Shows
Radio Free CampusCharlie Kirk and the Future of American Higher Education with guest Michael PoliakoffIn this episode of Radio Free Campus, co-hosts Steve McGuire and Justin Garrison discuss the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk and what his murder might mean for the future of free expression in higher education. They interview ACTA President and CEO Michael Poliakoff about the perils we face and how we can all help de-escalate the tensions roiling America. Steve and Justin introduce ACTA's new Virginia Report Card, a systematic analysis of policies and survey data on the free speech and intellectual diversity climates at George Mason University, James Madison University, the University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, and...
2025-09-241h 20
Higher Ed NowLee Strang: Revitalizing Civics Education in the Buckeye StateACTA president Michael Poliakoff speaks with Lee Strang, the inaugural director of the new Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture and Society at the Ohio State University. He is also a professor at OSU's Moritz College of Law, the author of numerous books on Constitutional law, and the founder of Northwest Ohio Classical Academy. Professor Strang has devoted his life to the study and teaching of America's civic tradition, and he goes in-depth about his experience leading the Chase Center, from designing curriculum to managing relations with the broader university. He and Michael also discuss how Ohio has...
2025-09-0841 minHigher Ed NowLee Strang: Revitalizing Civics Education in the Buckeye StateACTA president Michael Poliakoff speaks with Lee Strang, the inaugural director of the new Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture and Society at the Ohio State University. He is also a professor at OSU's Moritz College of Law, the author of numerous books on Constitutional law, and the founder of Northwest Ohio Classical Academy. Professor Strang has devoted his life to the study and teaching of America's civic tradition, and he goes in-depth about his experience leading the Chase Center, from designing curriculum to managing relations with the broader university. He and Michael also discuss how Ohio has...
2025-09-0841 min
Higher Ed NowLee Strang: Revitalizing Civics Education in the Buckeye StateACTA president Michael Poliakoff speaks with Lee Strang, the inaugural director of the new Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture and Society at the Ohio State University. He is also a professor at OSU's Moritz College of Law, the author of numerous books on Constitutional law, and the founder of Northwest Ohio Classical Academy. Professor Strang has devoted his life to the study and teaching of America's civic tradition, and he goes in-depth about his experience leading the Chase Center, from designing curriculum to managing relations with the broader university. He and Michael also discuss how Ohio has emerged...
2025-09-0840 minHigher Ed NowJohn Hillen: American Civics and Student LeadershipACTA President Michael Poliakoff welcomes The Honorable John Hillen, distinguished resident fellow at the Center for Politics in Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy and an executive-in-residence of the Political Science Department. Dr. Hillen is a combat veteran and Bronze Star recipient, a former assistant U.S. secretary of state, a successful business leader, and the author of The Strategy Dialogues: A Primer on Business Strategy and Strategic Management. He also serves on ACTA’s National Commission on American History and Civic Education. Drs. Poliakoff and Hillen discuss how to engage students in the study of American civics and highe...
2025-04-2546 minHigher Ed NowJohn Hillen: American Civics and Student LeadershipACTA President Michael Poliakoff welcomes The Honorable John Hillen, distinguished resident fellow at the Center for Politics in Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy and an executive-in-residence of the Political Science Department. Dr. Hillen is a combat veteran and Bronze Star recipient, a former assistant U.S. secretary of state, a successful business leader, and the author of The Strategy Dialogues: A Primer on Business Strategy and Strategic Management. He also serves on ACTA's National Commission on American History and Civic Education. Drs. Poliakoff and Hillen discuss how to engage students in the study of American civics and hig...
2025-04-2546 minHigher Ed NowJohn Hillen: American Civics and Student LeadershipACTA President Michael Poliakoff welcomes The Honorable John Hillen, distinguished resident fellow at the Center for Politics in Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy and an executive-in-residence of the Political Science Department. Dr. Hillen is a combat veteran and Bronze Star recipient, a former assistant U.S. secretary of state, a successful business leader, and the author of The Strategy Dialogues: A Primer on Business Strategy and Strategic Management. He also serves on ACTA's National Commission on American History and Civic Education. Drs. Poliakoff and Hillen discuss how to engage students in the study of American civics and hig...
2025-04-2546 min
GOD: An Autobiography, As Told to a Philosopher - The Podcast223. The Life Wisdom Project | From Ritual to Reason: A Journey from Plato to Levinas | Special Guest: Dr. Michael PoliakoffQuestions? Comments? Text Us!How do rituals, traditions, and philosophical reasoning shape our understanding of the divine and the human experience?In this episode of God: An Autobiography, The Podcast, Dr. Jerry L. Martin and Dr. Michael Poliakoff explore the evolution of thought and tradition from ancient Jewish practices and Egyptian influences to the philosophical insights of Plato, Aristotle, Confucius, and Emmanuel Levinas.The conversation examines how humanity has sought wisdom across cultures and eras—from the Torah’s laws to Aristotelian virtue, Confucian ethics, and Levinas’ concept of “the other.” How...
2025-03-2034 min
Sport ShackThe Origins of SportsPaul and Glenn are back for another action-packed episode. This week we explore the origins of different sports and how they have evolved over time. Some of what will be discussed in this episode include:
- The many sports that date and had their origins in the ancient world e.g., Ancient Greece with the Ancient Olympics.
- The evolvement of cricket over the years into more shorter versions of the game to attract bigger audiences.
- The role the British had in the development in many sports e.g., Cricket, Rugby codes...
2025-01-251h 27Higher Ed NowOhio Senator Jerry Cirino: Fortifying Open Discourse in the Buckeye StateACTA president Michael Poliakoff speaks to Ohio Senator Jerry Cirino, vice chair of the Senate's Higher Education Committee, on his promise to enact legislation to enhance the quality of higher education in the Buckeye State. Senator Cirino aims to safeguard open discourse and intellectual diversity for both students and faculty, mandate institutional neutrality at Ohio universities, and ensure that every post-secondary student receives a solid grounding in civics and American history.
2025-01-2233 minHigher Ed NowOhio Senator Jerry Cirino: Fortifying Open Discourse in the Buckeye StateACTA president Michael Poliakoff speaks to Ohio Senator Jerry Cirino, vice chair of the Senate's Higher Education Committee, on his promise to enact legislation to enhance the quality of higher education in the Buckeye State. Senator Cirino aims to safeguard open discourse and intellectual diversity for both students and faculty, mandate institutional neutrality at Ohio universities, and ensure that every post-secondary student receives a solid grounding in civics and American history.
