Council of Graduate Schools
Washington, DC

President

The Board of Trustees of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) announces the search for the Council’s new president and invites nominations and applications for this exceptional leadership position in graduate education. This is a unique opportunity for a visionary leader to advance the goals of CGS and of graduate education and research nationally and internationally. 

CGS seeks an experienced senior leader with a sophisticated understanding of public policy issues that affect higher education, graduate education, and research in the U.S. and globally. Demonstrating a deep passion for the mission of CGS, the new president will be an individual with significant accomplishments in creating and building consensus for a strategic direction, acting decisively, and possessing the capacity to manage implementation of that strategic vision to best serve CGS member universities and graduate education. The Council seeks an individual with superior interpersonal skills and intellectual strength to engage and build strong relations with CGS members, stakeholders, and staff. In addition, this individual will be an accomplished communicator who can effectively advance important issues in graduate education within the graduate community, in the national media, and with policy audiences, particularly legislative and government leaders. The individual will have proven skills in fundraising and financial management of complex operations with multiple revenue sources and expenditures, as well as the ability to select and motivate a highly talented professional staff. A PhD or equivalent degree is required for this position. Experience serving in a Council of Graduate Schools member university and a background in university research, teaching, and service are highly preferred.

About the Council of Graduate Schools

CGS is the only national organization in the United States that is dedicated solely to the advancement of graduate education and research. As the national voice for the graduate dean community, CGS accomplishes its mission through advocacy in the policy arena, innovative research, and the development and dissemination of best practices. CGS also acts as a convening authority, organizing major events that bring together graduate deans and other stakeholders to discuss and take action on a broad range of issues affecting graduate education today. CGS membership includes over 500 universities in the United States and Canada, and 25 universities outside the U.S. and Canada. Collectively, CGS institutions annually award more than 92 percent of all U.S. doctorates and over 78 percent of all U.S. master's degrees.

Nomination and Application Procedures

Review of nominations, applications, and expressions of interest will begin immediately and will continue on a confidential basis until an appointment is made. For best consideration, applications should be received by December 6, 2013. Candidates are requested to submit applications electronically (MS Word or Adobe PDF), including a resume, a letter of interest responding to the qualifications outlined above, and the names, email addresses, and telephone numbers of five references. References will not be contacted without prior permission of the candidate. Nominations and applications should be sent to CGSPresidentialSearch@cgs.nche.edu.

CGS is an equal opportunity employer

Please note the the specifics of our recommendations may change as the legislative process unfolds. The statement below represents CGS's original position submitted for committee hearings.

The Council of Graduate Schools recognizes that undergraduate education is important to the creation of a stable economy, providing students with foundational knowledge and work skills and offering college graduates a wide range of employment opportunities. Historically however, graduate education in the United States has played a critical role in the success of the U.S. workforce and economy. It contributes significantly to producing America’s most influential researchers, innovators, and leaders. U.S. graduate schools are environments in which students acquire the skills and knowledge needed to compete in the global economy, as well as to solve problems of national and global scope.

The Higher Education Act has had an inconsistent history of support for graduate education. Recent Congressional actions have reduced the financial support for graduate students, while other countries are strategically putting more resources into graduate education to grow their economy and compete in the global market.

The House Committee on Education and the Workforce is specifically interested in receiving recommendations that allow for examination of ways to:

• Empower students as consumers in higher education,
• Simplify and improve the student aid and loan programs,
• Increase college accessibility, affordability, and completion,
• Encourage institutions to reduce costs,
• Promote innovation to improve access to and delivery of higher education, and
• Balance the need for accountability with the burden of federal requirements.

Each topic is addressed separately. An effort was made to not duplicate recommendations across the six topics; however many of the recommendations are interrelated.

