Many students and higher education advocates were relieved when Congress passed a bill averting a big hike to student loan interest rates. But the changes are not all improvements: rates will increase in the long run. And as CGS points out, the new bill is the latest in a series of policy changes that put graduate students at a disadvantage. Southern California Public Radio discussed the interest rate changes and the impact to students with Debra Stewart of CGS and Neal McCluskey of the Cato Institute. Listen to the interview live at scpr.org.

UPDATE: The Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013 was signed into law August 9, becoming the latest in a series of actions taken over the past few years with respect to federal student loans that have had a disproportionate, negative impact on graduate students. The agreement that Congress reached in August on student loans is a short-term fix to a complex problem. CGS will be working for a longer term solution in the context of the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. To that end CGS is meeting with officials in the Administration and the White House, has submitted reauthorization recommendations to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and will be working with both the House and Senate Committees as they schedule reauthorization hearings to make sure that graduate education has a seat at the table. The statement below represents CGS's original position during the student loan interest rate negotiations.

A POSITION STATEMENT

One of the key conclusions of the recently issued National Academy of Science report on Research Universities and the Future of America is that graduate education is critical to the country’s strength and prosperity. The authors of this landmark study recognized that our collective failure to see graduate education as a national priority is threatening the capacity for America to develop the talent required to meet national needs and to compete in the global economy. Rarely does the country have a better opportunity to reverse a dangerous trend than it does today, as we consider debates over the student loan interest rates in Washington, D.C. Policymakers must take this opportunity to put America back on the right track by restoring graduate students to the same status as undergraduate students, affording these groups the same benefits when borrowing money from the federal government to pursue an advanced education.

Recent actions have disproportionately disadvantaged graduate students

Historically, the interest rate for subsidized and unsubsidized student loans has been the same, whether fixed or variable. For PLUS loans, even with a higher interest rate and cap, the difference has been closer to 1.5%. Graduate students have long been a good investment since they are more likely to pay off their student loans and have had much lower default rates. For this reason, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) scores any increase in the borrowing limits for PLUS loans as a “money saver.”

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 the 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 3.4% rate of subsidized loans. The savings that were generated from this policy change went to support a one-year extension of the 3.4% interest rate on subsidized loans and to sustain the $5,550 maximum Pell Grant award. Graduate students are not eligible for either.

CBO has also estimated that the savings to the Federal government from PLUS loans is 64 cents for every dollar loaned. For unsubsidized loans the savings is 40 cents and for subsidized loans it is 14 cents. From these numbers it is clear that the federal government is making a profit off of federal loans to graduate students and using the savings to pay for a lower interest rate on subsidized loans and sustain the escalating cost of the Pell Grant program.

The Pell program is critical to addressing clear inequities in opportunity in America and for building a rich pool of domestic talent to attend graduate schools in the future. It must be funded. But this strategy of borrowing from Peter to pay Paul will simply diminish opportunity for both Peter and Paul going forward. The graduate debt burden is especially heavy on students from underrepresented populations.

Graduate student debt is growing, particularly among underrepresented students

Many graduate students 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. Among whites, 70% of master’s recipients had cumulative debt averaging $38,000, and 72% of doctoral recipients had cumulative debt averaging $60,000. Among African-Americans, 87% of master’s recipients and 85% of doctoral recipients had cumulative debts averaging $52,000 and $68,000, respectively. Additionally, among Hispanics, 82% of master’s recipients had cumulative debt averaging $46,000.*

However, it is worth noting that new debt acquired exclusively in graduate school is substantial as well. NPSAS data also show that underrepresented minority groups, the groups that should be a growing percentage of domestic students, carry a higher level of debt than their majority counterparts. Among all students, 46% of master’s students and 39% of doctoral students incurred graduate debt during the 2007-08 academic year. Among white students, 41% of master’s and 38% of doctoral students incurred debt, while these numbers for African-American students were 68% and 62% and for Hispanic students 58% and 41%, respectively. In part, this is because minority students are more likely to be enrolled in fields where students are typically entirely self-funded. This includes fields such as public administration, social and behavioral sciences, and education.

