New York, NY, June 2, 2020 — The National Association of Scholars (NAS) has acquired ownership of the webzine Minding the Campus (MTC), a popular forum for commentary on American higher education. Minding the Campus was founded by the distinguished journalist John Leo in 2007. Initially supported by the Manhattan Institute, the webzine became independent in 2015. For the last five years MTC has been a stand-alone non-profit 501(c)3 organization with its own board of directors.
NAS, founded in 1987, is a non-profit membership organization devoted to upholding the standards of a liberal arts education. NAS and MTC have worked together frequently. When its board recently decided to close MTC, it recognized NAS as a body that could continue John Leo’s work and preserve the legacy of thousands of historically important essays.
NAS and MTC quickly reached an agreement with the enthusiastic support of both their boards of directors. NAS plans to continue Minding the Campus as a website distinct from NAS’s own website, and hopes to maintain the wide circle of contributors and supporters that have made MTC a significant presence in American higher education.
John Leo said, “We are thrilled to have such a prestigious new home for Minding the Campus. The National Association of Scholars, under the leadership of Peter Wood, was our first choice to continue the important work of reforming higher education.”
Peter Wood, president of the NAS, said, “We are honored to be chosen to carry on the magnificent work done by John Leo. Minding the Campus has stood alone for in-depth analysis and commentary on higher education. It has welcomed important authors who have been routinely shut out of the mainstream media and it has upheld a standard of deeply informed, high-quality writing. NAS aspires to live up to this legacy.”
The National Association of Scholars also publishes a quarterly journal, Academic Questions, its own website (www.nas.org), podcasts, webinars, and numerous stand-alone research reports such as The Lost History of Western Civilization, Outsourced to China, and Social Justice Education in America.
