Project Overview

An increasing number of research disciplines and industry leaders embrace big data approaches as they pursue research questions and project development. However, the methods used to assemble large datasets, and their applications in decision-making contexts, challenge existing ethical paradigms for data management, data integrity, human subject protections, and data use. In many fields, for example, aggregating data from different sources can make privacy protections for human subjects more complex, and raise questions about data ownership. Unfortunately, current attempts to identify and address these challenges are often focused within specific disciplines or corporate settings and offer little opportunity to integrate these evolving ethical concerns within master's and doctoral programs. 

To address the increasing use of big data in graduate student research and to prepare graduate deans as leaders in graduate training within their institutions, CGS and its partner, PERVADE (“Pervasive Data Ethics for Computational Research”), received funding from the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) and Elsevier to host a virtual workshop April 12-14, 2021. This workshop convened thought leaders from the big data ethics community and graduate deans from research-intensive institutions.  The goals of the workshop were to identify ways graduate deans can augment and influence the training of graduate students in meeting the challenges of using big data methods in their research. Workshop goals included identifying specific ethical challenges that arise from the use of big data methods in graduate student research, critiquing existing resources for training, identifying potential levers for change, and formulating strategies for deploying and embedding resources for big data ethics within the RCR training curriculum. A workshop summary report will be released in September 2021.

Press Release

CGS and PERVADE to Convene Thought Leaders on Ethical Issues in Big Data Research

Conference Resources
 

Recordings for each of the three plenary sessions are available to view at the links below. Brief descriptions of each plenary are included under the session title.

• "The Challenge of Training in Big Data Ethics: Why is it Hard?" by Michael Zimmer (Marquette University)

The use of big databases and sophisticated data analytics has allowed detailed insight into a substantial variety of human activities. The development of these resources and adoption of these approaches has become widespread among both commercial and academic research enterprises.  In this presentation, Dr. Zimmer points out that accumulating data about people is easy and pervasive, yet there are no widely-used standards to insure individual privacy, consent for human subjects research, or assessment of the potential harms that may result. Dr. Zimmer provides some potential targets for better training of graduate students and other researchers in the ethical use of these methods and resources.

• "The Challenge of Training in Big Data Ethics: What Resources are Available or are Needed?" by Casey Fiesler (University of Colorado)

What are the resources that are available or that are needed as we engage graduate students in considering the pitfalls and potential biases that may exist in the collection and use of big data sets in research? In this keynote, Dr. Fiesler described these resources and the challenges to introducing them effectively within disciplinary training.  Her thesis is that embedding ethics discussions and activities within the academic training for researchers in many domains integrates these issues within a disciplinary context and prevents the siloing of “ethics” from research.  Dr. Fiesler suggests a set of priorities for faculty and other leaders as they identify opportunities within the graduate training curriculum to engage students in ethical concerns. 

• "Expanding Graduate Training in RCR: Big Data Ethics" by Thomas Jeitschko (Michigan State University)

Research integrity is fundamental to scholarship and creative work. Training in academic integrity should affirm and emphasize best practices, not just compliance and rule following. Ethics training should include content and examples that embed the training within the professional standards of the discipline.  Big data is increasingly used in many disciplines and the ethical use of these methods present the additional challenges of biased data, unanticipated harms that may arise from data release, and undercutting privacy concerns of individuals.  Dr. Jeitschko summarizes these potential issues and ways to engage faculty and other leaders in discussing how to address them in graduate student training within and across disciplines.

Visit the Elsevier website to access several relevant reports:

• Artificial Intelligence:  How knowledge is created, transferred, and used
• Research Futures: Drivers and scenarios for the next decade
• Gender Report 2020 - The Researcher Journey Through a Gender Lens
• The Power of Data to Advance the SDGs:  Mapping research for the Sustainable Development Goals
• Future of Research insight report

Sponsored by

Employer Roundtable Meeting Presentations

• October 4, 2019 - Washington, DC

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The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), an association of nearly 500 universities that grant graduate
degrees, recognizes that diversity, equity, access, and inclusion are critical to the excellence of graduate
education.