But borrowing is beginning to grow in STEM fields as well. In the past it was fair to assume that STEM students were able to secure full support through a combination of assistantships, fellowships, and employer aid. However, analysis of data drawn from the same data source show that for master’s and doctoral students in some STEM fields of study, loans are becoming an increasing part of the aid they need for graduate study. And as more data become available they are likely to show that minority students again are shouldering a heavier burden.

Where we stand now in the debate

The current debate in Congress over how to address immediate concerns about sky-rocketing student debt provides an opportunity to build a pipeline of domestic talent in America and to sustain the country’s capacity to secure its future through a robust system of graduate education. And yet as Congress considers a variety of proposals to address the matter of student debt, the disparity in graduate student treatment continues. All but one of the market-based interest rate proposals widen the gap between the interest rates for subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loans and PLUS loans, as well as the caps for each.

Similarly, the proposals to extend the current 3.4% rate do not address the inequities already being experienced and could result in even greater disparities for graduate students as sources of funding are sought to pay for the extension. Sequestration has also resulted in higher fees on loans for graduate students.

The elimination of the Grad PLUS program has been proposed as one of the further cuts that could be made to meet additional sequestration targets. Eliminating the Grad PLUS program means that not only would graduate students continue to pay higher interest rates on federal loans, they would have to take out more costly private, direct-to-consumer loans.

Not just belt-tightening

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. But borrowing also happens across the board and students increasingly, even in STEM fields where historically institutional support has been stronger, now find borrowing is an essential component of attending graduate school. If we want American students to pursue graduate education we need to recognize graduate education as part of the educational pipeline in America.

Income-Based Loan Repayment is not the answer

Income based repayment (IBR) should not be considered the default option for all students when it comes to paying student loans. It certainly is not a justification for policies that will increase the discrepancy between undergraduate and graduate loan interest rates. IBR was established as a safety net for students who are taking on greater debt and facing a poor economy with fewer job options upon graduation. IBR provides for lower monthly payments over a longer period of time than the standard 10-year repayment plan.

With the IBR plan, however, the total amount that the student repays increases as does the unpaid principal and interest that will be forgiven, which under federal tax law is treated as one-time, taxable income. This tax provision substantially reduces the value of loan forgiveness, especially if the borrower is unable to pay the full tax liability in one year. For graduate students paying higher interest rates to begin with, this burden becomes even more significant over time. An example from the New America Foundation’s “Safety Net or Windfall?” report illustrates the tax burden nicely: “If the amount forgiven is $20,000, under IBR the borrower would have to pay $5,000 in additional income taxes that year. Borrowers who receive loan forgiveness would likely have to pay state income taxes on the amount as well. What that means in a state with a flat 7 percent income tax, is that same borrower would owe a combined $6,400 in state and federal income taxes.”

Declining graduate student enrollment

Between the fall of 2010 and 2011, first-time graduate enrollment fell 1.7%. This was the second consecutive decrease in such enrollment since the fall of 2003. This decline was not only in fields one would expect such as education, but also in engineering and other STEM fields. In the past international students could be counted on to fill the gap, but preliminary estimates from a CGS survey of international student applications for the fall of 2013 indicate that the numbers from key countries are trending down. For example, applications from China, which in the past has accounted for 29% of international graduate students at U.S. institutions, appear to be down 5% for fall 2013 following double-digit increases for the past several years. Given the global competition for graduate students it is essential that we find ways to not only reverse the declines in US graduate enrollment but significantly accelerate the flow of domestic students into our graduate programs. And in doing this we know from earlier research that financing is a strong factor in graduate student success. In a recent study of doctoral program completion, 80% of the respondents in an exit survey indicated that financial support was a key factor in their ability to complete the degree.

If the future of America is the future of graduate education, we must act now

The declining trend in US student enrollment in graduate programs suggests that America’s potential graduate students are already seeing advanced study as beyond their reach. The present situation is not sustainable if our nation is to meet the needs for a diverse workforce and a global knowledge economy. The good news is that we have an opportunity to address this challenge today. Any fix to address the student loan interest rate dilemma and growing student debt cannot be made only with an undergraduate student focus. It must equalize treatment of graduate students, in terms of interest rates, whether fixed or market-based, and the caps on maximum rates that can be charged.

* Reliable data for Hispanic doctoral graduates are unavailable

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

Washington, DC — Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) President Debra W. Stewart today released the following statement in response to the ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States RE: Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin. The case questions whether the University of Texas at Austin is permitted to use race, along with other criteria, in making undergraduate admissions decisions.