2025-01-2233 minHigher Ed NowMitch Daniels: The Heart of the Academic EnterpriseFocusing on the role of higher education in preparing young Americans for citizenship, ACTA's president Michael Poliakoff speaks with Mitch Daniels, former Governor of Indiana, who also served as president of Purdue University from 2013 to 2022.
2025-01-1729 minHigher Ed NowMitch Daniels: The Heart of the Academic EnterpriseFocusing on the role of higher education in preparing young Americans for citizenship, ACTA's president Michael Poliakoff speaks with Mitch Daniels, former Governor of Indiana, who also served as president of Purdue University from 2013 to 2022.
2025-01-1629 minHigher Ed NowJoshua Dunn: Intellectual Diversity and Informed PatriotismACTA's president Michael Poliakoff speaks with the distinguished scholar and education leader, Joshua Dunn, who took on leadership of the recently established Institute of American Civics at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in June, 2023. Professor Dunn was previously the executive director of the Center for the Study of Government and the Individual at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, where he was also professor and chair of the Political Science department. His book, From Schoolhouse to Courthouse - The Judiciary's Role in American Education, offers an important view of the complex relationship between courts and education. His landmark study co-authored w...
2025-01-1036 minHigher Ed NowJoshua Dunn: Intellectual Diversity and Informed PatriotismACTA's president Michael Poliakoff speaks with the distinguished scholar and education leader, Joshua Dunn, who took on leadership of the recently established Institute of American Civics at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in June, 2023. Professor Dunn was previously the executive director of the Center for the Study of Government and the Individual at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, where he was also professor and chair of the Political Science department. His book, From Schoolhouse to Courthouse - The Judiciary's Role in American Education, offers an important view of the complex relationship between courts and education. His landmark study c...
2025-01-1036 minGOD: An Autobiography, As Told to a Philosopher - The Podcast211. Special Episode | Spiritual Insights from 2024: Best of the Life Wisdom ProjectQuestions? Comments? Text Us!Celebrate the Best of 2024’s Life Wisdom Project! As we close out the year, join us for a captivating journey through the most inspiring moments of the Life Wisdom Project. This special episode highlights profound conversations with our esteemed guests, including philosophers, spiritual seekers, and scholars, who unpack the deeper meanings of God’s messages and their impact on daily life.Explore topics like balancing self-worth and ego with Dr. Jonathan Weidenbaum, understanding divine awareness with Judy Dornstreich, and harnessing the transformative power of the "evil urge" with Dr. Mich...
2024-12-2640 minHigher Ed NowConfessions of a Black Conservative: Glenn LouryThose who listen to "The Glenn Show" will know that Professor Glenn Loury has published an extraordinary autobiography. Late Admissions: Confessions of a Black Conservative breathes the spirit of candor, intellectual openness, and personal humility that has characterized his life and work.
Professor Loury is a Paulson Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, which hails his new book as “a shockingly frank memoir from a prize-winning economist, reflecting on his remarkable personal odyssey and his changing positions on identity, race, and belief.” In the words of Professor Loury’s life-long friend John McWhorter, it is also a “page-turner.”
ACTA President Michael Poliakoff an...
2024-08-2621 minHigher Ed NowConfessions of a Black Conservative: Glenn LouryThose who listen to "The Glenn Show" will know that Professor Glenn Loury has published an extraordinary autobiography. Late Admissions: Confessions of a Black Conservative breathes the spirit of candor, intellectual openness, and personal humility that has characterized his life and work. Professor Loury is a Paulson Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, which hails his new book as "a shockingly frank memoir from a prize-winning economist, reflecting on his remarkable personal odyssey and his changing positions on identity, race, and belief." In the words of Professor Loury's life-long friend John McWhorter, it is also a "page-turner." ...
2024-08-2621 minHigher Ed NowJeffrey Rosen: The Classics' Critical Role in EducationACTA President Michael Poliakoff interviews Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center and professor of law at George Washington University Law School. In this vibrant conversation, they explore Dr. Rosen’s new book, The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America. They also cover the critically important role that the classics play in the intellectual and personal development of today’s college students, as well as their own personal experiences reading the work of Greek and Roman thinkers.
2024-06-1339 minHigher Ed NowJeffrey Rosen: The Classics' Critical Role in EducationACTA President Michael Poliakoff interviews Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center and professor of law at George Washington University Law School. In this vibrant conversation, they explore Dr. Rosen's new book, The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America. They also cover the critically important role that the classics play in the intellectual and personal development of today's college students, as well as their own personal experiences reading the work of Greek and Roman thinkers.
2024-06-1339 min
Cato Event PodcastThe Pursuit of Happiness How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America“We hold these truths to be self‐evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”The second sentence of the Declaration of Independence is perhaps one of the most resonant of all phrases from the American Founding. But what did the Founders mean by “Happiness”? And how, exactly, was it to be pursued? In his new book, The Pursuit of Happiness, Jeffrey Rosen examines the many ways that key figures of the American Founding turned to ancient Gr...
2024-05-311h 29
The Contrarian with David BernsteinPromoting Free Thought and Patriotism in Universities with Dr Michael Poliakoff S01E11Join us in this thought-provoking episode of the Contrarian Podcast as David Bernstein sits down with Michael Poliakoff, a leading advocate for educational reform and the preservation of liberal values. In this deep dive, they discuss the challenges facing higher education today, the importance of fostering diverse viewpoints on campus, and the urgent need for informed patriotism. Poliakoff shares his insights on the decline of free speech in universities, the role of core curricula, and the critical measures necessary to uphold academic integrity and liberty.
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2024-05-3055 minHigher Ed NowJohn Bolton: The Long Decline of Free Expression on CampusJohn Bolton served as the 25th United States Ambassador to the United Nations from 2005 to 2006, and as the 26th United States National Security Advisor from 2018 to 2019 during the Trump Administration. He is the author of The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir, as well as Surrender Is Not An Option. Always an erudite figure in politics, Ambassador Bolton is an attorney, Republican consultant, political commentator, and a staunch defender of free expression. ACTA's President Michael Poliakoff spoke at length with Ambassador Bolton to explore his unique outlook on the trajectory of free speech at universities, his experience as...
2024-04-0127 minHigher Ed NowJohn Bolton: The Long Decline of Free Expression on CampusJohn Bolton served as the 25th United States Ambassador to the United Nations from 2005 to 2006, and as the 26th United States National Security Advisor from 2018 to 2019 during the Trump Administration. He is the author of The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir, as well as Surrender Is Not An Option. Always an erudite figure in politics, Ambassador Bolton is an attorney, Republican consultant, political commentator, and a staunch defender of free expression. ACTA's President Michael Poliakoff spoke at length with Ambassador Bolton to explore his unique outlook on the trajectory of free speech at universities, his experience...
