Cultural Contexts of Health and Well-being in Graduate Education

September 1-3, 2019
University of Manchester

The 2019 Summit theme, “Cultural Contexts of Health and Well-being in Graduate Education,” addresses a critical issue that affects graduate education leaders across the world. Several recent studies suggest that graduate students are at greater risk for stress and depression than those of the general population. One study found that 39% of surveyed graduate students suffered from depression, as compared to 6% of the general population. Other work indicates that graduate students’ mental health is more typical for their age groups. Most would agree that they face a range of challenges, including social isolation, imposter syndrome, concerns about job placement, and financial strains. Addressing these concerns while working to destigmatize mental health treatment has become a priority in the graduate education community, but many wonder where to begin.

The 2019 Global Summit on Graduate Education will address the many ways the international graduate education community currently works to support health and well-being in graduate education. We will also consider areas for improvement, including assessing points of intervention, training mentors, cultivating supportive environments, improving access to campus health services, and improving internal reporting structures. In addition, we will examine how individually and collectively we can improve upon these efforts for the benefit of students, universities, and broader communities.

Event Materials:

• Online Proceedings
• Statement of Principles and Practical Actions
• Press Release: University Leaders Issue Statement of Principles and Practical Actions to Promote Graduate Student Mental Health and Wellbeing

The 2019 Summit is generously sponsored by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and ProQuest.

As a doctoral candidate in environmental epidemiology at the University of Wisconsin—Madison, Amy Schultz studies the effects environmental factors have on our health. She is currently a leading research assistant on the CREATE: Cumulative Risks, Early Development, and Emerging Academic Trajectories project, which studies how children develop in their environments and seeks to identify sources of stress in preschool-aged children.

CREATE, a research study conducted by the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW), uses a Language Environment Analysis (LENA) device that measures the number of words spoken between the parent and child to learn more about the child’s role in conversation. In addition, data that measure air quality, noise levels, and stress hormones are collected. While this particular study is small, researchers hope that it will establish the feasibility of conducting larger studies to better understand how children’s environments affect their learning and development. More information about how noise, air quality, and other environmental factors affect children’s health and development will help experts determine whether to develop interventions.

In developing the protocol for CREATE, Schultz took on a lot of responsibility, including training staff members and managing large amounts of data. “I learned a lot about how to efficiently train and prepare for going in the field, and then also I’ve learned how to be flexible and adapt, to be open to trial and error,” Shultz said. To learn more about Amy’s work visit the University of Wisconsin—Madison website.

Visit the GradImpact Feature Gallery to learn more about the amazing, innovative research being done by graduate students and alumni across the world.

The Council of Graduate Schools has released its 2019-2020 Federal Policy Agenda, outlining CGS's federal policy principales and priorities impacting graduate education.

These include: 

• Preparing a 21st Century Workforce by Investing in Graduate Education

• Improving Tax Policies to Support Graduate Students, Employers, and Employees

• Strengthening the U.S. Role in the Global Community 

• Advancing Research and Innovation

• Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

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

Washington, DC — The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has announced that Charles Ambler, currently associate provost and dean of the Graduate School at The University of Texas at El Paso, has been named the CGS Dean-in-Residence for 2019-2020.  Ambler has long been an advocate for diversity in graduate education, serving as a director of the McNair Scholars program at El Paso and leading a National Science Foundation (NSF) Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) grant in collaboration with Howard University. He is a member of the boards of CGS and the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).

The CGS Dean-in-Residence program was created to infuse a campus-based perspective across a variety of the Council’s initiatives. The program offers an opportunity for graduate deans, associate, or assistant deans at member institutions to spend an academic year at CGS’s Washington D.C. office. Each year the CGS president selects one applicant to pursue projects aligned with the dean’s interests and the Council’s needs.

Dr. Ambler, a historian of Africa who has had visiting scholar appointments at universities in Africa and the United Kingdom, will help the Council build strategic relationships with graduate education leaders in sub-Saharan Africa. This work will support CGS’s broader goals of supporting diversity and inclusion and helping CGS members internationalize their campuses.

“Dr. Ambler has spent his academic career dedicated to student success, mentoring, and ensuring access to quality graduate education,” said CGS President Suzanne T. Ortega. “His expertise and leadership in African studies will help CGS members better understand the evolving place of sub-Saharan Africa in the global graduate education landscape.”

In accepting the appointment, Ambler noted that working at CGS represents “an exciting opportunity to combine my deep interests in both graduate studies and international education. The Council is an essential resource for anyone interested in graduate education, and I look forward to contributing to its mission.”

Ambler received his Ph.D. from Yale University and is author or editor of four books. In 2010, he served as president of the African Studies Association, the major professional organization for scholars, teachers, and practitioners with interests in Africa. He has served as dean at El Paso for fifteen years, during a period when UT El Paso reached R1 status. He will step down from the dean’s role and the CGS board in July; his Dean-in-Residence position begins on August 1.