On June 24th, the Supreme Court sent the Fisher v. UT Austin case back for review by the U.S. court of appeals for the 5th circuit. As the case continues to be analyzed, it is important to remember that the diversity of American colleges and universities is one of the greatest strengths of the U.S. higher education system. Diverse student populations provide experiences and perspectives that enhance the education of all students, preparing them to work, collaborate and thrive in a variety of contexts. The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) supports the commitments of its U.S. member universities to meeting this 21st-century objective and to developing a broad base of highly educated U.S. talent that will support the health and prosperity of the nation as a whole.

How best to achieve inclusion in a student population is a complex question, and one that must be answered in individual university contexts. The Council of Graduate Schools believes that it is important to protect the autonomy of U.S. institutions to design admissions policies that are customized to their institutional missions.

The arguments in the Fisher v. UT Austin case are based on undergraduate admissions processes, which tend to be uniform and centralized in the Admissions Office of a university. By contrast, the graduate admissions process is decentralized, more nuanced and customized to the missions of individual graduate programs. Institutional autonomy in achieving diversity has far-reaching implications in the graduate education sector for that reason, especially in programs and disciplines that see less diversity than others.

As the Council of Graduate Schools works to help universities respond to this and future rulings, we will stand by our position that the United States must continue to support and develop the diversity of its talent.

A recently released CGS publication is available online:

Guide to Advocacy for Graduate Education Leaders
In today’s environment of constrained public resources and political flux, graduate leaders are actively communicating the value of graduate education and research with key stakeholders. This guide provides a variety of principles, practical strategies, and adaptable examples to use in advocating for graduate education on campus, in the local community, and at the state and federal levels. 54 pages. June 2013.

CGS provides free electronic access to all our publications at the Member Library. Any administrator, faculty, or staff member of a CGS member institution may view, download, or print copies of CGS titles in PDF format (login required).

Print copies of this publication are also available for purchase in the Online Store. CGS members receive discounted rates. To order, access the publication in the Member Library. For complete details on CGS publications, visit cgsnet.org/publications. 

The Council of Graduate Schools is pleased to announce the release of two publications now available online.

Guide to Advocacy for Graduate Education Leaders
In today’s environment of constrained public resources and political flux, graduate leaders are actively communicating the value of graduate education and research with key stakeholders. This guide provides a variety of principles, practical strategies, and adaptable examples to use in advocating for graduate education on campus, in the local community, and at the state and federal levels. 64 pages. June 2013.

Online Graduate Education
This practical guide for graduate deans and administrators supports the development of quality distance education programs that are aligned with institutional mission and strategic direction. Touching on a range of issues from faculty professional development to assessment, accreditation, and financial structure, Online Graduate Education addresses the administrative policies and practices for improving access, cost-effectiveness and quality. 64 pages. June 2013.

CGS provides free electronic access to these and all our publications at the Member Library. Any administrator, faculty, or staff member of a CGS member institution may view, download, or print copies of CGS titles in PDF format (login required).

Professionally printed copies of the new publications are also available for purchase via print-on-demand. CGS members receive a discount on print-on-demand copies. To order, access the publication in the Member Library. For complete details on CGS publications, visit cgsnet.org/publications. 

James Wimbush of Indiana University to Serve as Chair of CGS Board (12/16/2013)
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) Board of Directors has announced its officers for the 2014 term. Dr. James Wimbush, Dean of The University Graduate School, Indiana University, became the 2014 CGS Board Chair at the conclusion of the annual meeting. Dr. Wimbush has served as the graduate dean at IU since 2006 and earlier this year was also named Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs.

Winners of 2013 CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards Announced (12/12/2013)
The Council of Graduate Schools / ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards, the nation’s most prestigious honor for doctoral dissertations, were presented to Austin Mason and Valorie Salimpoor at an awards ceremony during the CGS 53rd Annual Meeting. Dr. Mason completed his PhD in history at Boston College in 2012. Dr. Salimpoor earned her PhD in psychology at McGill University in 2013.