2024-04-0127 minGOD: An Autobiography, As Told to a Philosopher - The Podcast172. What's On Our Mind- Divine Presence: Acting, Experience, and AlignmentQuestions? Comments? Text Us!Join Jerry L. Martin and Scott Langdon for a captivating discussion on spirituality and storytelling. They explore the complexities of human ambition, historical interpretation, and religious narratives, finding rich insights in characters like Lady Macbeth and ancient Greek tragedies. Through engaging dialogues, they illuminate how acting serves as a conduit for understanding the essence of God.Their exploration extends beyond academia, delving into personal transformation. Scott shares how portraying roles like Lord Aster can reshape an actor's worldview, echoing the transformative power of stories in our lives. From interpreting myth as...
2024-03-2846 minHigher Ed NowAnika Prather: “Classical Education Helps Everyone Flourish”Dr Anika T. Prather is a nationally-recognized speaker and advocate for the relevancy of classical education for the Black community. She has served as a lecturer at Howard University’s Classics and English departments and, most recently, as a Director of High-Quality Curriculum and Instruction at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy. She has authored two books on Blacks and the classics: Living in the Constellation of the Canon: The Lived Experiences of African-American Students Reading Great Books Literature, a self-published book; and The Black Intellectual Tradition(with Dr. Angel Parham of UVA), as well as many articles. She is...
2024-03-1553 minHigher Ed NowAnika Prather: "Classical Education Helps Everyone Flourish"Dr Anika T. Prather is a nationally-recognized speaker and advocate for the relevancy of classical education for the Black community. She has served as a lecturer at Howard University's Classics and English departments and, most recently, as a Director of High-Quality Curriculum and Instruction at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy. She has authored two books on Blacks and the classics: Living in the Constellation of the Canon: The Lived Experiences of African-American Students Reading Great Books Literature, a self-published book; and The Black Intellectual Tradition(with Dr. Angel Parham of UVA), as well as many articles. She i...
2024-03-1553 minGOD: An Autobiography, As Told to a Philosopher - The Podcast170. The Life Wisdom Project | Insights from Hasidic Tradition and Philosophical Ethics | Special Guest: Dr. Michael PoliakoffQuestions? Comments? Text Us!Join God: An Autobiography, The Podcast for profound discussions on spirituality, philosophy, and human connection. This Life Wisdom Project explores the fascinating intersection of Jewish wisdom, erotic energy, and the Yetzer Harah (evil urge). Dr. Jerry L. Martin and Dr. Michael Poliakoff engage in thought-provoking dialogue, drawing insights from Jewish scholars like Martin Buber and exploring sanctifying the ordinary in daily life.From discussing the divine implications of the Yetzer Harah to examining the ethical teachings of Emmanuel Levinas, this episode offers a rich source of ideas for listeners...
2024-03-1432 minHigher Ed NowGlenn Loury: Defending the Cultural Inheritance of the Liberal ArtsACTA's President Michael Poliakoff joins Paul Levy, a member of ACTA's board of directors and the creator of the Levy Forum for Open Discourse at the Palm Beach Synagogue. Together they interview Dr. Glenn Loury, the Merton P. Stoltz Professor of the Social Sciences in the Department of Economics at Brown University. Dr. Loury is one of the nation's leading social critics on topics of racial inequality, the Black family, affirmative action, and identity politics.
2024-02-1543 minHigher Ed NowGlenn Loury: Defending the Cultural Inheritance of the Liberal ArtsACTA's President Michael Poliakoff joins Paul Levy, a member of ACTA's board of directors and the creator of the Levy Forum for Open Discourse at the Palm Beach Synagogue. Together they interview Dr. Glenn Loury, the Merton P. Stoltz Professor of the Social Sciences in the Department of Economics at Brown University. Dr. Loury is one of the nation's leading social critics on topics of racial inequality, the Black family, affirmative action, and identity politics.
2024-02-1543 minHigher Ed NowGeorge Will: Restoring the Value of an Academic DegreeGeorge Will is a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and political commentator whose twice-weekly column has appeared in the Washington Post since 1974. His works cover subjects ranging from baseball to statecraft. In this episode, he sits down with ACTA President Michael Poliakoff for a sweeping conversation on the state of American higher education. From the fact that American English majors can now graduate without having ever read The Bard, to how the free market is regulating the production of Ph.D.’s and the stark difference between being highly educated and highly credentialed, Will offers biting and erudite remedies on how to br...
2024-02-0254 minHigher Ed NowGeorge Will: Restoring the Value of an Academic DegreeGeorge Will is a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and political commentator whose twice-weekly column has appeared in the Washington Post since 1974. His works cover subjects ranging from baseball to statecraft. In this episode, he sits down with ACTA President Michael Poliakoff for a sweeping conversation on the state of American higher education. From the fact that American English majors can now graduate without having ever read The Bard, to how the free market is regulating the production of Ph.D.'s and the stark difference between being highly educated and highly credentialed, Will offers biting and erudite remedies on how...
2024-02-0229 minHigher Ed NowNadine Strossen: Free Speech in a Time of Campus CrisisNadine Strossen is the John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law Emerita at New York Law School, and served as president of the American Civil Liberties Union from 1991 to 2008. ACTA has long admired her tireless advocacy and devotion to free speech and is proud to have featured her as a keynote speaker and panelist at many of our conferences. In October 2023, Nadine authored her latest book on free speech for Oxford University Press’s What Everyone Needs to Know® series. In this episode, she sits down with ACTA’s president Michael Poliakoff to discuss current societal challenges to free speech and ho...
2024-01-121h 09Higher Ed NowNadine Strossen: Free Speech in a Time of Campus CrisisNadine Strossen is the John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law Emerita at New York Law School, and served as president of the American Civil Liberties Union from 1991 to 2008. ACTA has long admired her tireless advocacy and devotion to free speech and is proud to have featured her as a keynote speaker and panelist at many of our conferences. In October 2023, Nadine authored her latest book on free speech for Oxford University Press's What Everyone Needs to Know® series. In this episode, she sits down with ACTA's president Michael Poliakoff to discuss current societal challenges to free speech and ho...
2024-01-121h 09Higher Ed NowAayan Hirsi Ali: The Fight For Our ClassroomsACTA's President Michael Poliakoff interviews Aayan Hirsi Ali, a Somali-born, Dutch-American writer, human rights activist and former politician and long-time friend of our organization. She is the author of best-selling books like Infidel (2007) Nomad (2010) and Heretic (2015). Now a Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University and Founder of the AHA Foundation, she regularly comments on today's issues and offers a platform to exchange perspectives that lead to real solutions.
