Higher Ed Now

David Corey: Reinvigorating Liberal Education

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: Students Bridging the Political Divide

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. 

Academic Freedom Under Attack: A Conversation with Amy Wax

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 to come.

Kai Fox: Igniting Change on Campus With Students for Free Expression

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.

Samuel Abrams and Paul Levy: Academic Freedom Under Attack

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 Paul Levy and ACTA president Michael Poliakoff for a penetrating discussion on the threats that c...

Sean Decatur, Kenyon College President

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.

Robert Kelchen: Exploring Higher Ed Accountability

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: Liberating the Liberal Arts

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.

Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Bruce Cole

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 affected by him. Our special guest, Mona Charon, senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Cente...

What Will They Learn? Preparing Students for the 21st Century Marketplace

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 Riethmiller and Nathaniel Urban, along with ACTA's president Michael Poliakoff, to examine how What ...

Michael Horn: Accreditation on the Edge

David Blankenhorn: Depolarizing America with Better Angels

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.

Dr. Fred Beuttler: Historian and Liberal Arts Champion

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.  

Getting Philanthropic Returns

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 Renewal, discuss how to consider specific issues in higher education that are ripe for innovative ph...

Hanna Holborn Gray: Architect of UChicago's Liberal Arts Legacy

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.

Alt-truth: New and Old Threats to Intellectual Freedom

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 knowledge and discovery of truth. His thoughtful and considered take on provocateurs and identit...

Higher Ed: A Waste of Money and Time?

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 have to make reforms that increase graduation rates, reduce the opportunity cost of attending colle...

Demystifying Accreditation with Third Way

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 this strange regulator that influences so many of the problems within American universities.

STEM-ming the Criticism of the Liberal Arts

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 humanities. If you’re tired of hearing that the liberal arts are outmoded and impractical or if you’re ...

A Budget Balance for Trustees and Policymakers

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. Nassirian brings the gifts of insight, clarity and over 25 years of public policy experience to...

Finance and Affordability: The Economic Drivers in Higher Ed

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 scholars Jason Delisle and Preston Cooper join Higher Ed Now to offer a few takes on what drives risin...

Culture, Confidence, and Consumerism in Higher Ed

Financial pressures and technological innovations all contribute to an unpredictable higher education landscape, but these obstacles can also present opportunities to make a college degree more affordable and accessible. How can should trustees balance the bottom line while keeping their institutions true to their educational missions? The Chronicle of Higher Education’s Senior Reporter and Editor Goldie Blumenstyk shares three decades of journalistic insight on the business of higher educat...

Reinvigorating the Humanities in American Life

Some say the humanities have lost their way. But there is hope for the future. Can developments in the digital humanities bring about a renaissance in the way higher education presents and understands art and culture? Former chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, distinguished scholar of art history and comparative literature, author, and former trustee of Indiana University, Bruce Cole joins Higher Ed Now to consider how the health of the humanities can revitalize campus cul...

How Innovative Universities are Ditching Competition and Joining Forces

Even when it isn’t football or basketball season, colleges can be competitive with each other; they compete for grants, students, faculty and top administrators. But does competition cost higher education opportunities to improve student outcomes? Instead of competing, the University Innovation Alliance’s members—eleven of the largest public research universities—are embracing a spirit of data-sharing and cooperation to increase access and success. UIA Executive Director Bridget Burns joins ...

The Real March Madness

How's your NCAA March Madness bracket doing? College sports aren't just about the thrill of victory anymore. Over the years, more and more respected college teams have been painted in scandal due to academic dishonesty or even criminal behavior. Syracuse, UNC, and countless other schools have bent the rules or lowered academic standards in order to pursue big wins. ACTA's Vice President of Trustee and Legislative Affairs Armand Alacbay and Research Associate Alexis Zhang join Higher Ed Now t...

Presidential History and Pop Culture

February is a month brimming with history. David Bruce Smith, founder and president of The Grateful American Foundation, rejoins Higher Ed Now with ACTA President Michael Poliakoff to discuss what’s hitting and what’s missing from the teaching of U.S. history.

Lessons in University Leadership with Stephen Trachtenberg

Sit down for this exclusive interview with George Washington University President Emeritus Stephen Joel Trachtenberg. From working with individual trustees and large communities to grade inflation and classroom utilization, Steve shares advice for enterprising reformers and budding education leaders. This is a must-listen for anyone interested in working in higher education.

Reimagining the Cost and Value of College

Daniel Pianko, managing director of University Ventures, joins Higher Ed Now to discuss how new education innovation is helping to improve quality and career outcomes and reduce time- and cost-to-degree. With its portfolio companies, University Ventures is nurturing innovations in financing college, advising students, and streamlining the path from graduation to the all-important first job. University Ventures’ unique vantage point as an investment firm that works alongside educational inst...