Empower students as consumers in higher education

• Students and their families need access to current, reliable and consistent information to use in deciding where to go to school, including cost, time to completion and what outcomes graduates achieve. A wealth of information is currently available on many websites and through the Department of Education and other related agency and department websites. However, a consistent complaint is that there is no way to compare across websites, there is too much information which is confusing, the information is not current or relevant, there is no connection to jobs, and for graduate students in particular, information regarding stipends, grants, fellowships, internships and assistantships is not available. Definitions are not the same across websites, and calculations of outcomes utilize different data across websites. These changes could be incorporated into Title I, Part C, Sections 131 and 132.
• Following on the recommendation for better information above there is a need for a common taxonomy of terms across data bases, with the ability to crosswalk between Department of Education, National Science Foundation (NSF) and Department of Labor data, e.g. IPEDS, NPSAS, O-Net, National Survey of College Graduates. Changes could be included in Title 1, Part C, Section 132.
• Each academic year, as part of any loan agreement that undergraduate and graduate students enter into, students must be informed of the information available through the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS). Students should be strongly encouraged to access their information at least once per year, and to participate in a required online tutorial (available through NSLDS) that includes items such as an explanation of loan terms and conditions, definitions of cost of attendance, and explanation of the debt and payment estimates the student will encumber, as well as the kinds of counseling they can receive regarding financial assistance. These changes could be included in Section 485B of the Higher Education Act.
• Students should have a full understanding of what institutional accreditation means and what program accreditation is. This information shall be made available on the institution’s webpage; it must also provide whether upon successful completion of the program the student would be eligible to sit for required professional certification or licensing examinations. These changes could be made to Section 114 or 132 of the Higher Education Act.
• Specify that at least one member of the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (or its successor) shall represent graduate schools. This would be included in Section 114(b)(2) of the Higher Education Act.

Simplify and improve the student aid and loan programs

The federal student loan program has become increasingly complex and outdated. It does not recognize that needs of students have changed, that the average student pursuing postsecondary education is more likely to be non-traditional, and that many students are not aware of how much debt they are taking on and the impact of these decisions on their financial futures.

Actions over the past two years have changed the student loan landscape for graduate students and created doubts about their ability to pursue a graduate education. As of July, 2012, graduate students no longer qualify for in-school interest subsidies, a policy that makes them eligible only for unsubsidized loans and Grad PLUS loans, each with an interest rate higher than the rate of subsidized loans. Unlike with subsidized loans, these loans begin to accrue interest immediately. Because most graduate student delay repayment of their loans until graduation, the interest on their loans compounds throughout their graduate careers. The result is that for graduate students, debt grows faster and is significantly higher than undergraduates for every dollar borrowed.

Graduate students also carry the burden of accumulated debt in order to pursue their degrees. According to data drawn from the 2007-08 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:08), 73% of master’s recipients had an average cumulative undergraduate and graduate debt of $41,000, while 67% of those who received doctoral degrees had an average cumulative debt of $60,000. However, it is worth noting that new debt acquired exclusively in graduate school is substantial and that graduate students must borrow to attend school. The rate of borrowing is highest for students from underrepresented populations and in those fields where underrepresented populations are most heavily enrolled. In the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act this unwarranted financial burden on graduate students must be alleviated:

• The interest subsidy needs to be reinstated for graduate students while they are pursuing their degrees, so that all Stafford loans carry the same interest rate, are capped at the same maximum interest rate and have the interest subsidized while the borrower is in school.
• The historic difference in interest rates of approximately one percent between Stafford loans and the PLUS loans should also be reinstated. The only loans not eligible for the in-school interest subsidy would be the PLUS loans for parents and graduate students.
• The number of repayment options for loans should be reduced or consolidated. Standard repayment plans (10 and 20 year) should be offered as well as a single income-sensitive repayment plan.
• Graduate degree holders should have the option of re-financing or consolidating their federal loans at the completion of their programs of study.
• Determine ways to simplify needs analysis so that the process is sensitive to the differences between traditional and non-traditional students, including graduate students in the category of non-traditional students (e.g. asset and income protections, on-campus and on-line programs of study).
• Include within the experimental sites program (Section 487A) support for collaborative efforts between university financial aid offices and graduate schools to improve counseling, debt management and special accommodation services for graduate students.