Supporting diversity and inclusion in graduate education is both an economic and a moral imperative.
For a nation to prosper, drive innovation, ensure sustainability and maximize impact, its universities
must draw from a broad pool of students with the ability, curiosity, and motivation to complete a
graduate degree. In the United States, as in many countries, the progress we are making toward this
goal is steady, but slow. In order to accelerate progress, universities, funding bodies, and policymakers
must work together to develop policies and practices that help attract, retain, and support the success
of all students, and especially those from populations historically underrepresented in graduate
education.

As we pursue this goal, it is important to recognize that opportunities to learn and work in diverse
environments are essential to the preparation of all students. As countries and economies become
increasingly connected, it is imperative that all students have an equitable opportunity to think,
communicate, and collaborate both locally and globally. Given the compelling evidence that diverse
teams produce better innovations and results,¹ diverse communities will be best positioned to solve
problems of local and global scope.

Excellence depends on not only access, but the creation of communities that are inclusive – valuing
difference and promoting a sense of belonging. Toward this end, graduate schools and graduate
programs must clearly state their commitments to advancing diversity, equity, access, and inclusion,
making it clear that these values support the achievement and engagement of all students. Graduate
programs, graduate schools, and the universities of which they are a part must closely examine evidence
of what is measured, valued, and rewarded. Along with funders of graduate education, they must also
invest time and resources in better understanding the policies and practices that favor diversity and
inclusion.

By upholding these four broad principles—diversity, equity, access, and inclusion—all graduate
students, as well as their programs, communities, and nations stand to benefit.

On December 19, the Senate passed a pair of spending bills that cleared the House of Representatives two days prior. Totaling approximately $1.4 trillion, the bills are the result of negotiations between House and Senate leadership at the cusp of an impending continuing resolution (CR) deadline. The current CR expires on December 20, giving President Trump a narrow window to sign the spending deal into law. H.R. 1865, which encompasses eight of the twelve appropriations bills, provides funding for major domestic programs, including higher education, research, and scholarship. Its counterpart, H.R. 1158, includes support for other programs and agencies of interest, particularly with regard to federal research funding streams.

“CGS commends both the House and Senate for reaching this agreement, which would not have been possible without bipartisan efforts in both chambers of Congress. The proposed increases for student financial aid for both graduate and undergraduate students is paramount. Equally critical are the increases to several agencies that provide funding for research conducted at our member institutions.” said Suzanne T. Ortega, president of the Council of Graduate Schools.

Visit CGS’s FY 2020 Appropriations Funding Chart to view proposed levels for individual programs. Please note this is updated as information becomes available. Subscribe to CGS’s Washington Insights & Highlights to receive more information about this and other pressing issues.  

The Council of Graduate Schools doesn’t have specific information on which graduate programs require training in pedagogy. But it has long promoted the idea that graduate programs should provide students the tools they need to be teachers in various capacities -- including at different institution types -- through the Preparing Future Faculty initiative (of which Springfield College is part).

Final Program

Meeting Dates and Location
December 4-7, 2019
Omni Nashville Hotel
Nashville, TN

With nearly 700 meeting registrants, this year's annual meeting was our most successful yet! Annual meeting participants explored varied and important issues in graduate education. Participants—graduate deans; associate and assistant deans; faculty and staff from colleges/universities; association, federal and state agency, and other education-related administrators; graduate students, and others interested in graduate education—enjoyed a unique forum where they met leaders in their field and exchanged ideas and information.

Selected PowerPoint presentations from the 2019 CGS 59th Annual Meeting are below. Presentations are in chronological order by each category. Presentations are offered as Adobe Acrobat PDF files.

