Associated Colleges of the Midwest ACM

Overview

The Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM) is a non‑profit educational consortium headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, uniting 14 private residential liberal arts colleges in the U.S. Midwest. Created in 1958, ACM’s purpose is to enrich liberal arts education and to strengthen member colleges through wide-ranging collaboration in academics, student programs, professional development and shared services.

According to uniRank, ACM serves over 23,000 students and nearly 1,700 faculty across five Midwest states and is widely recognized for enhancing the quality of campus life and liberal arts learning through joint programming and institutional support.

History and Legal Framework

Founded in 1958, the Associated Colleges of the Midwest emerged from a shared vision of member institutions seeking collective impact in undergraduate liberal arts education. Its original members—Beloit, Lawrence, Ripon, Coe, Cornell, Grinnell, Carleton, St. Olaf, Knox and Monmouth Colleges—formed the group to undertake initiatives beyond the reach of any single college.

ACM is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization under Illinois law and relies on its own governance rather than legislative mandate. As a voluntary association of independent colleges, it operates under bylaws adopted and periodically revised by its member presidents.

Mission, Vision and Objectives

Mission: The Associated Colleges of the Midwest enriches residential liberal arts education and strengthens members through collaboration.

Vision: ACM seeks to champion accessible, equitable and transformative liberal education through coordinated professional development, research and innovation—enabling member institutions to achieve together what none could accomplish alone.

Strategic Objectives (2025–2030):

• Leadership: Cultivate capacity and leadership in faculty and staff across member campuses.
• Alignment: Synchronize programming and data infrastructure to support collective institutional effectiveness.
• Collective Impact: Multiply resources and impact through joint grant making, convening and shared services.

Governance, Structure and Independence

ACM is governed by a Board of Directors composed of presidents from each member college. The Board rotates leadership through roles such as Chair and Vice Chair—often held by presidents from Macalester College, Lawrence Universityor similar members. The Board sets policy, approves the strategic framework and reviews key performance metrics.

An Executive Committee of college leaders manages budget and operational priorities. The ACM Secretariat, based in Chicago, executes plans under the direction of a President (currently Lisa Jasinski) and a professional staff responsible for programming, partnerships and day‑to‑day coordination. Because members collectively fund ACM and retain ultimate control, the organization remains independent of state and federal regulation.

Accreditation and Quality Evaluation Role in Higher Education

ACM is not an accrediting agency. Instead, it plays an important support role in quality enhancement through:

• Institutional research & assessment support: Shared benchmarks and peer data help colleges evaluate outcomes like retention, graduation, post‑graduate placement and civic readiness.
• High‑impact practice spread: Initiatives such as collaborative internship networks, writing‑across‑the‑major programs and digital humanities labs encourage shared excellence.
• Grant‑funded innovation: With over $45 million raised across multiple decades, ACM pilots initiatives in equity, sustainable practices, faculty development and curricular experimentation—scalable across member campuses.

International Cooperation and Network Memberships

ACM promotes global engagement primarily through its international study away programs, which allow students from any member campus to study in Botswana, Brazil, Costa Rica, India, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, Tanzania and Western Europe. All programs are embedded within a liberal arts framework, emphasizing civic engagement and global understanding.

ACM maintains partnerships with peer consortia such as the Great Lakes Colleges Association (GLCA), the Consortium of Liberal Arts Colleges (CLAC) and New York Six, coordinating shared professional development, college fair logistics and college counselor institutes regionally and nationally.

Current or Future Impact on Higher Education

Today, ACM continues to multiply the impact of its members through coordinated initiatives that expand reach and deepen quality at scale. ACM programming supports:

• Cross‑campus professional development through fellowships and institutes for faculty, staff and leadership.
• Equity and inclusion through targeted funding and consortium‑wide equity cohorts.
• Collaborative outcomes data systems that inform institutional planning and improvement.
• Enhanced national visibility and advocacy for the value of residential liberal arts education in the Midwest.

With its 2025–2030 strategic framework as a roadmap, ACM is poised to launch future collective ventures in digital infrastructure, climate resilience in higher education and expanded interdisciplinary programming across member colleges.

Summary

The Associated Colleges of the Midwest is a unique and impactful consortium of 14 private liberal arts colleges. Founded in 1958, its mission is to enrich residential liberal arts education through collaboration, professional development, research and shared resources. While not an accrediting body, ACM plays a vital role in promoting institutional effectiveness and liberal arts excellence. Governed by college presidents and led by professional staff in Chicago, ACM remains a nimble and independent force for collective innovation. Its growing programs and upcoming strategic ambitions position it as a leader in sustaining liberal education at scale.

FAQs

• What is the Associated Colleges of the Midwest? ACM is a consortium of 14 private residential liberal arts colleges in the U.S. Midwest, working together in academics, administration and student life.
• When and why was ACM founded? Founded in 1958 by a group of Midwest liberal arts colleges, ACM was created to enable initiatives that small institutions could not mount alone.
• What is the mission of ACM? Its mission is to enrich residential liberal arts education and strengthen member colleges through collaboration.
• Does ACM accredit colleges? No. ACM supports institutional quality through shared assessment practices and programmatic excellence rather than accreditation.
• Which colleges are members? As of 2025, members include Beloit, Carleton, Coe, Colorado, Cornell, Grinnell, Knox, Lake Forest, Lawrence, Luther, Macalester, Monmouth, Ripon and St. Olaf Colleges.
• Where is ACM headquartered? ACM’s Secretariat is based in Chicago, Illinois.
• Who governs ACM? A Board of Directors, made up of member college presidents, governs ACM; daily operations are managed by a professional staff and President of ACM.
• How does ACM benefit students and faculty? ACM runs study away programs, faculty development fellowships, research grants and consortial services that expand opportunities and strengthen education quality.

Organization Name

Associated Colleges of the Midwest

Acronym

ACM

Year of Establishment

1/01/1958

Control Type

Private

Entity Type

Non-Profit

Geo Focus and Coverage

Local or Regional

Recognized by

n.a.

Affiliations or Memberships

n.a.

Number of Member Universities or Accredited Institutions

14

Address

205 W. Wacker Drive Suite 220
Chicago
60606 Illinois United States

Phone

+1 (312) 263 5000

Fax

List of universities that are members of Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM):

Colorado

• Colorado College

Iowa

• Coe College
• Cornell College
• Grinnell College
• Luther College

Illinois

• Knox College
• Lake Forest College
• Monmouth College

Minnesota

• Carleton College
• Macalester College
• St. Olaf College

Wisconsin

• Beloit College
• Lawrence University
• Ripon College

Official Social Media Channels

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YouTube

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Wikipedia Article

Associated Colleges of the Midwest's Wikipedia article

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