2023-12-1428 minHigher Ed NowAyaan Hirsi Ali: The Fight For Our ClassroomsACTA's President Michael Poliakoff interviews Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Somali-born, Dutch-American writer, human rights activist and former politician and long-time friend of our organization. She is the author of best-selling books like Infidel (2007) Nomad (2010) and Heretic (2015). Now a Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University and Founder of the AHA Foundation, she regularly comments on today's issues and offers a platform to exchange perspectives that lead to real solutions.
2023-12-1428 minHigher Ed NowScott Walker: A Governor's Perspective on College SpendingIn this episode, former Wisconson Governor Scott Walker speaks with ACTA's President Michael Poliakoff. Governor Walker is now leading Young Americans for Freedom -- an organization committed to ensuring that increasing numbers of young Americans understand and are inspired by the ideas of individual freedom, a strong national defense, free enterprise, and traditional values.
2023-11-3048 minHigher Ed NowScott Walker: A Governor's Perspective on College SpendingIn this episode, former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker speaks with ACTA's President Michael Poliakoff. Governor Walker is now leading Young Americans for Freedom -- an organization committed to ensuring that increasing numbers of young Americans understand and are inspired by the ideas of individual freedom, a strong national defense, free enterprise, and traditional values.
2023-11-3048 min
Zoomer Week in ReviewAnti-Semitism in American Universities & RSV Vaccines for 60+Shortly after the news of what happened in Israel, on October 7th, reached the eyes of the world condemnation followed but at least two American academics couldn’t believe what they were hearing and not hearing from leading universities in the U.S. The two wrote an article titled "Why Was It So Hard for Elite Universities to Condemn Hamas Terrorism?" One of their opening lines pulls no punches, "What they said, and what they did not say, provides a window into the culture of intellectual and moral rot and cowardice that reigns at these once great institutions." Co-author Michael Po...
2023-10-2919 minHigher Ed NowRichard Haass: Education and the Obligations of CitizenshipACTA president Michael Poliakoff and Higher Ed Now producer Doug Sprei interview Richard Haass, president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations, an independent, nonpartisan think tank and educational institution dedicated to helping people better understand the world and the foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries. Dr. Haass's extensive government experience includes service as special assistant to President George H.W. Bush and senior director for Near East and South Asian affairs on the staff of the National Security Council. From 2001 to 2003, he was director of policy planning for the Department of State, serving as a p...
2023-07-2947 minHigher Ed NowRichard Haass: The Ten Habits of Good CitizensACTA's president Michael Poliakoff and Higher Ed Now producer Doug Sprei interview Richard Haass, president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations, an independent, nonpartisan think tank and educational institution dedicated to helping people better understand the world and foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries. His latest book, The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens, was published by Penguin Press in January 2023 and became a New York Times best seller. Dr. Haass's extensive government experience includes service as special assistant to President George H.W. Bush and senior director for Near East and...
2023-07-2947 minHigher Ed NowJohn Agresto: "The Death of Learning"ACTA’s president Michael Poliakoff interviews John Agresto, author of The Death of Learning, published last year by Encounter Press. Agresto is a graduate of Boston College and holds a PhD in Government from Cornell University. Before becoming President of St. John’s College in 1989, he taught at the University of Toronto, Kenyon College, Duke University, Wabash College and the New School University. He also served as acting chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities in the 1980’s and went to Iraq in 2003 as senior advisor for higher education for the new Iraqi Government. Between 2006 and 2010 he served, variously, as trust...
2023-06-2844 minHigher Ed NowJohn Agresto: "The Death of Learning"ACTA's president Michael Poliakoff interviews John Agresto, author of The Death of Learning, published last year by Encounter Press. Agresto is a graduate of Boston College and holds a PhD in Government from Cornell University. Before becoming President of St. John's College in 1989, he taught at the University of Toronto, Kenyon College, Duke University, Wabash College and the New School University. He also served as acting chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities in the 1980's and went to Iraq in 2003 as senior advisor for higher education for the new Iraqi Government. Between 2006 and 2010 he served, variously, as tr...
2023-06-2844 min
Higher Ed NowChuck Davis: Alumni RisingACTA’s president Michael Poliakoff is joined by Chuck Davis, the newly elected chair and president of the Alumni Free Speech Alliance. Recently he has been serving as board chair and president of the MIT Free Speech Alliance (MFSA), one of AFSA’s member groups. Mr. Davis’s new leadership position at AFSA comes at an exciting juncture for the national alumni movement. With generous funding from the Stanton Foundation, AFSA will continue its collaboration with various organizations, including ACTA, to mobilize alumni across the country and educate the public on free speech issues affecting higher education.
2023-06-2151 minHigher Ed NowChuck Davis: Alumni RisingACTA's president Michael Poliakoff is joined by Chuck Davis, the newly elected chair and president of the Alumni Free Speech Alliance. Recently he has been serving as board chair and president of the MIT Free Speech Alliance (MFSA), one of AFSA's member groups. Mr. Davis's new leadership position at AFSA comes at an exciting juncture for the national alumni movement. With generous funding from the Stanton Foundation, AFSA will continue its collaboration with various organizations, including ACTA, to mobilize alumni across the country and educate the public on free speech issues affecting higher education.
2023-06-2151 minHigher Ed NowDiversity Done Wrong: The Unjust Firing of Dr. Tabia LeeDr. Tabia Lee joins ACTA's Michael Poliakoff and Steve McGuire to unpack her shocking story of being fired from her position as the faculty director for the Office of Equity, Social Justice and Multicultural Education at De Anza College in California. As Erec Smith (another recent guest on Higher Ed Now) stated on the Cato Institute's website, Dr. Lee's transgression was "asking questions about DEI initiatives, fighting for viewpoint diversity, and upholding classical liberal values." Smith went on to write, "For these alleged transgressions, Dr. Lee, a black female academic. . . was denied tenure and relieved of her...
2023-05-0857 minHigher Ed NowDiversity Done Wrong: The Unjust Firing of Dr. Tabia LeeDr. Tabia Lee joins ACTA's Michael Poliakoff and Steve McGuire to unpack her shocking story of being fired from her position as the faculty director for the Office of Equity, Social Justice and Multicultural Education at De Anza College in California. As Erec Smith (another recent guest on Higher Ed Now) stated on the Cato Institute's website, Dr. Lee's transgression was "asking questions about DEI initiatives, fighting for viewpoint diversity, and upholding classical liberal values."
Smith went on to write, "For these alleged transgressions, Dr. Lee, a black female academic. . . was denied tenure and relieved of her duties. As I’ve...
