Press Room

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 and equity 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 students to succeed and make a difference in the 21st century.

Recent Press Releases

Forum Will Address Bringing Together a Focus on Quality Learning Practices with Equity-Minded Approaches to Advance Underserved Student Success

November 6, 2015

On November 17th, the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) is sponsoring in New York City its final LEAP (Liberal Education and America’s Promise) Centennial Forum, “Bringing Quality and Equity Together: Mapping Guided Pathways for First Generation Student Success." The event is open to the media and will be held at the Wyndham New Yorker Hotel in New York City.Read more

Higher Ed Groups Unveil New National Designation for Colleges & Universities Excelling at Self-Assessment to Drive Student Success

October 27, 2015

A group of higher education organizations today announced the creation of a new national designation program for colleges and universities that demonstrate excellence at self-assessment to drive internal improvement and further student success.  The Excellence in Assessment (EIA) program – the first national initiative of its kind – will recognize institutions that successfully integrate assessment practices across campus, provide evidence of student learning outcomes, and use assessment results to guide institutional decision-making and improve student performance. Read more

Bringing Theory to Practice Awards More Than 50 Grants for Campuses to Participate in Research and Seminars on Well-Being in Higher Education, Marking a Celebration of $10M Total in Support Extended Since 2005

October 15, 2015

The Bringing Theory to Practice Project (BTtoP) is pleased to announce the awarding of more than fifty grants in two categories for the 2015-2017 grant period. The new grants and institutional matches total over $250,000.Read more

The New American Colleges and Universities (NAC&U) to Honor Cathy N. Davidson, Distinguished Professor and Director of the Futures Initiative at the City University of New York Graduate Center, with Ernest L. Boyer Award

September 29, 2015

The New American Colleges and Universities (NAC&U) will present its sixth annual Ernest L. Boyer Award to Cathy N. Davidson, a leading interdisciplinary and technology scholar, at AAC&U’s Annual Meeting Opening Night Forum on Wednesday evening, January 20, 2016, where Davidson will deliver the Boyer Award Lecture. The Ernest L. Boyer Award pays tribute to Boyer’s legacy by honoring others who are making significant contributions to American higher education. Read more

AAC&U Announces Dr. Octavia Tripp as Senior Scholar in Residence in the Office of Undergraduate STEM Education

September 28, 2015

AAC&U announces the appointment of Dr. Octavia Tripp as a Senior Scholar in Residence in AAC&U’s Office of Undergraduate STEM Education for the 2015-16 academic year. Dr. Tripp is an Associate Professor of Elementary Education, Curriculum, and Teaching at Auburn University with more than 20 years of experience in preparing undergraduate and graduate students for careers in elementary education, delivering online instruction to pre-service teachers, and teaching in elementary and middle schools.Read more

Multi-State Collaboration Produces Valuable New Evidence About Writing, Critical Thinking, and Quantitative Literacy Skills of Undergraduate Students Using Rubric-Based Assessment of Students’ Authentic Work

September 24, 2015

With support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) and the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO) Association launched in 2011 the Multi-State Collaborative to Advance Learning Outcomes Assessment (MSC).  In its pilot year, the project initially engaged faculty in 59 institutions in nine participating states.Read more

Qatar University Signs Partnership Agreement with AAC&U

September 8, 2015

AAC&U and the Core Curriculum Program at Qatar University, Doha, Qatar, announced today that Qatar University is an AAC&U partner institution. More information about the Core Curriculum Program can be found here: http://www.qu.edu.qa/core/. Information about the partnership can be found online here: www.aacu.org/leap/global-partners.Read more

AAC&U Announces 12 Institutions Participating in New Initiative on Committing to Equity and Inclusive Excellence

August 26, 2015

The Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) announced today the 12 institutions participating in a new “Committing to Equity and Inclusive Excellence: Campus-Based Strategies for Student Success” initiative funded by USA Funds. The initiative is designed to enhance student success and academic achievement, especially among underserved populations of low-income, first-generation and minority students, as well as adult learners. Read more

AAC&U Announces Appointment of Dr. Kathryne (Kate) McConnell as New Senior Director for Research and Assessment

August 6, 2015

AAC&U announced the appointment of Dr. Kate McConnell as the new Senior Director for Research and Assessment.  McConnell will begin this position on Monday, August 31, after serving in several capacities at Virginia Tech, including most recently as its inaugural Director of Assessment in the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Academic Affairs.  Prior to her work at Virginia Tech, she served as the Director of Planning and Institutional Research at Stonehill College.  Read more

AAC&U Announces First Cohort of Faculty Fellows

July 28, 2015

The Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) is pleased to announce the first cohort of Faculty Fellows.  Faculty Fellows will collaborate with colleagues across state systems and collaboratives in five states: California, Indiana, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin.  They will share best practices for general education and lead faculty development activities to advance student achievement of key proficiencies—including those articulated in AAC&U’s Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP) initiative and in the Degree Qualifications Profile developed by Lumina Foundation and formally released in its first edition in 2014—that are important for post-graduation success and well-being.Read more

Pages

About AAC&U

AAC&U is the leading national association concerned with the quality, vitality, and public standing of undergraduate liberal education. It's members are committed to extending the advantages of a liberal education to all students, regardless of academic specialization or intended career. Founded in 1915, AAC&U now comprises nearly 1,400 member institutions — including accredited public and private colleges, community colleges, research universities, and comprehensive universities of every type and size.

AAC&U functions as a catalyst and facilitator, forging links among presidents, administrators and faculty members who are engaged in institutional and curricular planning. It's mission is to reinforce the collective commitment to liberal education and inclusive excellence at both the national and local levels, and to help institutions to keep the quality of student learning at the core of their work as they evolve to meet new economic and social challenges.