Pre-Meeting Workshop Presentations

Governance and Organization: Building Relationships and Synergies for Any Organizational Structure
Lisa Krissoff Boehm, Karen Butler-Purry, and Scott Lanyon

Recruitment Strategies for the Heartland
James Ahern, Jeni Hart, and Ranjit Koodali

Innovations in Master’s Education
Bonnie Ferri, Robin Garrell, and Scott Herness

Supporting Returning Students
Alfredo Artiles, JoAnn Canales, Kellie Cude, and Latha Ramakrishnan

Responding to Sexual Harassment and Bullying
Suzanne Adair, Wendy Smith, and James Wimbush

Review of Graduate Programs: Master’s and Doctoral
Peter Harries, Joanne Romagni, and Robert Wojtowicz

Monitoring and Managing Graduate Student Debt
David Berkowitz, Carol Genetti, and Barbara Knuth

Master’s Level Enrollment Management
Andrea Golato, Ryan Hendrickson, and Maribeth Watwood

Promoting Graduate Student Mental Health
Emma Dench, Frances Leslie, and Mark Wallace

Using Video to Tell the Stories of Graduate Education
Kelly Burke, Karen Hanson and Mitch Watsky

Recruiting and Supporting Undocumented Graduate Students: Creating Your Institutional Toolkit
Miriam Feldblum, Sara Xayarath Hernandez, and Marjorie Zatz

Plenary I

Concurrent Sessions Presentations

High Impact Practices for Online/Hybrid Master’s Programs
Cheryl Addy, Terri Camesano, and Samantha Langley

How Two Institutions Evaluated, Implemented and Launched a Centralized, Online Graduate Application — Sponsored by Liaison International
Judy Chappealer, David Daleke, and Alycia Mosley-Austin

Supporting Diversity in Graduate Education: Resources for a Global Context
Karen Butler-Purry, Alexander Hasgall, Susan Porter, and Adham Ramadan

Graduate Student Work/Life Balance
Suzanne Barbour, Daniel Kleinman, and Tammi Vacha-Haase

Plenary II

Art with Impact: An Afternoon with Ann Patchett
Ann Patchett

Concurrent Sessions Presentations

Building an Inclusive Climate and Interculturally-Competent Community
Lisa Gloss and M.J.T. Smith

Dealing with the Anti-Mentor
Karen Colley and Sherri Irvin

Implementing Best Practices in Master’s Admissions
Lisa Armistead and Jerry Weinberg

Plenary IIl

Concurrent Sessions Presentations

How to Increase Enrollment by Better Understanding Prospective Graduate Students — Sponsored by EAB
Kevin Shriner and Maribeth Watwood

Supporting PhD Transitions into the Workforce
Wojtek Chodzko-Zajko, Elizabeth Dolan, and Phillip Trella

Quality in Domestic Joint and Dual Master’s Degrees
John Keller, Michael Keynes, and Victor Prybutok

Working with Nature: Strengthen Your Institution’s Published Output and International Profile — Sponsored by Nature Research
Andrea Aguilar

Lightning Round Sessions Presentations

Understanding and Leveraging International Master’s Student Funding — Sponsored by Prodigy Finance
Molly Dineen and Ian Wright

A Strategic Approach to Developing a Robust Online Program Portfolio — Sponsored by Wiley Education Services
David Capranos

Plenary IV

Higher Education 2030: Building Student-Centered Learning Eco-Systems — LaPidus Lecture
Paul LeBlanc

Concurrent Sessions Presentations

Innovative Competency Based Degrees
Jeffrey Buck, Tony Farrell, and Joy Henrich

CRM for Graduate Admissions: Your Key to Student and Faculty Success -- Sponsored by Salesforce.org
Kathryn Korgan and Olivia Nash

Approaches to Teamwork Training
Susan Cozzens, Wayne T. McCormack, and Linda Schaffner

Supporting Graduate Students in Need
Karen DePauw, Annette Kluck, and Robbie Melton

Plenary V

Increasing the Participation of Students of Color in Graduate Education: It’s About Faculty Mentorship
Linda DeAngelo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Katherine Hazelrigg (202) 461-3888 / khazelrigg@cgs.nche.edu

Washington, DC – The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) Board of Directors has announced its officers for the 2020 term. CGS is governed by a 12-member Board of Directors drawn from member institutions. Board members serve for set terms.

