Press Room Overview
VIDEO
AAC&U is the leading national association concerned with the quality, vitality, and public standing of undergraduate liberal education.
AAC&U is an excellent source of information on undergraduate curricular change, how colleges are changing to meet the needs of the new global economy, general education reform, student learning outcomes assessment, diversity in higher education, and global issues in higher education.
AAC&U champions a contemporary vision of liberal education and sponsors a campaign called Liberal Education and America's Promise to expand public and student understanding of what really matters in college -- the kinds of learning that will truly empower them to succeed and make a difference in the 21st century.
AAC&U in the News
September 30, 2011 - AAC&U's survey of employers was mentioned in an opinion piece in the Washington Post. The piece is titled, " Our Unprepared Graduates," and it was written by Kathleen Parker. The author notes, " A 2010 study published by the Association of American Colleges and Universities found that 87 percent of employers believe that higher-education institutions have to raise student achievement if the United States is to be competitive in the global market. Sixty-three percent say that recent college grads don’t have the skills they need to succeed. And, according to a separate survey, more than a quarter of employers say entry-level writing skills are deficient.” More...
To arrange an interview: AAC&U senior staff members and senior fellows are reliable and expert sources of information on many topics related to undergraduate education and liberal learning. AAC&U staff members can also direct reporters to experts in the field at any of our more than 1100 member colleges and universities. Follow this link to see a complete list of AAC&U Experts .
For general information or to be put in touch with an appropriate source, contact Debra Humphreys, vice president for communications and public affairs, at 202.387.3760 (ext 422) or Humphreys@aacu.org .
What is "liberal education"? Liberal education has always set the standard for educational excellence in American higher education. While the content of a liberal education—in terms of courses and requirements—has changed over time, throughout AAC&U’s 90-year history liberal education has been a philosophy of education that empowers individuals with core knowledge and transferable skills and cultivates social responsibility and a strong sense of ethics and values. Learn more about the definition of a modern liberal education .
Recent Press Releases:
February 9, 2012 -- Association of American Colleges and Universities Announces Seven New Directors and New Slate of Officers for Board of Directors
January 30, 2012 -- AAC&U Announces 16 Colleges and Universities Chosen to Test New Degree Qualifications Profile as Catalyst for Assessing and Improving the Quality of Student Learning, Facilitating Effective Student Transfer, and Increasing College Completion Rates
January 26, 2012 -- AAC&U Presents 2012 Frederic W. Ness Book Award to Why Choose the Liberal Arts? by Mark W. Roche
January 25, 2012 -- Reclaiming a Democratic and Global Vision for College Learning Topic of AAC&U Annual Meeting in Washington, DC
January 24, 2012 -- W.M. Keck Foundation Grant to Project Kaleidoscope Will Support Development of New Framework for Institutional Effectiveness in STEM Learning
January 13, 2012 -- Media Alert: Reclaiming a Democratic and Global Vision for College Learning Topic of AAC&U Annual Meeting in Washington, DC
January 11, 2012 -- Eight Graduate Students Honored with K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award
January 10, 2012 -- AAC&U President Carol Geary Schneider Speaks on Reclaiming the Civic Mission of Higher Education at White House Event
January 5, 2012 -- AAC&U and The Democracy Commitment Invite Community Colleges to Participate in New NEH Project on Civic and Democratic Learning
December 5, 2011 -- Kentucky Colleges and Universities Join Forces to Accelerate Improvements in Student Learning Outcomes and Increase Student Success
October 3, 2011 -- Eight States to Test New Degree Qualifications Profile as Catalyst for Improving and Assessing the Quality of Student Learning, Facilitating Effective Student Transfer, and Increasing College Completion Rates
September 16, 2011 -- AAC&U Announces Thirteen Historically Black Colleges and Universities Chosen to Participate in Second Cohort of Preparing Critical Faculty for the Future
June 20, 2011 -- Project Kaleidoscope Executive Director Susan Elrod Appointed to Advisory Board for New Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Curriculum Project
May 31, 2011 -- Faculty Members from Twenty-Five Campuses to Attend Project Kaleidoscope 2011 Summer Institutes
May 23, 2011 -- AAC&U Announces Appointment of Lisa Russell O’Shea as New Senior Director of Development
April 27, 2011 -- 106 Campuses Selected to Attend AAC&U Summer Institutes on General Education and Assessment; High-Impact Practices and Student Success; and Engaged Learning In and Across the Disciplines
March 2, 2011 -- Association of American Colleges and Universities Announces Seven New Directors and New Slate of Officers for Board of Directors