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On Friday, March 8, CGS’s Vice President of Public Policy and Government Affairs, Lauren Inouye, participated in a roundtable convened by the White House. Invited attendees included representatives from higher education associations, employers, and universities. The discussion centered on F-1, M-1, and J-1 International Students and policies impacting them. Executive branch officials present for the discussion included senior advisors from the Domestic Policy Council, U.S. Departments of State, Homeland Security, Labor, Education, and the National Science Foundation. CGS is working with other higher education organizations to provide follow-up recommendations to the White House emphasizing the importance of the international student pipeline.

As an advocate for women and diversity in the science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) fields, Rebecca Long hopes to encourage more women to go into these areas. “It’s really important for me to encourage more women,” Long said. “We need diverse people in these fields to take the world forward.” Long received her M.S. in computer science from Eastern Washington University in 2013 and in 2017, she founded a non-profit organization, Future Ada, which aims to secure space for women and non-binary individuals in STEAM fields.

Named after renowned mathematician and computer programmer Ada Lovelace, the organization promotes inclusion, diversity, and collaboration in STEAM. One of Future Ada’s primary drivers is to ensure “the people we are solving problems for are also given a chance to be represented in the problem-solving process.” Future Ada offers community programs, including career mentoring, a privacy and security workshop, a women in tech interview workshop.

Long’s drive to make STEAM more inclusive is not limited to her work on Future Ada, however. She is involved in several other organizations with related missions, including “Write/Speak/Code and the Spokane Area National Organization for Women. “I realized that just my efforts alone aren’t enough,” she noted. “I felt a strong need in the community to mentor more people, to have workshops and training, to put together a bigger effort of support for women and minorities. We want to make all of our STEAM fields in Spokane inclusive and diverse.” To learn more about Rebecca’s work visit the Eastern Washington University website.

Visit the GradImpact Feature Gallery to learn more about the amazing, innovative research being done by graduate students and alumni across the world.

There have been several changes to our processes regarding the April 15 Resolution, starting in Fall 2020. Click here for a PDF version of the FAQ. 

Can a program establish a deadline for acceptance of an offer of admission to a graduate program before April 15, if there is no offer of financial support?

If there is no offer of financial support stated or implied by the offer of admission (such as the promise to be considered for a teaching assistant position), an admission offer deadline before April 15 is permissible.  The April 15 Resolution only applies to offers of financial support.

If a signatory institution requires acceptance of an offer of admission and financial support before April 15 for the Fall term, what should an applicant or other program that may also have extended an offer of admission to the applicant do?

Advice for applicants: 

• Typically, graduate programs will include a statement in any letter of admission with financial support that they adhere to the terms of the April 15 Resolution.  If there is no statement in the letter of admission, applicants should ask the program if they abide by the April 15 Resolution. 
• Not all graduate programs adhere to the April 15 Resolution.  For example, there could be some Master’s or PhD programs that are not within the purview of the Graduate School and its Dean (for example, MBA programs in some Schools of Business or other professional schools) and those programs may or may not adhere to expectations of the April 15 Resolution.  

Advice for graduate program directors:  Applicants may advise your program that they have received offers of admission with financial support from another program but with a deadline for acceptance prior to April 15.  Ask them to send you a copy of the offer letter/email with the earlier deadline, then contact your graduate dean’s office.  Graduate deans are encouraged to communicate with the non-compliant university’s graduate dean directly to inform them of the violation.  The graduate dean at the non-compliant university should then address the problem with the department in violation of the terms of the resolution.

NOTE: if the university is not a signatory to the April 15 Resolution, it is not in violation to have a deadline before April 15.

What if an applicant accepts an offer of financial support and then wants to accept an offer from a different program or institution?

There has been a change in our process for students who want to withdraw from an offer of acceptance of financial support, starting with Fall 2020 admissions.  In some situations, an applicant may accept an offer of financial support from one graduate program and then may receive an offer from a program at a different institution whose program better aligns with their career goals and aspirations.  In that case, the applicant must first inform the program that they are withdrawing or resigning from the offer of financial support that they previously had accepted.  Starting in Fall 2020, applicants are no longer required to obtain a formal release from the program whose offer was accepted, either before or after the April 15 deadline. Once they have informed the program that they are withdrawing, they then can accept any other offers.

Where can a list of the institutions that adhere to the April 15 Resolution be found?

https://cgsnet.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/CGS_April15_Resolution_Oct2020Revision.pdf

Does the April 15 Resolution apply to all graduate programs within an institution that adheres to the Resolution?

No, not necessarily.  There may be programs even within a signatory institution that do not adhere to the April 15 Resolution.  Such programs generally fall outside of the oversight of the Graduate School and the Graduate Dean.  The most common examples of exceptions to the resolution are MBA programs in Schools of Business and graduate programs in Medical or other professional schools.  Graduate programs in these schools may offer financial support or scholarships to students but may not adhere to the April 15 Resolution.

If you have a question about the acceptance of an offer of admission that also includes financial support but whose deadline is not April 15, you should contact the admissions staff of that specific graduate program for further information.

Does the April 15 deadline apply to medical or law school admission?

No.

Does the April 15 deadline apply to spring or summer admissions and funding?

No, the April 15 Resolution only applies to offers of financial support for academic year offers beginning in Fall term.  Admission to graduate programs that start in the Winter, Spring, or Summer terms are not bound by the resolution.