Dr. Sally Pratt, vice provost for graduate programs at the University of Southern California, was announced as the 2020 Board Chair at the conclusion of the 2019 CGS Annual Meeting. Appointed vice provost in 2010, Pratt is also a professor in the department of Slavic languages and literatures. She has served as dean of Academic Programs in USC Dornsife College and president of the College Faculty Council and the Academic Senate. Under Pratt’s leadership, a system of PhD Program Progress Data was implemented, and she established a group called Friends of the Graduate School comprised of representatives from academic departments, financial aid, campus security, health services, and other offices. She is interested in a variety of topics, including student wellness, increasing diversity in graduate study, academic professional development, ways of addressing sexual misconduct, and the nature and use of the PhD degree.

“CGS is honored to have Dr. Pratt’s expertise during this important time in graduate education. She has provided exceptional leadership during her tenure at USC and her expertise, particularly in PhD career pathways and student mental health and wellbeing, will help advance CGS’ mission to meet the evolving needs of our member institutions,” said CGS President Suzanne T. Ortega.

The new Chair-elect, Dr. Andrew G. Campbell serves as the dean of the Graduate School at Brown University. Appointed to his role in 2016, Campbell is also professor of Medical Science in the Division of Biology & Medicine at Brown. He has taught and advised Brown undergraduate and graduate students since his faculty appointment began in 1994. He has received many honors, including the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, American Foundations for AIDS Research Investigator Award, and Brown’s Presidential Award for Excellence in Faculty Governance. Campbell is PI and Co-PI for two National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants and leads the NIH-funded Initiative to Maximize Student Development in Brown’s Division of Biology and Medicine, a program to improve recruiting and performance of URM students in doctoral programs.

Beginning their three-year terms on the board on January 1, 2020, are Dr. Suzanne Barbour, dean of The Graduate School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. H. Dele Davies, senior vice chancellor for academic affairs and dean for graduate studies at the University of Nebraska Medical Center; and Dr. Thomas Jeitschko, dean of the Graduate School and associate provost for graduate education at Michigan State University.

Dr. Christopher Sindt, provost and dean of the Graduate School at Lewis University, will remain on CGS’s Executive Committee for one year as immediate past chair.

“Dr. Sindt has provided exceptional leadership during his term as CGS Board Chair,” Ortega said. “He has contributed greatly to the success of graduate students at his own institution and to graduate education more broadly in his efforts to improve career and professional development and student success.”

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Barbara A. Knuth Receives Debra W. Stewart Award for Outstanding Leadership in Graduate Education

The Board of Directors of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has announced that Dr. Barbara A. Knuth, dean of The Graduate School at Cornell University, is the 2019 recipient of the Debra W. Stewart Award for Outstanding Leadership in Graduate Education.

Judith Stoddart Wins Assistant and Associate Deans Leadership Award

The Board of Directors of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has announced that Dr. Judith Stoddart, senior associate dean, The Graduate School at Michigan State University (MSU), is the 2019 Winner of the Assistant and Associate Deans Leadership Award.

Wayne State University Receives ETS/CGS Award for Innovation in Promoting Success in Graduate Education

Today the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) and Educational Testing Service (ETS) presented Wayne State University (WSU) with the 2019 ETS/CGS Award for Innovation in Promoting Success in Graduate Education: From Admission through Completion. Dr. Ingrid Guerra-Lopez, dean of the Graduate School, accepted the co-sponsored award on Wayne State’s behalf during the award ceremony at CGS’s 59^th Annual Meeting in Nashville, TN.

