Since 2003, the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal has championed excellence in higher education. Our mission is to prioritize knowledge over credentials, revive genuine liberal learning, and ensure that public investment in higher education benefits students, taxpayers, and society. As we mark 20 years of renewal in higher education—both in North Carolina and beyond—we reflect on our journey and achievements.
Our story begins in the mid-1990s as a small outpost at the John Locke Foundation with just one employee. In 2003, we became an independent nonprofit organization, the John W. Pope Center for Higher Education Policy, and in 2016, we adopted our current name, the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal. Despite these changes, our goals have remained steadfast: to renew the promise of higher education and ensure that colleges and universities provide value to students and citizens.
Our impact has been particularly significant in North Carolina. Over the years, our efforts have led to major policy victories that have improved higher education for students and taxpayers across the country. Some of our most notable accomplishments include:
- Inspiring New University Policies: We have influenced policies on institutional neutrality, student fees, performance funding, transparency, and partisan activities.
- Testifying Before Congress: Our contributions have informed discussions in Washington, D.C., on student loans and grants.
- Shaping Legislation: We have informed legislation on free speech, students’ religious freedom, board governance, and viewpoint diversity, both in North Carolina and beyond.
- Writing Model Legislation: We have drafted model legislation to end political litmus tests, which has been used nationwide.
- Ending Discrimination: We have filed complaints with the Office for Civil Rights to end discrimination against men in North Carolina universities.
- Holding Schools Accountable: We have held schools of education accountable for teaching the science of literacy to North Carolina’s future teachers.
- Exposing Wasteful Spending: We have exposed wasteful and politicized university spending, informing North Carolina’s budget priorities, including strategic cuts to higher education.
- Promoting Free Speech: We have helped make the UNC System the best in the country for student speech protections.
Our work on free speech at North Carolina universities stands out. When we began, every school in the UNC System had at least one unconstitutional speech restriction, none had adopted commitments to free speech, and “institutional neutrality” was an unfamiliar concept. Today, North Carolina leads the nation in campus free speech. In 2017, the North Carolina General Assembly passed a free-speech bill. Most institutions now receive a “green light” from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, and the UNC Board of Governors has prohibited compelled speech. North Carolina has become a national model for campus free speech, and we take pride in our role in this transformation.
Our success is built on the dedication of our phenomenal board, committed staff, loyal donors, and passionate activists who care deeply about students and the transmission of knowledge to future generations. We are grateful to our allies in North Carolina and across the country who have joined us in creating meaningful change.
As we celebrate this milestone, we look forward to achieving more together in the future. Thank you for being part of our journey.