2023-05-0857 minHigher Ed NowEdwin Meese: Education for Engaged CitizenshipFormer U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese served on ACTA's Board of Directors for many years. At age 90, he is as insightful and thoughtful as ever. In November 2022, he graciously invited ACTA President Michael Poliakoff and Chief of Staff Armand Alacbay to his Northern Virginia home for a far-reaching conversation about the influence of governing board leaders on higher education, and how colleges and universities can best prepare students for engaged citizenship.
2022-12-1639 minHigher Ed NowEdwin Meese: Education for Engaged CitizenshipFormer U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese served on ACTA's Board of Directors for many years. At age 90, he is as insightful and thoughtful as ever. In November 2022, he graciously invited ACTA President Michael Poliakoff and Chief of Staff Armand Alacbay to his Northern Virginia home for a far-reaching conversation about the influence of governing board leaders on higher education, and how colleges and universities can best prepare students for engaged citizenship.
2022-12-1639 minHigher Ed NowIlya Shapiro: The Perils of "Wrongthink"ACTA president Michael Poliakoff interviews Ilya Shapiro, senior fellow and director of Constitutional Studies at the Manhattan Institute. Previously, Mr. Shapiro was vice President of the Cato Institute and director of the Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies, where he published the Cato Supreme Court Review. Earlier in his career, he served as a special assistant/adviser to the Multi-National Force in Iraq on rule-of-law issues. In this penetrating conversation, Mr. Shapiro unpacks the widely publicized controversy over his hiring, suspension, and reinstatement as a senior lecturer and executive director at Georgetown University’s Center for the Constitution.
2022-12-0838 minHigher Ed NowIlya Shapiro: The Perils of "Wrongthink"ACTA president Michael Poliakoff interviews Ilya Shapiro, senior fellow and director of Constitutional Studies at the Manhattan Institute. Previously, Mr. Shapiro was vice President of the Cato Institute and director of the Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies, where he published the Cato Supreme Court Review. Earlier in his career, he served as a special assistant/adviser to the Multi-National Force in Iraq on rule-of-law issues. In this penetrating conversation, Mr. Shapiro unpacks the widely publicized controversy over his hiring, suspension, and reinstatement as a senior lecturer and executive director at Georgetown University's Center for the Constitution.
2022-12-0838 min
Regent's RoundtableFree Speech and Civic Literacy on Campus with Michael PoliakoffMy guest is Dr. Michael Poliakoff. Michael is the president of the American Council of Trustees and Alumni. ACTA is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting academic excellence, academic freedom, and accountability at America’s colleges and universities. Mentioned in podcast: Goacta.org https://www.howcollegesspendmoney.com/
2022-09-2656 minHigher Ed NowPano Kanelos: Reinventing the UniversityUniversity of Austin president Pano Kanelos returns to Higher Ed Now to describe the genesis of his new institution with ACTA president Michael Poliakoff. This past summer, the University of Austin offered its first academic programming, designed for students who were studying or starting out at other universities. "We wanted to be able to bring together students and faculty from across ideological boundaries," says Kanelos, "and throw in front of them some of the most vexing questions of the day, questions around empire, or gender, or race, and create a circle of trust where these students and faculty, who differ i...
2022-09-2245 minHigher Ed NowPano Kanelos: Reinventing the UniversityPano Kanelos, president of the University of Austin, returns to Higher Ed Now to explore the genesis of his institution with ACTA president Michael Poliakoff. This past summer, the University of Austin offered its first academic programming, designed for students who were studying or starting out at other universities. "We wanted to be able to bring together students and faculty from across ideological boundaries," says Kanelos, "and throw in front of them some of the most vexing questions of the day, questions around empire, or gender, or race, and create a circle of trust where these students and faculty, w...
2022-09-2245 minHigher Ed NowRoosevelt Montas: How the Great Books Speak to EveryoneACTA's Michael Poliakoff delves into life-changing aspects of liberal arts education and study of the great books in conversation with Roosevelt Montas, the author of Rescuing Socrates: How the Great Books Changed My Life, and Why They Matter for a New Generation. Montas is a Senior Lecturer in American Studies and English at Columbia University. He was Director of the Center for the Core Curriculum at Columbia College from 2008 to 2018. He currently teaches Introduction to Contemporary Civiliation in the West, a year-long course on primary texts in moral and political thought, and is also Director of the Center for American Stu...
2022-07-1244 minHigher Ed NowRoosevelt Montas: How the Great Books Speak to EveryoneACTA's Michael Poliakoff delves into life-changing aspects of liberal arts education and study of the great books in conversation with Roosevelt Montas, the author of Rescuing Socrates: How the Great Books Changed My Life, and Why They Matter for a New Generation. Montas is a Senior Lecturer in American Studies and English at Columbia University. He was Director of the Center for the Core Curriculum at Columbia College from 2008 to 2018. He currently teaches Introduction to Contemporary Civiliation in the West, a year-long course on primary texts in moral and political thought, and is also Director of the Center for Ame...
2022-07-1244 minHigher Ed NowColin Diver: Breaking Ranks With the College Ranking SystemAuthor and educator Colin Diver joins ACTA's president, Michael Poliakoff, to deconstruct the conventional model of college rankings (exemplified by U.S. News & World Report). During his distinguished career in higher education, Mr. Diver served as the Dean of the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and from 2002 to 2012 was the president of Reed College. His book, Breaking Ranks: How the Rankings Industry Rules Higher Education and What to Do about It, was published this year by Johns Hopkins Press.
2022-07-051h 00Higher Ed NowColin Diver: Breaking Ranks With the College Ranking SystemAuthor and educator Colin Diver joins ACTA's president, Michael Poliakoff, to deconstruct the conventional model of college rankings (exemplified by U.S. News & World Report). During his distinguished career in higher education, Mr. Diver served as the Dean of the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and from 2002 to 2012 was the president of Reed College. His book, Breaking Ranks: How the Rankings Industry Rules Higher Education and What to Do about It, was published this year by Johns Hopkins Press.
2022-07-051h 00Higher Ed NowMark Bauerlein: "The Dumbest Generation Grows Up"Author and Emory University professor emeritus Mark Bauerlein sat down with ACTA's Michael Poliakoff to talk about his new book, "The Dumbest Generation Grows Up: From Stupefied Youth to Dangerous Adults." Bauerlein has publicly argued that the lack of general civics knowledge by millennials poses a threat to America's political and social institutions. He previously worked as a director of Research and Analysis at the National Endowment for the Arts, where he oversaw studies about culture and American life, including the much discussed Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America.