Florida International University Receives ETS/CGS Award for Innovation in Promoting Success in Graduate Education (12/12/2013)
The fifth annual “ETS/CGS Award for Innovation in Promoting Success in Graduate Education: From Admission through Completion” was presented to Florida International University (FIU) during the 53rd Annual Meeting of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS). The award is sponsored by CGS and Educational Testing Service (ETS). Dr. Lakshmi Reddi, Dean of the University Graduate School, accepted the award on behalf of FIU.

Christian Kleinbub Wins 2013 Arlt Award in the Humanities (12/12/2013)
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has awarded the 2013 Gustave O. Arlt Award in the Humanities to Dr. Christian Kleinbub, Associate Professor of History of Art at The Ohio State University. The awards ceremony was held during the CGS 53rd Annual Meeting.

CGS Launches Project to Study Feasibility of Tracking PhD Career Pathways (12/6/2013)
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has announced a new initiative to address the need for tracking the career pathways of PhD holders across broad fields of graduate study. With input from its member institutions, CGS will assess the feasibility of a larger project to develop and enhance processes for tracking the career pathways of PhD alumni of STEM, humanities and social science graduate programs.

First-Time Enrollment of International Graduate Students Up 10 Percent (11/5/2013)
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has reported a 10% increase in the first-time enrollment of international graduate students from 2012 to 2013, a growth that adds to 8% increases in this figure in each of the last two years. Total enrollment of international graduate students among responding institutions reached 220,000 in 2013. The findings were part of the 2013 CGS International Graduate Admissions Survey, Phase III: Final Offers of Admission and Enrollment.

Early Career Outcomes Show Bright Future for Professional Science Master’s Degree Holders (10/16/2013)
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 Surveyreleased 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.

Debra W. Stewart Announces Plans to Step Down as President of Council of Graduate Schools (10/7/2013)
Debra W. Stewart announced today that she will step down as President of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) effective June 30, 2014. Since July 2000, Stewart has served as president of the leading national organization in the United States dedicated to the advancement of graduate education and research.

University Leaders Issue Statement on the Role of Technology in Graduate Education and Research (10/2/2013)
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.

U.S. Graduate Schools Report Slight Growth in New Students for Fall 2012 (9/12/2013)
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) reported a 1.8% increase in first-time enrollment between fall 2011 and fall 2012. More than 461,000 students enrolled for the first time in graduate certificate, education specialist, master’s, or doctoral programs for the fall 2012, according to institutions responding to the CGS/GRE Survey of Graduate Enrollment and Degrees, an annual survey that has been conducted since 1986.

International Graduate Admissions Rise 9 Percent (8/22/2013)
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) reported that initial offers of admission from U.S. graduate schools to prospective international students increased 9% from 2012 to 2013, following an increase of 9% last year. The new data marks the fourth consecutive year of growth in international graduate admissions.

Fifteen Universities Receive Grants to Create Student Financial Education Programs (7/9/2013) 
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has announced awards to 15 universities to develop financial education programs for graduate and undergraduate students. The grants were awarded as part of the groundbreaking CGS best practice program, Enhanching Student Financial Education, co-sponsored by TIAA-CREF, a leading financial services provider. 

CGS Statement on the Supreme Court Ruling in Fisher v. UT Austin (6/26/2013)
​The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) responded to the high court's ruling concerning the use of race in undergraduate admissions decisions with a statement on the importance of achieving diversity in graduate education.  

Henning Schroeder named 2013‐14 CGS/NSF Dean in Residence (5/21/2013)
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) is pleased to name Henning Schroeder as the CGS/NSF Dean in Residence for 2013‐14. Dr. Schroeder is currently Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Education at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Schroeder will join CGS on September 1.

Study Finds Completion Rates in STEM Master’s Programs are Rising, But Trail Those of MBA Programs (5/21/2013)
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) today released the results of its pilot study of completion and attrition trends in master’s programs in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The CGS study, which was made possible by a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, is the largest of its kind, using data from five institutions to describe completion and attrition rates in STEM master’s programs and MBA programs, and investigating the factors that contribute to the successful completion of the degree.

Preliminary Estimates of International Graduate Applications Indicate Slowed Growth in 2013: Applications from China Decline, while Applications from India and Brazil Jump (4/8/2013)
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) is reporting that the number of applications from prospective international students to U.S. graduate schools increased a mere 1% in 2013, following a 9% gain in 2012 and an 11% increase in 2011.

