AAC&U Statement on the U.S. Secretary of Education's National Call to Action

In an August 3, 2026, letter to university presidents and governing board members, the U.S. Secretary of Education issued a National Call to Action in response to Americans’ declining trust in universities. The Secretary called on institutional leaders to reaffirm their commitment to serving the American people and asked every college and university to publicly articulate its commitments to “rigorous teaching, pathbreaking research, and national service.”

AAC&U welcomes every opportunity to strengthen public confidence in higher education and to engage in constructive dialogue about how colleges and universities can best serve students, communities, and the nation. Public trust is earned through transparency, accountability, and demonstrated impact. AAC&U supports thoughtful efforts by institutions to communicate clearly how they fulfill their educational missions, steward resources responsibly, and prepare graduates for lives of purpose, productive work, and civic responsibility.

The fact is that colleges and universities are already engaged in much of the work outlined in the Secretary’s Call to Action. Every day, institutions assess student learning, strengthen academic programs, expand workforce partnerships, improve student success, steward research responsibly, and seek new ways to serve their regions and states. While there is always room for improvement, it is important to recognize these longstanding commitments and the dedication of the millions of faculty, staff, and administrators who have devoted themselves to advancing educational opportunity, research, innovation, and the public good.

The questions raised in the Secretary’s Call to Action touch on issues that colleges and universities confront every day—including academic quality, affordability, student success, free expression, research integrity, and workforce preparation. These are critical issues that deserve serious discussion grounded in evidence, institutional mission, and respect for the diversity of America’s higher education system.

AAC&U’s recent report, The Trust Agenda: A Framework for Advancing Public Trust in Higher Education, concludes that rebuilding confidence in higher education depends not only on demonstrating institutional effectiveness but also on deepening relationships with the communities that colleges and universities serve. Public trust grows when institutions listen as well as lead; when they engage employers, civic organizations, alumni, local governments, and community partners; and when they demonstrate through sustained partnership how teaching, research, and public engagement improve people’s lives. A durable foundation for trust is built through reciprocal engagement with communities—not simply through compliance with external expectations. We encourage policymakers to recognize and support these community-centered efforts.

At the same time, preserving the strength of American higher education requires protecting the principles that have made it the world’s leading system of teaching, learning, and discovery. Institutional autonomy, academic freedom, and the free exchange of ideas are essential to scientific innovation, intellectual inquiry, and democratic society. Colleges and universities must remain places where ideas can be examined rigorously, debated openly, and evaluated on their merits.

AAC&U believes that excellence and broad educational opportunity are mutually reinforcing. Students from every background deserve access to high-quality education that develops intellectual curiosity, ethical judgment, critical thinking, and the capacity to contribute meaningfully to their communities and professions. Research likewise flourishes when scholars are free to pursue important questions through rigorous methods and when institutions are supported by stable, predictable public investment.

We encourage our member institutions to continue engaging students, faculty, staff, governing boards, policymakers, employers, and the public in conversations about how higher education can better meet the nation’s evolving needs. These conversations should reflect the distinctive missions of individual institutions while remaining grounded in shared commitments to educational excellence, integrity, opportunity, and public service.

The future of American higher education depends not on uniformity, but on the continued vitality of a diverse system of institutions united by a common commitment to advancing knowledge, educating citizens, expanding opportunity, and serving the public good. AAC&U looks forward to working with institutions and policymakers across the political spectrum to strengthen higher education’s contribution to America’s prosperity, security, and democratic future.