Increase accessibility, affordability and completion

• As mentioned previously, there is an overwhelming need for transparent, easily navigated, comparable institutional websites, with common definitions of terms and interconnectivity with other relevant websites such as O-Net and NSF.
• Provide for year-round Pell Grants for accelerated learning and accelerated master’s degree programs (no penalty for full eligibility to Pell Grants and subsidized loans for students choosing this path). These changes would be included in Title IV, Subpart 1.
• Make grants to states for the development of debt management tools that provide undergraduate and graduate students with access, before acquiring student loan debt, to clear, simple information about (a) the average amount of loan debt in their field of study and (b) information about average entry-level and expert salaries typical of a range of career options in that field for their chosen degree. This will provide students with the information they need to understand the financial consequences of their choices of school and cost of attendance, program of study and occupational choices.
• Undergraduate and graduate students want to understand how their coursework connects to the workplace and careers. A recent Gallup workplace engagement survey suggests that factors that contribute to greater workplace engagement are better pipelines between campuses and the work place. More and better mentorships for students should be built into students’ course of study and included in supportive services offered by institutions of higher education. It also requires more career counseling and experiential learning. These provisions could be designed similarly to language in Section 402D, but included in the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) to study the impact on completion in graduate programs. It could also be included in Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) as an allowable activity under those grants.
• Place a requirement that the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance (or its successor) will include impact on graduate students and graduate degree holders in the studies and reports they issue. This would require additional language to Section 491 of the Higher Education Act.

Encourage institutions to reduce costs

The Council of Graduate Schools understands that the House Committee on Education and the Workforce intends to have additional hearings on this issue. We encourage the Committee to include graduate school representation in these hearings. Because graduate schools are usually internal administrative and programmatic units within institutions of higher education, the perspective they provide would be informative as the Committee considers how to encourage institutions to reduce costs institutionally and for students.

Promote innovation to improve access to and delivery of higher education

• A successful model for innovative master’s programs is the Professional Science Master’s (PSM) degree. It combines scientific training blended with business skills. These are science-plus programs developed in concert with employers that combine study in mathematics or science with skills-based coursework in management, policy or law. The PSM is a degree program with demonstrated results and should be authorized as a free-standing program within title VII of the Higher Education Act.
• Within the GAANN program, allow for the funding of interdisciplinary/multi-disciplinary programs, particularly in the STEM fields of study. Graduate education is advancing into fields of study that are no longer single-focused subject areas, and the GAANN programs should reflect this change.
• Support a separate Javits program that includes professional development, mentoring and career counseling to provide greater career pathway options for graduate degree holders.
• Under FIPSE include projects that explore ways to incorporate mentoring, traineeships, engagement with employers and other efforts to improve graduate education and connect it to career options for graduate students.
• Include in title VI, Part B, Business and International Education Programs, specific support for graduate students, including international internships. Allow for consortia of graduate schools to be an eligible entity to apply for grants.

Balance the need for accountability with the burden of Federal requirements

The higher education association community provided recommendations to the House Committee Education and the Workforce. In the document under section 2, Better Information for Consumers, is a detailed discussion of and recommendations for disclosures, consumer information, student outcome data, data system requirements, and college cost information. The Council of Graduate Schools is supportive of what is contained in the larger community set of recommendations and urges the Committee to also consider within those recommendations the impact on graduate schools and graduate students.

Survey of recent alumni reveals strong income and employment results

Contact:
Julia Kent
jkent@cgs.nche.edu
(202) 223-3791

Washington, DC – Recent graduates of Professional Science Master’s (PSM) degree programs are reporting strong rates of employment and high income levels, according to the results of the third annual PSM Student Outcomes Survey released by the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS). The report tracks initial hiring trends and perceived satisfaction among graduates of PSM degree programs between 2010 and 2013. The study was supported with funding from the Sloan Foundation.

The PSM is an innovative graduate degree designed to allow students to pursue advanced training in science or mathematics, while simultaneously developing workplace skills highly valued by employers. PSM programs prepare graduates for careers in business, government, and non-profit organizations, combining rigorous study in science and/or mathematics with coursework in management, policy, law and related fields. Most PSM programs require a final project or team experience, as well as a “real-world” internship in a business or public sector enterprise.

According to the survey, 78 percent of respondents who graduated during the 2012-13 academic year were employed during the time at which the survey was conducted, despite beginning their careers in a challenging job market. The employment rate was even stronger for those who completed PSM degrees earlier in the study period: 91 percent of 2010-11 graduates and 88 percent of 2011-12 graduates were employed.  

Among the respondents who graduated during the 2012-13 academic year and were employed at the time of the survey, 91 percent were working in a job that is closely or somewhat related to their field of study. Employed respondents were overwhelmingly working in full-time positions (95%) as opposed to part-time (5%).   