Nasser Mufti Receives 2019 Arlt Award in the Humanities

The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has awarded the 2019 Gustave O. Arlt Award in the Humanities to Dr. Nasser Mufti, associate professor of English at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Winners of 2019 CGS/ProQuest® Distinguished Dissertation Awards Announced

The Council of Graduate Schools / ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards, the nation’s most prestigious honors for doctoral dissertations, were presented to Kishauna E. Soljour and Brian M. Sweis during the Council’s award ceremony at the 59th Annual Meeting in Nashville, TN. Dr. Soljour received her PhD in May 2019 at Syracuse University in history, and Dr. Sweis completed his PhD in 2018 from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities in neuroscience.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                                                             

Contact: Katherine Hazelrigg   (202) 461-3888 / khazelrigg@cgs.nche.edu

Washington, DC – The Board of Directors of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has announced that Dr. Barbara A. Knuth, dean of The Graduate School at Cornell University, is the 2019 recipient of the Debra W. Stewart Award for Outstanding Leadership in Graduate Education. Knuth received the honor at an awards ceremony held during the CGS 59th Annual Meeting in Nashville, TN.

For her invaluable contributions to the Cornell University graduate community, Dr. Knuth becomes the fourth Debra W. Stewart Award recipient. A passionate advocate for graduate education, Dr. Knuth implemented an array of student and program assessment initiatives to foster student success and continual academic program improvement including student and alumni surveys and data transparency dashboards.

During her years as dean, Knuth secured external resources to improve graduate education through multiple awards from NSF, CGS, Teagle, etc. She has fostered an inclusive and holistic approach to graduate student success through supporting programs including My Voice My Story facilitated discussions, Future Professors Institute, NextGen Professors, and Careers Beyond Academia, and is Co-PI on Cornell’s McNair program and PI on Cornell’s AGEP award.

Knuth has been involved in many CGS projects, including Understanding PhD Career Pathways for Program Improvement, Enhancing Student Financial Education and Literacy, and Preparing Future Faculty. She served on the Board of Directors of the Council of Graduate Schools, the GRE Board, the Executive Committee of the Association of Graduate Schools of the Association of American Universities (AAU), the AAU’s PhD Education Initiative Advisory Board, and on the Steering Committee for the Coalition for Next Generation Life Science.

“Barb’s colleagues in the higher education community recognize, as I do, her deep commitment to graduate education and her many leadership skills, including the ability to analyze and bring clarity to complex issues, to inspire staff and students, and to find creative ways to address problems,” said Cornell University Provost Michael I. Kotlikoff. “Dr. Knuth has been an extraordinarily effective leader for the Graduate School, improving accountability for student outcomes and graduate programs, increasing diversity and improving inclusion, and tirelessly advocating on key issues of most concern to graduate education, including immigration reform, financial aid, research support and healthcare coverage. Our university is indebted to Barb for her outstanding service.”

“Barb’s dedication and commitment to bettering the graduate school community is evidenced in many ways including the implementation of a suite of graduate student alumni surveys designed to inform program improvement and transparency regarding graduate outcomes,” said Dr. Christopher Sindt, provost of Lewis University and chair of the Council’s Board of Directors.   In addition, Sindt noted that “Barb is thoughtful, creative, and deeply committed to graduate education, both at the level of federal policy and at the level of each individual student’s welfare and success.”

The award was created in 2016 by the CGS Board of Directors to recognize outstanding leadership in graduate education, and particularly those leadership qualities exemplified by the Council’s fifth President, Debra W. Stewart. The selection committee considers nominees with a strong reputation for ethics and integrity, a history of active participation in the graduate community, and a record of strategic vision and actions resulting in meaningful impacts. Areas of special consideration include evidence-based innovation, program development, diversity and inclusion, student learning and career outcomes, personnel management, policy advocacy in support of graduate education and research, and fiscal responsibility.

Nominees for the award must be a current senior, graduate dean at a CGS member institution (Regular or Associate) and cannot be an active member of the CGS Board of Directors. Nominations are made by CGS member institutions and are reviewed by a selection committee of former graduate deans in the CGS community. The winner receives a $4,000 prize to support continuing innovations at the awardee’s institution.

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