Editor's Note: this article was originally published on Minding the Campus and is cross-posted here with permission.
The National Association of Scholars (NAS) mourns the loss of Adam Andrzejewski, the visionary Founder and CEO of OpenTheBooks.
Adam was a friend to the National Association of Scholars. He inspired our vigorous use of freedom of information requests to pry important information from public universities that are often reluctant to divulge facts that belong to the public. Fifteen years ago, Adam left behind a successful business career to champion the cause of government accountability. His brainchild, OpenTheBooks, set new benchmarks for transparency by capturing and publishing disclosed spending at all government levels—federal, state, and local. Under his stewardship, OpenTheBooks became a potent instrument for public accountability, shaping legislative actions, garnering tens of thousands of media mentions, instigating numerous Congressional hearings, and making history by unveiling the California state checkbook for the first time in U.S. history.
Adam’s commitment to transparency was not confined to the government; it extended to higher education. In late 2022, for example, he reported that 11 federally funded Middle East Studies Centers at American universities were propagating anti-West ideologies. These centers, each receiving $260,000 in Title VI funding, had deviated from their educational mission to focus on social issues like Islamophobia and critical race theory, even influencing K–12 education. Adam was also a keynote speaker at NAS’s conference, “Capitol Ideas: Government Overreach and Higher Education” at Grove City College in August 2018.
In his passing, America lost a tireless champion of governmental constraint and a fierce advocate of holding both elected leaders and bureaucrats culpable for waste, graft, and all manner of financial misfeasance.
As we reflect on Adam’s legacy, we are reminded of the transformative power of transparency and the imperative to continue his vital work. His vision of a transparency revolution endures through the dedicated team at OpenTheBooks and all those inspired by his work. We are confident that his guiding principles will continue to shape the organization he founded and that his legacy will remain a lasting force for reform.
During this profoundly difficult time, we extend our deepest condolences to his wife, Kerry, his daughters, and the entire OpenTheBooks team.
Photo of Adam Andrzejewski at NAS’s conference, “Capitol Ideas: Government Overreach and Higher Education” at Grove City College in August 2018.