Two-thirds (68%) of PSM graduates who were working full-time reported earning above $50,000 a year, and 72 percent of all survey respondents are very satisfied or generally satisfied with the post-graduation employment prospects provided by their PSM degree.

According to CGS President Debra W. Stewart, these high returns on students’ educational investment are a hallmark of PSM programs. “We continue to see outstanding prospects for new PSM graduates as they begin their careers. The real-world experience they gained in applied professional settings during their academic program gives PSM students a distinct advantage in the job market.” Dr. Stewart added, “The fact that PSM graduates have shown strong employment outcomes for each year of this three-year study is encouraging, because it shows that employers are consistently recognizing the value of these newly-minted degree holders.”

The survey report includes data on the reasons students enrolled in PSM programs, their experiences and satisfaction with them, their current employment status, salaries, and the perceived value of a PSM degree. Key findings include:
 

• 83% of 2012-13 PSM graduates were very satisfied or generally satisfied with the distinctive nature/reputation of the program and 82% were very satisfied or generally satisfied with the quality of their non-scientific and/or mathematical professional training (a key element of PSM degrees).
• Among 2012-13 PSM graduates who were employed, 66% were working in business/industry (including start-ups), about 11% were working in government, 9% in academia, 8% in non-profit organizations, and 6% were working in other fields, including research and health care.
• Among 2012-13 PSM graduates in new jobs, 19% secured that employment because of their PSM internship.
• Two attributes of PSM programs that stood out as being of particularly high value to recent graduates were the internships and ‘real world’ experiences, and the quality of scientific and/or mathematical training.

Created in 1997 with support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, PSM programs are offered at 137 institutions of higher education, as of August 2013. Well over 5,000 PSM degrees have been conferred since the program’s inception. The PSM degree model has been so successful that it was included in the America COMPETES Act, allowing institutions the opportunity to use federal funds to support a PSM program.

The full report, Outcomes for PSM Alumni 2012/13, is available here. More information about the PSM can be found at http://sciencemasters.com.

Dear CGS Colleagues,

After more than a decade of serving CGS as your president, I plan to step down from that post on June 30, 2014. The press release announcing this decision is now available on the CGS website.  I selected June 30 both because it will allow the board an appropriate length of time to conduct a search and appoint my successor and because July 1 is an ideal time for my successor to take over as the new CGS president in the run up to the Summer Workshop.

I want you all to know that it has been a huge privilege to serve as your president. CGS is a jewel of an organization. The staff is hardworking, very smart and totally dedicated to the mission of improving and advancing graduate education. To a person, they execute their responsibilities with distinction, reflecting a “members first” philosophy that never wavers. But as the members of the Council of Graduate Schools, you are the foundation of our strength. The strength of CGS is measured by the engagement of our members. Your involvement makes the work we do here in Washington a privilege and pleasure.

As for my personal plans in July 2014, I will begin my six month sabbatical under the title of Senior Scholar at CGS during which I hope to contribute to wrapping up some long overdue writing projects. Longer term I plan to remain active in higher education work, turning my energies to the kind of serious writing about graduate education that the demands of my job as CGS president have simply precluded.

Please rest assured I will be fully committed to doing the work of CGS as energetically on June 30, 2014 as I was on July 1, 2000 when I arrived in Washington. We have a huge agenda to implement between now and June 30 and working with our team we will implement it. My successor will come into a thriving enterprise.

Very best regards,

Debra

Debra W. Stewart
President
Council of Graduate Schools
One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 230
Washington, DC 20036
Telephone: (202) 223-3791
Email: president@cgs.nche.edu
Web: www.cgsnet.org

To learn more about the benefits of membership, please click here.

The Council of Graduate Schools has long held relationships with some of the most respected companies and organizations that serve graduate education. Sustaining Members receive exclusive benefits.

Corporate and Nonprofit members at all levels of the CGS Sustaining Membership Network receive:

• Exclusive opportunities for visibility among our graduate deans, major decision-makers on campus;
• Complimentary and timely access to insider knowledge about the concerns and advances in graduate education;
• Discounts on CGS meetings registration, exhibitor fees, workshops, print publications, and consulting; and more.

Click here to learn more about the benefits of membership in the CGS Sustaining Membership Network.

Who are CGS Graduate Deans?

