PROMOTINGAcademic Excellence
FEATURED INITIATIVE What Will They Learn?

What Will They Learn?

The search for the right college can be overwhelming. Unfortunately, most rankings don’t tell you what matters most: what students are learning. This resource does tell you, by grading colleges and universities on their core requirements in seven areas of knowledge.
THE LATEST

ACTA in the News Civic Literacy University Innovation in the Buckeye State?
ACTA in the News Rising Tuition Some colleges cost $95,000 per year, and they’re only getting more expensive. Here’s why
The Forum Liberal Arts In Memoriam: Benno C. Schmidt, Jr.
DEFENDINGAcademic Freedom
FEATURED INITIATIVE Campus Freedom Initiative

Campus Freedom Initiative

Free expression is the necessary precondition for the unfettered search for truth on the college campus. Learn how to build a culture of free expression at your institution through ACTA’s Campus Freedom Initiative™.
THE LATEST

ACTA in the News Freedom of Expression Are Austin’s Campuses Protecting Free Speech?
ACTA in the News Freedom of Expression When Arizona universities force diversity and inclusion, they get neither
The Forum Religious Freedom Religious Freedom & Dual Enrollment: A Minnesota Case
ENSURINGAccountability
FEATURED INITIATIVE How colleges Spend Money

How Colleges Spend Money

ACTA’s one-of-a-kind higher education financial analysis tool, HowCollegesSpendMoney.com, makes it possible for institutions to evaluate their spending patterns and benchmark themselves against their peers.
THE LATEST

ACTA in the News Civic Literacy University Innovation in the Buckeye State?
ACTA in the News Rising Tuition Some colleges cost $95,000 per year, and they’re only getting more expensive. Here’s why
ACTA in the News Freedom of Expression When Arizona universities force diversity and inclusion, they get neither
DONATE
GET UPDATES

STAFF

staff-bio-image

staff-bio-image

Nick Down

Associate Director of External Affairs

Nick works closely with ACTA’s Chief of Staff & Senior Vice President of Strategy Armand Alacbay to monitor developing trends in higher education and public policy and determine appropriate responses. Nick also assists the Trustee & Government Affairs department with matters of trustee communications, public outreach, and by contributing to ACTA’s publications. Before joining ACTA, Nick worked on Capitol Hill as a seasoned Legislative Assistant for his hometown Congressman and then as an advocate for the tugboat, towboat, and barge industry. He obtained his Master of Public Administration from Rutgers University in 2017, and a B.A. in Political Science from Rowan University in 2012. In his spare time, Nick enjoys bowling, reading, and spending time with his wife and their pets.