American Council of Trustees and Alumni

Mission

The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) is a nonprofit organization committed to academic freedom, excellence, and accountability on college and university campuses. It supports programs and policies that encourage high academic standards, strong curricula, and the free exchange of ideas.

ACTA has, for many years, sought to make historical literacy a national priority. Our study of elite college seniors, Losing America's Memory, which received overwhelming media attention, demonstrated the appalling lack of knowledge about American history even among our "best and brightest." That study helped fuel a unanimous Congressional resolution (S. Con. Res. 129, July 10, 2000) to encourage the teaching of history. On Constitution Day (September 16, 2002), ACTA released a follow-up report, Restoring America's Legacy: The Challenge of Historical Literacy in the 21st Century. Our efforts culminated in a White House Forum on American History, Civics, and Service on May 1, 2003.

Achievements

In July 2003, ACTA published We the People: A Resource Guide to Outstanding Programs and Projects in American History with a Toolkit for Governors and Legislators. This booklet provides a guide for teachers and students on programs, projects and resources for the study of American history. In addition to a listing of outstanding programs and projects, it includes a toolkit for gubernatorial proclamations and legislative enactments similar to the 2000 Congressional resolution. We the People was mailed to educators, governors, legislators, and civic leaders across the country.

To obtain copies of these Reports and get more information about the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, please go to www.goacta.org.

Contact Information

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