The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) is an organization of approximately 500 institutions of higher education in the United States and Canada engaged in graduate education, research, and the preparation of candidates for advanced degrees. The organization’s mission is to improve and advance graduate education, which it accomplishes through advocacy in the federal policy arena, research, and the development and dissemination of best practices.  Its 25 international members provide CGS with a global perspective on graduate education.

Graduate deans are

• Primary decision-makers on issues related to graduate education
  • e.g., admissions and recruitment, student credentialing, benchmarking, dissertations and theses, and more.
• Major influencers in many higher education areas
  • e.g., online education infrastructure, financial services, health insurance, and software purchasing. 

CGS deans want access to the latest information about new products and services that will help them better serve their students. They want quality relationships with companies and organizations they trust. Click here to learn more about the benefits of membership in the CGS Sustaining Membership Network.

To inquire about CGS membership, please email Julia Kent.

Consensus Points Address Student Recruitment, Career Tracking and MOOCs

Contacts
Julia Kent, CGS: (202) 223-3791 / jkent@cgs.nche.edu
Ildiko Rull, CEU: (+36 1) 327-3800 / rulli@ceu.hu

Budapest, Hungary (October 2, 2013) – Leaders of graduate institutions from 14 countries today agreed on a set of principles regarding the uses of technology in graduate education and research.

The statement was released at the conclusion of the Seventh Annual Global Summit on Graduate Education, “Graduate Education and the Promises of Technology,” co-hosted by the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), Central European University (CEU) and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA). The Global Summit is an annual event designed to promote international best practices in master’s and doctoral education.

Universities around the world face a growing landscape of technological tools that promise to enhance graduate education and research, and many view such tools as both opportunities and risks. Forms of learning technology that are sparking debate in the international graduate community include online degree programs and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), both central topics of discussion at the summit.

Participants agreed that graduate institutions must provide more input on the development of these technologies in the context of graduate education in order to ensure the quality of student experiences and their appropriateness to graduate-level curricula.

Session topics addressed a number of other areas of graduate education and research where technology-enabled tools are continuing to shape the practices of graduate institutions, including admissions and recruitment; student progress and completion; collaboration among students and faculty; and expanding access to research, among others.

Dr. Liviu Matei, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at CEU, commented that, “It is for the first time that a Strategic Leaders Global Summit on Graduate Education is held in a country of Central and Eastern Europe. Graduate (post graduate) education is very much a work in progress in this part of the world. It faces both high expectations and significant challenges. This year's Summit topic is a timely one for this region, and indeed globally, as students, faculty members, administrators and policy makers are feverishly trying to come to grips with the promises of technology in graduate education, and to figure out how to take advantage of remarkable technological progress to date (or anticipated) in order to meet traditional and emerging new challenges and expectations.”

In addition to addressing online education, the consensus statement, “Principles for Supporting Productive Uses of Technology in (Post) Graduate Education and Research,” offers guidance to graduate institutions on using technology to engage with prospective students, collaborate with technology companies serving higher education, and communicate with students and faculty using social media.

CGS President Debra W. Stewart noted, “The rapid developments of new technologies for graduate education and research often make it difficult for institutions to decide immediately on their value and use. This is partly because we don’t yet know the long-term outcomes of learning platforms like MOOCs, and how practices surrounding them will evolve.” She added, “What we do know is that graduate education leaders must have a voice in how new tools are being shaped and used, as the principles agreed upon today make clear.”

Participants in the summit included deans and other leaders of graduate schools and representatives of national and international associations devoted to graduate education. Along with Hungary and the United States, the countries represented were Australia, Brazil, Canada, China (PRC, Hong Kong), Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Africa and South Korea.

The consensus statement is attached.

Principles for Supporting Productive Uses of Technology
in (Post)Graduate* Education and Research

Preamble:

The participants in the 2013 Global Summit recognize that information and communication technologies affect nearly every aspect of (post)graduate institutions and the lives of their students. We must capture the promises of this rapidly changing technology in delivering (post)graduate education.

(Post)graduate institutions have sought to enhance the quality of (post)graduate education and research with technology-enabled tools in many areas, including student recruitment, career tracking, research, and online education. Yet while such tools promise more effective and efficient practices in graduate education, they can also present potential risks for students, faculty and institutions, and do not necessarily lead to reduced costs. It is the responsibility of university leaders and institutions to carefully assess opportunities and risks and other potential outcomes. Given the global nature of technological developments and their impacts, members of the international (post)graduate community have a role to play in identifying common principles for supporting productive uses of technology in (post)graduate education and research. It is important to consider varied international perspectives on strategies for using new technologies in (post)graduate education, as well as areas of common agreement.