What is the process by which institutions sign on to the April resolution?

The resolution is reviewed and reaffirmed by the CGS Board of Directors every five years. It was last renewed in October 2019 and will be renewed again in October 2024. Prior to reaffirmation, CGS surveys member institutions to determine how many of them support the continuance of the resolution and whether the April 15 date is the optimal date for applicant decisions. Upon review of the survey data and approval by the CGS Board, the resolution is then sent to institutions with a request to reaffirm their signatory status. An updated list of signatory institutions is included in the current resolution https://cgsnet.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/CGS_April15_Resolution_Oct2020Revision.pdf
 

How are faculty and admissions staff informed of the April resolution?

Each year, the graduate dean (or equivalent administrator) at each institution distributes information about the April 15 Resolution, in order to make faculty, directors of graduate programs, and other interested members of their academic community aware of the goals and provisions of the resolution.  Alternatively, interested parties can go to the CGS website to obtain more information: http://cgsnet.org/april-15-resolution.

Who is responsible for enforcement of the April 15 Resolution?

The resolution is an agreement among signatory graduate schools to provide applicants appropriate time to consider which of their offers from graduate programs best aligns with the applicant’s career goals and aspirations.  Graduate deans should communicate the expectations of the resolution to graduate programs, both those under their administrative oversight as well as those in other schools within their institution.  Graduate deans should also adjudicate any conflicts that may arise from offers of financial support made to applicants.

How should graduate programs publicize their commitment to the expectations of the April 15 Resolution?

Graduate deans should encourage their graduate programs to place information about the resolution on their individual program websites and in any letters containing offers of financial support to accepted applicants.

What if April 15 falls on a weekend?

Acceptances received by end of day on April 15 (even if it occurs on a Saturday or Sunday) should be honored, even if the university cannot process these acceptances until the following business day (typically Monday of the following work week).  For example, in 2018, April 15 fell on a Sunday.

What time on April 15 is the deadline?

The deadline should be 11:59 pm of April 15 in the time zone of the school offering financial support.

On March 11, 2019, the Trump Administration released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 budget proposal outlining federal funding priorities. The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) is concerned that the Administration is withdrawing essential support for critical discretionary programs.

“This marks the third year the Administration has introduced unprecedented cuts to domestic programs that ensure a highly-educated and diverse workforce, spur innovation, uphold our national security, and preserve the U.S.’s position as a leading global competitor.” said Suzanne T. Ortega, President of the Council of Graduate Schools.

The proposal significantly reduces funding for student aid programs that have longstanding success in promoting access to affordable higher education, particularly for low socio-economic and underrepresented students. The budget makes harsh cuts to Federal-Work Study and TRIO, and it would eliminate the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness programs. This poses a long-term risk to diversity and inclusiveness not just within academic institutions, but also within the future American workforce.

The proposal gouges funding streams for research entities includingthe National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Energy, all of which invest in discoveries that translate to new technologies and cures. In addition, the Fulbright-Hays International Education and Foreign Language Studies programs, which provide U.S. students opportunities to learn across international borders and foster cross-cultural understanding, would also be eliminated.

“CGS is committed to working with Congress in a bipartisan manner to ensure that a final spending package includes necessary investments that will allow universities to respond to the demand for a highly-skilled workforce, a competitive scientific enterprise, and future generations of global leaders.”

Nabila Hijazi, a doctoral student in English Language and Literature at the University of Maryland, College Park, came to the U.S. from Syria with her husband in 1989. As an 18-year-old just out of high school, Hijazi began her life as a homemaker and eventually a mother. College wasn’t something many women in Syrian culture pursued, but after years of investing in her family, Hijazi started taking business classes at a local community college. Years later, she now has a bachelor’s degree in accounting, a master’s degree in English Language and Literature, and is currently pursuing her Ph.D.

Hijazi’s background and passion for teaching others has driven her doctoral research. Her involvement with the Prince George’s Muslim Association (PGMA) led her to teach writing to multilingual students through coordination with Syrians and Iraqis living in the area. But to her surprise, the incentives of free transportation and childcare weren’t enough to entice students. “I kept wondering why throughout the course, enrollment was so low. Beyond some of the technical or logistical issues of the program, it was apparent there were other reasons for low enrollment and retention, and this became the focus of my dissertation. I decided to interview these women to understand how language programs can be created to attract/retain students,” says Hijazi.

Hijazi recently received the Dr. James W. Longest Memorial Award for Social Science Research from UMD last fall to support her doctoral dissertation research that potentially benefits small and/or disadvantaged communities. In addition, she has published several journal articles on teaching composition. To learn more about Nabila’s work visit the University of Maryland, College Park website.

Visit the GradImpact Feature Gallery to learn more about the amazing, innovative research being done by graduate students and alumni across the world.

Photo Credit: Anna De Cheke Qualls, UMD

In early February, the Council of Graduate Schools released a study showing a 4% decrease in international graduate applications over the past year, following a 3% decrease the year before. Late last year, the Institute for International Education reported a 6.6% decline overall in our international student population -- the first such decline in a decade.