2016: A Year in Higher Education

2016 was one for the record books. After a tumultuous twelve months, ACTA President Dr. Michael Poliakoff joins Higher Ed Now to reflect on the successes and milestones of the past year in American higher education. The conversation traces major events in the fight for academic excellence, academic freedom, and accountability and how ACTA influenced these vital areas. From a viral report about civic education, to examinations of college finance and administrative spending, to innovating phil...

Philanthropy Whose Time Has Come

This week, ACTA announced a major expansion of its donor services through the Fund for Academic Renewal (FAR). With FAR, donors will be able to easily and confidently make transformative gifts that promote high academic standards and the study of traditional liberal arts subjects. Dr. Jacqueline Pfeffer Merrill joins the show to tell us about all the new services FAR now offers, and how alumni donors can improve higher education for generations to come.

What the College Rankings Don't Tell You

Do you know someone who’s starting the college application process? Then you can’t afford to miss this sneak peek into ACTA’s signature report, What Will They Learn? This alternative to the U.S. News & World Report’s annual college rankings offers students, parents, and guidance counselors valuable information you won’t find anywhere else. What Will They Learn? is the only college ratings guide that evaluates the educational quality of colleges’ core curricula. ACTA Director of Curricular Im...

Higher Ed Data 101

In this episode, Armand Alacbay, Vice President of Trustee and Legislative Affairs at ACTA,  and Jerry Malitz, former Chief Information Technology Officer for the Department of Education’s Institute for Education Sciences, take a look at how federal education data can be used to understand your school’s performance relative to peers.   The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) houses powerful information on nearly every college in the country, providing data for public-f...

Grateful Americans Fight for U.S. History

Grateful American Foundation President David Bruce Smith and ACTA President Dr. Michael Poliakoff join Higher Ed Now to examine how and why American history is disappearing from school curricula. David Bruce Smith talks about his organization’s efforts to increase interest in American history for K-12 students. Dr. Poliakoff supplements this work at the college level with ACTA’s latest report, No U.S. History?, which found that even history majors in college are rarely required to take a c...

The State of Free Speech: Part II

Concerned donors, alumni, trustees, and comedy fans won’t want to miss the second half of Higher Ed Now’s conversation with FIRE’s Greg Lukianoff. Listeners will hear the inside scoop on Can We Take a Joke?, a new feature-length documentary that takes a humorous look at campus speech issues as they relate to comedy and satire. Mr. Lukianoff also shares his insights into freedom of association cases and the significance of the Chicago Principles on Free Expression.

The State of Free Speech on Campus

After a tumultuous year for free speech on campus, Higher Ed Now asks Greg Lukianoff, president and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) to share his impression on campus speech controversies. From protests to microaggressions, he describes the campus culture that fosters censorship and threatens academic freedom and civil liberties for students and faculty. 

The Antidote to Illiberalism

What should we do about intolerance on college campuses? McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence Robert George rejoins Higher Ed Now to continue a discussion about viewpoint diversity and the role of colleges and universities play in society. Professor George describes his unlikely friendship with Professor Cornel West and explains how a liberal education can improve the quality of campus and civil discourse.

Professor Robert George on Campus Illiberalism

What’s happening on college campuses? The first recipient of ACTA’s Philip Merrill Award for Outstanding Contributions to Liberal Arts Education, Professor Robert P. George, shares his frontline accounts of campus illiberalism and the deterioration of discourse and intellectual engagement at colleges and universities.

The Hamilton Story

What kind of diversity should colleges and universities require? Hamilton College's new diversity requirement got it wrong. ACTA Vice President of Policy Michael Poliakoff tells the story of the Alexander Hamilton Institute, a model for enriching intellectual diversity. This tale of donor intent and academic excellence explains the difference between the Institute's mission and Hamilton College's lazy version of diversity.   

Higher Education Philanthropy: Issues for Today's Donors

Are you planning on donating to your alma mater? Before you write that generous check, you should be sure that your donation is going to support quality, freedom, and accountability. ACTA Vice President of Development Dr. Jacqueline Pfeffer Merrill explains the nuances of donor intent and alumni giving. She also describes different methods of supporting academe through programs that focus on academic excellence and intellectual diversity. 

The Unkindest Cut

Wherefore art thou Shakespeare? As we celebrate the 400th anniversary of the Bard's death we examine ACTA's report, The Unkindest Cut: Shakespeare in Exile 2015. This report revealed that one of the most influential writers in the English language is no longer revered in the halls of America's colleges and universities. 

A Crisis in Civic Education

Ten percent of college graduates think Judge Judy sits on the Supreme Court! ACTA continues its podcast with an examination into this brewing crisis in civic education. ACTA VP of Policy Michael Poliakoff explains how higher education has shirked its responsibility to students and taxpayers by fostering climates of civic illiteracy.