2022-05-101h 03Higher Ed NowMark Bauerlein: "The Dumbest Generation Grows Up"Author and Emory University professor emeritus Mark Bauerlein sat down with ACTA's Michael Poliakoff to talk about his new book, "The Dumbest Generation Grows Up: From Stupefied Youth to Dangerous Adults." Bauerlein has publicly argued that the lack of general civics knowledge by millennials poses a threat to America's political and social institutions. He previously worked as a director of Research and Analysis at the National Endowment for the Arts, where he oversaw studies about culture and American life, including the much discussed Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America.
2022-05-101h 03Higher Ed NowDorian Abbot: Merit, Fairness, and EqualityHigher Ed Now delves into issues of merit, fairness and equality, academic freedom, and more with Dorian Abbot, associate professor in the department of Geophysical Sciences at the University of Chicago. It’s now well known that Dr. Abbot was invited last year to give the prestigious Carlson Lecture at Massachusetts Institute of Technology—and then, in September, he was disinvited by MIT after a group of activists launched an online cancellation campaign against him. This conversation between Dr. Abbot and ACTA's Michael Poliakoff took place in Washington DC on the same day that Dr. Abbot received our Hero of Intel...
2022-04-2754 minHigher Ed NowDorian Abbot: Merit, Fairness, and EqualityHigher Ed Now delves into issues of merit, fairness and equality, academic freedom, and more with Dorian Abbot, associate professor in the department of Geophysical Sciences at the University of Chicago. It's now well known that Dr. Abbot was invited last year to give the prestigious Carlson Lecture at Massachusetts Institute of Technology—and then, in September, he was disinvited by MIT after a group of activists launched an online cancellation campaign against him. This conversation between Dr. Abbot and ACTA's Michael Poliakoff took place in Washington DC on the same day that Dr. Abbot received our Hero of Int...
2022-04-2754 minHigher Ed NowNadine Strossen: Free Speech in the CrosshairsNadine Strossen is one of the nation's leading champions of free expression, a renowned author and educator, and a long-time close friend of ACTA. From 1991 to 2008, she served as the first woman and youngest person to lead the American Civil Liberties Union. Today she is a professor at New York Law School, and in 2018 she authored the book Hate – Why We Should Resist It with Free Speech, Not Censorship. In this episode she sits down for a far-reaching conversation with ACTA's Michael Poliakoff and Doug Sprei. .
2022-04-1559 minHigher Ed NowNadine Strossen: Free Speech in the CrosshairsNadine Strossen is one of the nation's leading champions of free expression, a renowned author and educator, and a long-time close friend of ACTA. From 1991 to 2008, she served as the first woman and youngest person to lead the American Civil Liberties Union. Today she is a professor at New York Law School, and in 2018 she authored the book Hate – Why We Should Resist It with Free Speech, Not Censorship. In this episode she sits down for a far-reaching conversation with ACTA's Michael Poliakoff and Doug Sprei. .
2022-04-1459 min
Kubrick’s Universe: The Stanley Kubrick Podcast49. A Clockwork Orange with Michael Tarn
We continue with our series of special shows covering A Clockwork Orange, commemorating the 50th anniversary of its 1971 release.
Michael Tarn is a British stage, film and television actor. He started acting in his teens, and went on to appear in a whole host of brilliant British television shows including Play For Today, The Sweeney, Shoestring, The Life and Times of Lloyd George, The Knock and several notable Plays of the Month.
His film roles include John Mackenzie's film Made in 1972, and he had lead roles in It's A Lovely Day Tomorrow, directed b...
2021-12-041h 56Higher Ed NowEd Yingling - Pioneering the Alumni Free Speech AllianceACTA’s president Michael Poliakoff has a bracing conversation with Ed Yingling, a co-founder of the Alumni Free Speech Alliance (AFSA)—a new consortium of alumni groups dedicated to preserving free speech on their college campuses. Yingling and ACTA Board member Stuart Taylor, also co-founders of Princetonians for Free Speech, launched the project with an explosive op ed in the Wall Street Journal on October 18, 2021. The piece, Alumni Unite For Freedom Of Speech: Many Left-of-Center Professors Now Realize That They Too Can Be Brutally Canceled by the Mob, prompted a flood of inquiries from alumni of more than 60 colleges and univers...
2021-11-1735 minHigher Ed NowEd Yingling - Pioneering the Alumni Free Speech AllianceACTA's president Michael Poliakoff has a bracing conversation with Ed Yingling, a co-founder of the Alumni Free Speech Alliance (AFSA)—a new consortium of alumni groups dedicated to preserving free speech on their college campuses. Yingling and ACTA Board member Stuart Taylor, also co-founders of Princetonians for Free Speech, launched the project with an explosive op ed in the Wall Street Journal on October 18, 2021. The piece, Alumni Unite For Freedom Of Speech: Many Left-of-Center Professors Now Realize That They Too Can Be Brutally Canceled by the Mob, prompted a flood of inquiries from alumni of more than 60 colleges and unive...
2021-11-1735 minHigher Ed NowRobert McCrum: Shakespeare Ever PresentACTA's president Michael Poliakoff joins author and editor Robert McCrum to explore his latest book, Shakespearean, an inspiring portrait of one of the most influential writers in history. Their conversation celebrates Shakespeare's genius, why his plays and sonnets reverberate centuries after they were written, and why it is paramount to keep his works alive and strong in the modern college curriculum.
2021-10-2638 minHigher Ed NowRobert McCrum: Shakespeare Ever PresentACTA's president Michael Poliakoff joins author and editor Robert McCrum to explore his latest book, Shakespearean, an inspiring portrait of one of the most influential writers in history. McCrum elaborates on how Shakespeare's works resonate today as vividly as they did centuries ago, and why it is paramount to keep his works alive and strong in the modern college curriculum.
2021-10-2638 minHigher Ed NowAbraham Unger: A Conservatory Model for Liberal ArtsProfessor Abraham Unger has a unique vision for liberal arts education. Long before before spending a decade as Director of Urban Programs at Wagner College in New York, he was an undergraduate student concentrating on classical guitar at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music. In this episode of Higher Ed Now, he sits down with ACTA's Michael Poliakoff and Doug Sprei to reflect on the precarious condition of colleges and universities today, and explores the concept he is shaping for liberal arts education based on the conservatory model he experienced as an undergraduate.
2021-07-1245 minHigher Ed NowAbraham Unger: A Conservatory Model for Liberal ArtsProfessor Abraham Unger has a unique vision for liberal arts education. Long before before spending a decade as Director of Urban Programs at Wagner College in New York, he was an undergraduate student concentrating on classical guitar at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music. In this episode of Higher Ed Now, he sits down with ACTA's Michael Poliakoff and Doug Sprei to reflect on the precarious condition of colleges and universities today, and explores the concept he is shaping for liberal arts education based on the conservatory model he experienced as an undergraduate.
