schools, joins ACTA’s Erik Gross to discuss the decline of civic education, the history and purpose of higher education, college costs, and more.

Bruce Cole, who passed away in January 2018, is most often remembered for his outstanding leadership of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Beyond that, he was a visionary national scholar and educator who brought light into the humanities and arts. Our podcast shares highlights of a conversation between three higher education leaders who knew Bruce Cole personally and were profoundly affec...

Now in its 10th year, What Will They Learn is one of ACTA’s most courageous and groundbreaking initiatives. It takes a penetrating look at more than 1,100 colleges and universities, grading how effective they are in delivering a comprehensive liberal arts education that equips students to succeed in the global marketplace and civic life. Listen in as Elliott Cole engages program leaders Megan Riet...

Michael Horn: Accreditation on the Edge

ACTA is proudly partnering with Better Angels, a depolarization initiative that has grown explosively and drawn wide media attention since its launch shortly after the 2016 election. We sat down with founder David Blankenhorn to explore how Better Angels brings thousands of conservatives and progressives—and a growing community of students—together in civil debate and dialogue.

Listen in on an inspiring conversation with Dr. Fred Beuttler, Associate Dean and guiding light behind the University of Chicago’s Graham School—where working professionals and students of all ages come to foster the life of the mind, explore great literature, and rediscover the lessons of history.  

What do philanthropists and investors have in common? A lot more than you’d think. A new generation of “venture philanthropists” are looking for real results when it comes to supporting American higher education. To consider both sides of the investor/philanthropist mindset, Mark Grovic of New Markets Venture Partners and Jacqueline Pfeffer Merrill, executive director of the Fund for Academic Rene...

Listen in on a remarkable conversation with Hanna Gray, the acclaimed former president of the University of Chicago, and one of the nation’s most respected academic leaders. Speaking with ACTA’s Michael Poliakoff and Karen Hyman, Mrs. Gray shares her incisive views on academic freedom, liberal arts education versus “vocationalism,” and much more.

It isn't a question of if intellectual freedom is under threat, but how it is under threat. Long-time free speech advocate and author of Kindly Inquisitors Jonathan Rauch joins Higher Ed Now to discuss this generation's battle for intellectual diversity and academic freedom. From unsettled science to social media, Jonathan breaks down the perilous instinct to embrace kindness over the creation of...

The dismal science has more bad news for American higher education. Economist Bryan Caplan’s new book, The Case Against Education, finds that a college degree is valuable not because college imparts knowledge, but because it signals certain qualities to future employers. But it doesn't have to be this way. If policymakers and trustees want to make higher education worth the investment, they’ll hav...

Many people have expressed dissatisfaction with American higher education. But students and taxpayers don’t know about the oblique system responsible for ensuring quality at colleges across the country. Accreditation is the key to understanding the problems ensnaring higher ed. Third Way’s Higher Education Senior Policy Advisor Michael Itzkowitz joins ACTA President Michael Poliakoff to demystify...

Theoretical physicist and international authority on nuclear fusion, Dr. Steven Cowley joins Higher Ed Now to discuss the crucial role of—the liberal arts! As the first scientist to serve as president of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, Dr. Cowley makes the 21st century argument for the liberal arts by applying his empirical background and also sharing his deep appreciation for the arts and humanit...

What is higher education’s role in society? And how can trustees and policymakers ensure that future generations receive a quality education at an affordable price?  Barmak Nassirian, Director of Federal Relations and Policy Analysis at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), joins Higher Ed Now to enlighten listeners with his deep knowledge and lively perspective. Mr....

Why is college so expensive? This deceptively simple question troubles students, parents, and policymakers alike. Barring large changes to the educational landscape, what can trustees do lead their institutions to embrace technological innovations and financial reforms that will make college more affordable and transparent for those pursuing the American Dream? American Enterprise Institute schola...