Representing 14 countries, the participants in the 2013 Strategic Leaders Global Summit recommend that (post)graduate institutions consider the following principles when making decisions about technology-enabled tools in (post)graduate education and research:

It is important for (post)graduate institutions to:

1. Employ technology to advance specific academic or administrative goals. Technology should not be the driver of goals, but it does create new opportunities and offers tools for universities to achieve particular outcomes.

2. Identify and enhance strategies for using social media, webcasting and other technologies to attract, recruit and engage students and to engage the university community in all dimensions of (post)graduate education. Actively use such technologies to disseminate information and knowledge beyond the university.

3. Influence the development of technologies for tracking student progress, completion, career outcomes and research outputs. It is especially important that these mechanisms allow (post)graduate institutions to track students, alumni and research productivity so that it is possible to use resulting data to improve their programs.

4. Design and implement effective ways to expand access to research and scholarship to the various communities served by (post)graduate institutions. In weighing options for expanded access, it is important also for universities and graduate schools to respect the rights of authors and publishers.

The following principles apply specifically to the use of new technologies for learning and online education platforms:

5. Create national and global fora for discussing the use of Open Educational Resources (OERs) to improve offerings in light of the distinctive characteristics of (post)graduate education.

6. Regularly assess the use of technologies designed to enhance (post)graduate education. Assessment of technologies for learning should focus on the extent to which student learning outcomes are achieved. Assessment of online learning should be linked to clear objectives and the development of appropriate tools to deliver online education.

7. Collaborate with providers of online education resources to further enable (post)graduate educational offerings and the online learning experiences of (post)graduate students.

8. Create opportunities for current and future faculty to enhance learning using educational technologies such as flipped classrooms, blended programs, Small Private Online Courses (SPOCs), and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).

9. Promote the development within universities of policies and agreements regarding the evaluation of credentials earned online from other institutions.

10. Recognize the importance of different ways of engaging and supporting communities of learning online. When implementing technologies in online education, provide a means for meaningful student-to-student and student-faculty interactions.

11. Engage with policy makers and other relevant stakeholders to promote discussions about how best to achieve shared educational objectives through the use of technology.

* The term “(post)graduate” designates here both master’s and doctoral education. The term has been created to reflect the fact that both “graduate” and “postgraduate” are accepted terms for referring to master’s and doctoral education and that the dominant use varies by country.

Graduate Enrollment and Degrees by Fine Field: 2002 to 2012 includes data on first-time and total graduate enrollment by field of study (chemistry, history, philosophy, etc.), gender, citizenship, and race/ethnicity. The report also includes data on graduate degrees awarded by field of study, degree level (master's vs. doctoral), and gender.

Data for 2012 are presented, along with one-, five-, and ten-year trends.

This content is available to members only. To access this publication online, please visit the Member Library (login required).

A recently released CGS publication is available online:

Graduate Education for Global Career Pathways

Global research and development networks, along with new technologies for communication and collaboration, make it essential for graduate students to develop global perspectives and skills. The Sixth Annual Strategic Leaders Global Summit on Graduate Education addressed this topic in the context of new patterns of mobility for graduate students and degree holders. This proceedings volume, a collection of essays by graduate leaders from 15 countries, offers new strategies for communicating the value of global careers across campus and examples of programs designed to equip graduate students with “global” skills.

A complimentary printed copy of the publication will soon be sent to member institutions. Electronic access to the publication is provided at the Member Library (login required), where members can share free electronic copies with their administrators, staff and faculty. This publication is an excellent resource for graduate program directors, International Offices, and Directors of Professional Development programs for graduate students.

CGS has joined with a broad coalition of higher education groups to file an Amici Curiae or “friend of the court” brief in an affirmative action case to be heard before the U.S. Supreme Court on October 15^th. The case, Schuette v. Coalition, involves a challenge to a constitutional amendment in the state of Michigan that prohibits public institutions of higher education in the state from using race or gender in admissions decisions. Through its inclusion in the brief, CGS is supporting the ability of universities to use student body diversity as a goal in admissions. A decision is expected to be issued by June 2014.