2021-07-1245 minHigher Ed NowPano Kanelos: "Liberal Education Is Conversation"Pano Kanelos, the noted educator, Shakesperean scholar, and champion of campus discourse, goes one on one with with ACTA's Michael Poliakoff to reflect on his tenure as the 24th president of St. John's College in Annapolis. Kanelos unpacks a pedagogical tradition where all students are immersed in conversation and the study of 200 great books.
2021-05-2649 minHigher Ed NowPano Kanelos: "Liberal Education Is Conversation" Pano Kanelos, the noted educator, Shakesperean scholar, and champion of campus discourse, goes one on one with with ACTA's Michael Poliakoff to reflect on his tenure as the 24th president of St. John's College in Annapolis. Kanelos unpacks a pedagogical tradition where all students are immersed in conversation and the study of 200 great books.
2021-05-2649 minHigher Ed NowJodi Shaw: Standing Against Regressive Orthodoxy at Smith CollegeACTA president Michael Poliakoff sits down with Jodi Shaw, an alumna and former employee of Smith College who took a courageous stand against critical race orthodoxy at Smith. Her story, reported in The New York Times and major news venues, prompted ACTA to award her with a Hero of Intellectual Freedom Award, to be presented later this year. In our podcast, Shaw outlines the events and reasons leading to her resignation from Smith College, and elaborates on why she believes that what passes for “progressive” at Smith and many other institutions today is actually deeply regressive.\r\n
2021-04-1943 minHigher Ed NowJodi Shaw: Standing Against Regressive Orthodoxy at Smith CollegeACTA president Michael Poliakoff sits down with Jodi Shaw, an alumna and former employee of Smith College who took a courageous stand against critical race orthodoxy at Smith. Her story, reported in The New York Times and major news venues, prompted ACTA to award her with a Hero of Intellectual Freedom Award, to be presented later this year. In our podcast, Shaw outlines the events and reasons leading to her resignation from Smith College, and elaborates on why she believes that what passes for "progressive" at Smith and many other institutions today is actually deeply regressive.
2021-04-1943 minHigher Ed NowMargarita Mooney: The Enduring Value of Liberal Arts EducationMargarita Mooney, Associate Professor at Princeton Theological Seminary and founder and executive director of Scala Foundation, explores the value and vitality of liberal arts learning in conversation with ACTA's Nathaniel Urban and President Michael Poliakoff.
2021-02-1647 minHigher Ed NowMargarita Mooney: The Enduring Value of Liberal Arts EducationMargarita Mooney, Associate Professor at Princeton Theological Seminary and founder and executive director of Scala Foundation, explores the value and vitality of liberal arts learning in conversation with ACTA's Nathaniel Urban and President Michael Poliakoff.
2021-02-1647 min
Institute for Classical EducationAcademic Trends with Michael PoliakoffLecture by Dr. Michael Poliakoff, American Council of Trustees and Alumni
2021-02-0120 min
Anchored by the Classic Learning TestA Conversation With Michael PoliakoffWhat underpins a worthwhile college education? This is the question that the What Will They Learn? College Rankings, published by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA), seeks to answer. Dr. Michael Poliakoff, president of ACTA, joins Jeremy in a discussion on why a new college guide was needed: the failure of many colleges to provide a rigorous core curriculum, as well as the intellectual diversity needed for the free exchange of ideas. He also discusses the the ways in which campus speech regulation and self-censorship stand to harm liberal democracy. Send questions and comments to anchored@cltexam...
2020-10-0724 minHigher Ed NowJeremy Wayne Tate: Unpacking the Classical Learning TestJeremy Wayne Tate founded Classic Learning Initiatives in 2015 to provide high school students with alternative standardized tests that are rooted in tradition while taking advantage of modern technologies. Featuring passages from great works across a variety of disciplines, the Classical Learning Test (CLT) suite of assessments provides an accurate and rigorous measure of reasoning, aptitude, and academic formation for students from diverse educational backgrounds. Mr. Tate explores the underpinnings of the CLT with ACTA's president, Michael Poliakoff.
2020-09-1830 minHigher Ed NowJeremy Wayne Tate: Unpacking the Classical Learning TestJeremy Wayne Tate founded Classic Learning Initiatives in 2015 to provide high school students with alternative standardized tests that are rooted in tradition while taking advantage of modern technologies. Featuring passages from great works across a variety of disciplines, the Classical Learning Test (CLT) suite of assessments provides an accurate and rigorous measure of reasoning, aptitude, and academic formation for students from diverse educational backgrounds. Mr. Tate explores the underpinnings of the CLT with ACTA's president, Michael Poliakoff.
2020-09-1830 minHigher Ed NowAbigail Thompson: The University's New "Loyalty Oath"Abigail Thompson, Distinguished Professor of Mathematics at the University of California-Davis, drew national attention in December 2019 with her Wall Street Journal op-ed titled “The University’s New Loyalty Oath.” Her bold challenge to the University of California’s use of diversity statements in faculty hiring inspired ACTA to honor her with a Hero of Intellectual Freedom Award. Professor Thompson argued that the rubric for assessing applicants’ diversity statements was not ideologically neutral, and that the hiring process constituted a possible infringement of academic freedom, as well as a threat to intellectual diversity. In this episode, she explores the topic with ACTA's pres...
2020-09-0131 minHigher Ed NowAbigail Thompson: The University's New "Loyalty Oath"Abigail Thompson, Distinguished Professor of Mathematics at the University of California-Davis, drew national attention in December 2019 with her Wall Street Journal op-ed titled "The University's New Loyalty Oath." Her bold challenge to the University of California's use of diversity statements in faculty hiring inspired ACTA to honor her with a Hero of Intellectual Freedom Award. Professor Thompson argued that the rubric for assessing applicants' diversity statements was not ideologically neutral, and that the hiring process constituted a possible infringement of academic freedom, as well as a threat to intellectual diversity. In this episode, she explores the topic with ACTA's p...
2020-09-0131 minHigher Ed NowJohn Katzman: Innovation and Connectivity in the Age of COVID-19John Katzman's trajectory as a groundbreaking educational entrepreneur has included founding The Princeton Review, the online learning company 2U and, most recently, The Noodle Companies, where he serves as CEO. For many years he has been dedicated to making the tools of education ever more innovative, connective, accessible, and effective. He joined ACTA's president, Michael Poliakoff, for a wide-ranging conversation on Zoom.
