Objectives and Eligibility

The Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences (CCAS), founded in 1965, is a national association of baccalaureate degree-granting colleges of arts and sciences whose purpose is to sustain the arts and sciences as a leading influence in American higher education. The Council serves as a forum for the exchange of ideas and information among deans of arts and sciences representing the member colleges and as a representative of the liberal arts and sciences at a national policy-making level. The Council further seeks to support programs and activities to improve the intellectual stature and public understanding of the disciplines of the arts and sciences.

Arts and sciences colleges represent more than half of the undergraduate instruction offered at their institutions, and many member colleges are responsible for a wide spectrum of master's and doctoral degree programs. CCAS colleges, therefore, represent the largest component of American higher education in publicly and privately supported universities and colleges. The Council is concerned with the problems, possibilities, and interests of these institutions.

Eligibility for membership extends to baccalaureate degree-granting arts and sciences units in accredited universities and colleges, both public and private. The dean of an arts and sciences unit is the voting representative in the Council. Currently, the membership includes nearly 680 deans of colleges of arts and sciences at 444 institutions in the United States, Canada, Kuwait, and  Qatar.  Arts and sciences colleges at a majority of public institutions in the U.S. are Council members, and the number of member units at private colleges and universities, which were extended eligibility for membership in 1988, is increasing rapidly.

Policy is affirmed by the CCAS Board of Directors, which consists of the officers and twelve directors, who serve staggered three-year terms. Election occurs at the Annual Business Meeting in November.