The Association of American Colleges & Universities

THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN COLLEGE The Value of Liberal Education in a Post-COVID-19 World By Lynn Pasquerella, President I n 1915, amidst the changing landscape of American higher education, 150 college leaders gathered in Chicago to form the Association of American Colleges. Founded on the values of inclusiveness and interconnectedness, the Association served as a forum for championing the primacy of liberal education at a time when it was considered under threat due to the rise of public universities. Dedicated to “learning the truth about the colleges, telling the truth about the colleges, making better colleges,” AAC served as a compelling voice and force for quality liberal education. From its inception, AAC welcomed as members both liberal arts colleges and colleges of arts and sciences within public universities. However, in 1995, the Association took the critical step of changing its name to the Association of American Colleges and Universities to reflect an increasingly diverse institutional membership. The transition from AAC to AAC&U coincided with a growing emphasis on issues of equity and quality in higher education, and, in support of AT A GLANCE THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES WHAT: A national association focused on improving undergraduate and liberal education WHERE: Washington, DC WEBSITE: www.aacu.org