2020-07-3039 minHigher Ed NowJohn Katzman: Innovative Learning in the Age of COVID-19John Katzman's trajectory as a groundbreaking educational entrepreneur has included founding The Princeton Review, the online learning company 2U and, most recently, The Noodle Companies, where he serves as CEO. For many years he has been dedicated to making the tools of education ever more innovative, connective, accessible, and effective. He joined ACTA's president, Michael Poliakoff, for a wide-ranging conversation on Zoom.
2020-07-3039 minHigher Ed NowPolicing and Race: What College Leaders Can DoStephen Joel Trachtenberg, President Emeritus of The George Washington University, rejoins the podcast to explore higher education's response to the current national crisis around instances of police brutality and the protests against systemic racism. ACTA's president, Michael Poliakoff, kicks off the conversation.
2020-07-0230 minHigher Ed NowStephen Trachtenberg on Policing and Race, and What College Leaders Can DoStephen Joel Trachtenberg, President Emeritus of The George Washington University, rejoins the podcast to explore higher education's response to the current national crisis around instances of police brutality and the protests against systemic racism. ACTA's president, Michael Poliakoff, kicks off the conversation.
2020-07-0230 minHigher Ed NowHank Brown: College Leadership at a Turning PointMichael Poliakoff speaks with former U.S. Senator, Representative, and college president emeritus Hank Brown about immediate steps that colleges and universities must take in meeting the financial and operational crisis they are facing from the COVID 19 pandemic.
2020-06-2528 minHigher Ed NowStephen Trachtenberg: Institutional Shifts Ahead After the PandemicACTA's Michael Poliakoff talks with Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, President Emeritus of the George Washington University about the urgent financial ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic on colleges and universities, their prospects for re-opening, challenges imposed by declining enrollment, and the hard operational decisions that institutions will have to make in coming years.
2020-06-1835 min
Across the StatesA Deep Dive into Higher Education During COVID-19 w/ Armand Alacbay and Dr. Lindsey BurkeOn this episode of Across the States, host Dan Reynolds takes a deep dive into higher education, and how COVID-19 has impacted its landscape with guests Armand Alacbay, Vice President of Trustee & Government Affairs at the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, Lindsey Burke, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Education Policy and Will Skillman Fellow in Education Heritage Foundation and Scott Kauffman, ALEC Director of the Education and Workforce Development Task Force.
Canceling Student Loan Debt Isn’t A Smart or Fair Response to Covid-19: https://www.heritage.org/education/commentary/canceling-student-loan-debt-isnt-smart-or-fair-response-covid-19
Accreditation: Removing th...
2020-05-2922 minHigher Ed NowJohn Ellis: The Breakdown of Higher EducationACTA's Michael Poliakoff explores the erosion of academic freedom in the academy with John M. Ellis, professor emeritus at University of California-Santa Cruz, and the author of The Breakdown of Higher Education: How It Happened, the Damage It Does, and What Can Be Done.
2020-05-0743 minHigher Ed NowBrandon Busteed: Crucial Conversations Amidst the Pandemic CrisisAs the COVID-19 pandemic expands, higher ed leaders, faculty and students are being forced to adapt in real time and rethink the future. Kaplan University Partners president Brandon Busteed joins ACTA's Michael Poliakoff for a wide-ranging discussion about the crucial challenges confronting institutions this fall and for many years to come.
2020-04-0741 minHigher Ed NowEvan Gerstmann: Unpacking the President's Executive Order on Campus Anti-SemitismDo colleges treat anti-Semitism differently from sexism and racism? Evan Gerstmann, professor of political science at Loyola Marymount University, phoned in to talk with ACTA president Michael Poliakoff about his recent Forbes articles that explore this topic.
2020-01-0219 minHigher Ed NowJohn Hillen & Ryan Pemberton: Engaged Citizenship and the Liberal Arts TraditionIn this conversation recorded on Veteran's Day, Michael Poliakoff explores the modern influence of the liberal arts tradition with two of its most dedicated proponents, John Hillen and Ryan Pemberton from Hampden-Sydney College -- an institution with roots linked to the founding of our nation.
2019-12-1354 minHigher Ed NowRick Hess: The National Challenge of Civic Education"What can educators, philanthropists, entrepreneurs, and activists do to create a higher ed ecosystem that's as rich and diverse and intellectually curious as we want our nation to be?" Frederick M. Hess, resident scholar and Director of Education Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, takes a deep dive into the state of civic education with ACTA's President Michael Poliakoff.
2019-11-1445 min
Saturday LiveStephen Hough, Stephen PoliakoffAasmah Mir and the Reverend Richard Coles are joined by the concert pianist and composer Stephen Hough. As an international performer he spends much of his life at airports, on planes and in hotel rooms and he talks about the thoughts and observations he has made during his travels which form his new book Rough Ideas.
Cartoonist Michael Leunig explains how, after an unpromising start, he discovered he could draw and became Australia's 'national living treasure' thanks to his popular characters, Mr Curly, Vasco Pyjama and the Duck. Michael is appearing at the Greenbelt Festival in Northamptonshire later this...
2019-08-031h 24Higher Ed NowMeaningful Professions, Meaningful Lives: Dr. Fred Beuttler and the Liberal ArtsIs there really a disjunct between the world of the practical and the world of the liberal arts? Dr. Fred Beuttler, guiding light of the Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies of the University of Chicago, certainly doesn't think so. In this episode he returns to ACTA for an illuminating conversation with Michael Poliakoff.
2019-08-0238 minHigher Ed NowWallace Hall: Unpacking the College Admissions ScandalBack in 2011, Wallace Hall was sounding alarms about admissions wrongdoings at the University of Texas System, where he served as Regent. His activism drew blistering criticism and brought him to the brink of impeachment -- until 2015, when an investigation fully validated his claims. In light of global headlines about the college admissions scandal, Hall's stance is regarded as heroic. In a conversation at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, he shared an inside view with ACTA's Michael Poliakoff.
2019-07-2437 minHigher Ed NowDemystifying Accreditation with Third WayMany 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.
2018-01-3046 min
Private PassionsStephen PoliakoffStephen Poliakoff made his mark as a playwright very early; he began writing plays as a schoolboy and got first review in The Times when he was only seventeen. At the age of twenty-four he became writer in residence at the National Theatre and he's also written for the RSC. But it's as a television scriptwriter and director that Poliakoff is now best-known, with series such as "Shooting the Past", "Dancing on the Edge" and recently, "Close to the Enemy". Some of our very greatest actors - Maggie Smith, Lindsey Duncan, Timothy Spall - have queued up to work...
2017-09-2433 min