February 7, 2011 - AAC&U Appoints Gary R. Brown and Ann S. Ferren as New Senior Fellows in the Office of Quality, Curriculum, and Assessment
January 26, 2011 --Two Thousand College Educators Meet in San Francisco at AAC&U Annual Meeting to Explore Ways to Increase Student Success and to Debate the Meaning of U.S. College Degrees
January 10, 2011 -- Eight Graduate Students Honored with K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award
January 6, 2011 -- Project Kaleidoscope Executive Director Susan Elrod Appointed to National Governors Association STEM Advisory Committee
January 3, 2011 -- Media Alert - What is American Higher Education’s Global Positioning? What is the Currency of a US College Degree? Nearly Two Thousand Educational Leaders Gather at AAC&U Annual Meeting in San Francisco to Debate the Meaning of Student Success and American Higher Education’s “Global Positioning”
December 16, 2010 -- AAC&U Announces Thirteen Historically Black Colleges and Universities Chosen to Participate in Preparing Critical Faculty for the Future
November 15, 2010 -- Association of American Colleges and Universities Announces Members of New Global Learning Leadership Council
October 21, 2010 --Thirty-Two Colleges and Universities Chosen To Participate in Project on General Education for a Global Century
October 20, 2010 -- AAC&U To Help Develop National Action Plan for Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement in College
October 6, 2010 -- Engaging STEM Disciplines To Increase Student Learning About Global Issues Goal of New FIPSE-Supported Initiative
October 5, 2010 -- AAC&U Receives Grant from the National Science Foundation to Support Project on Preparing Critical Faculty for the Future
September 30, 2010 -- AAC&U Announces Appointment of Tia Brown McNair as New Senior Director for Student Success
September 16, 2010 --
AAC&U Releases Report on Engaging Diverse Viewpoints on College Campuses
September 10, 2010 -- New Project Kaleidoscope Advisory Board Meets in Washington, DC To Begin Strategically Planning Next Phase of Project Kaleidoscope
August 12, 2010 -- AAC&U Project, Funded by MetLife Foundation, Will Support and Expand Effective Student Success Strategies at Community Colleges
June 30, 2010 -- New Publication Explores U.S. Military Academies' Commitment to Liberal Education and its Importance for Educating Future Military Leaders
June 16, 2010 -- AAC&U Receives Grant from the Henry Luce Foundation to Support Project on General Education for a Global Century
June 15, 2010 -- Association of American Colleges and Universities Appoints Alma Clayton-Pedersen Senior Scholar
June 9, 2010 -- AAC&U Announces Appointment of Susan Albertine as New Vice President
June 3, 2010 -- Three-Year Degree Proposals Are Not A Silver Bullet, says AAC&U President Carol Geary Schneider
May 10, 2010 -- 70 Campuses Selected to Attend AAC&U Summer Institutes on General Education Reform; Making Excellence Inclusive; and Engaged Learning in and across the disciplines
April 20, 2010 -- Bringing Theory to Practice Project Awards $1 million in New Grants to Foster Students' Civic Development and Their Psychosocial Well-Being
April 7, 2010 -- Public Forum Featuring Governor Herbert and Other Utah Leaders To Address Improving Utah College Learning
April 5, 2010 -- Association of American Colleges and Universities Receives Grant from MetLife Foundation to Advance Academic Support for Improved Educational Achievement of Community College Students
March 11, 2010 -- President of Association of American Colleges and Universities Releases Statement on Common Core Standards
February 23, 2010 -- Association of American Colleges and Universities Announces Seven New Directors and New Slate of Officers for Board of Directors
January 20, 2010 -- Employers Seek More College-Educated Workers With Higher Levels of Learning and Broader Sets of Skills, New Survey Reveals
January 12, 2010 -- Nine Graduate Students Honored with K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Awards
January 8, 2010 -- Media Alert - Maintaining Quality in Undergraduate Education: Educational Leaders To Share Strategies and Debate Key Issues in College Teaching and Learning at AAC&U Annual Meeting
January 5, 2010 -- Media Alert - Employers Need More College Educated Workers and Demand Higher Levels of Learning, New Survey Reveals
December 14, 2009 -- State Farm Insurance Executive Vice President Deborah Traskell Named as New Cochair of Leadership Council Guiding AAC&U National Initiative
November 20, 2009 -- College, Community College, and University Presidents Form "Presidents' Trust" to Advance Liberal Education as Source of American Civic Vitality and Economic Innovation and Growth
October 30, 2009 -- Utah Colleges and Universities Join Forces to Accelerate Improvements in Student Learning Outcomes and Meet Needs of Changing Global Economy
September 30, 2009 -- New Data on How Campuses Educate Students for Civic Engagement from Association of American Colleges and Universities
September 8, 2009 -- Association of American Colleges and Universities Announces Dr. Susan Elrod as New Director of Project Kaleidoscope