Capitol Hill Expert Beth Buehlmann Joins CGS as Vice President for Public Policy and Government Relations (3/20/2013)
Debra W. Stewart, President of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), today announced that Beth Buehlmann has been named the Council’s Vice President for Public Policy and Government Relations. Buehlmann brings to CGS more than eight years of experience shaping the development of higher education policy in the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and over 20 years of combined leadership experience in the fields of higher education and workforce development.

CGS and TIAA‐CREF Seek Universities and Colleges for Program to Improve Financial Education for Students (3/14/2013)
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), the only national association of universities devoted to graduate education and research, and TIAA‐CREF, a leading financial services provider, today rolled out the first phase of a three‐year best practice program designed to improve the financial acumen of graduate and undergraduate students, including debt management skills.

CGS Statement on the President's State of the Union Address (2/14/2013)
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) applauds President Obama’s continued focus on increasing American competitiveness in the world economy and appreciates the recognition that access to higher education will play a major role in that effort.

View 2012 press releases

Minneapolis and Washington, DC — The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) is pleased to name Henning Schroeder as the CGS/NSF Dean in Residence for 2013‐14. Dr. Schroeder is currently Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Education at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Schroeder will join CGS on September 1.

The Dean in Residence program was created by CGS and the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support communications between senior graduate education leaders and the NSF. In this role, Dr. Schroeder will share with CGS and NSF the insights, perspectives, and practical experience of a senior administrator at a research university, while collaborating with program officers and senior administrators across NSF to help plan future NSF programs and activities.

“I am delighted that Henning will be joining us,” said CGS President Debra W. Stewart. “His leadership and expertise will help CGS build on the strong relationships we have developed among graduate deans, the NSF, and the science and engineering community.”

In accepting the 12‐month appointment, Dr. Schroeder looks forward to advancing the NSF mission of supporting graduate students.

“I am very interested in being part of the broader national discussion on how federal agencies contribute to the support of graduate students,” said Schroeder. “In order to remain globally competitive, graduate programs in the United States may need to revisit their overall curricular structure as well as current modes of educational content delivery.”

“At the University of Minnesota, we have begun to explore incentives and disincentives of existing tuition models in the United States and abroad with the goal of identifying fiscal mechanisms that best support educational goals in graduate education,” continued Schroeder. “Although graduate programs in the U.S. are still providing the highest quality education, other countries are catching up fast. I look forward to exploring these issues further during my time as Dean‐in‐Residence.”

Dr. Schroeder assumed his current position at the University of Minnesota in 2010, and previously served as the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies at the College of Pharmacy. He holds a faculty appointment as professor in the Department of Pharmaceutics.

After receiving his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Düsseldorf, Germany, Dr. Schroeder worked as a postdoctoral fellow with Nobel laureate Ferid Murad at Stanford. His research and teaching has been recognized with numerous awards, including a Heisenberg fellowship from the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the 1997 Innovation Prize from the Martin Luther University of Halle‐Wittenberg.

Contacts:

Julia Kent, CGS: (202) 223‐3791 / jkent@cgs.nche.edu
Molly Schwartz, University of Minnesota, Graduate School: (612) 626‐3314 / haug0068@umn.edu

The U.S. is engaged in global competition for talent to meet the knowledge and skill demands required in the 21^st century workplace. Many countries see graduate education as a key component to their economic growth and have established immigration policies that encourage rather than discourage, highly qualified international students to enroll in their graduate education programs. With this growing international competition for talented graduate students, immigration policies should not make it more difficult for international students to participate in U.S. graduate education programs. Further, these policies should increase the likelihood that they can remain in the U.S. upon graduation. We cannot afford to lose our place in the global marketplace as a producer of, and magnet for, the world’s top talent. 

To maintain our competitive ability to attract talented international graduate students and retain them once they have completed their course of study, CGS recommends the following immigration policy principles:

Extend dual intent to include nonimmigrant foreign students studying at the bachelor’s level or higher, with no restrictions on the field of study.

Allow international students who obtain advanced degrees to qualify for immigrant visas so they may remain in the U.S. and work in jobs related to their fields of study. This would apply to:

• Individuals who have earned a doctoral degree from a U.S. institution of higher education;
• Individuals who have earned a master’s degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) field from a U.S. institution of higher education.

Continue the use of Optional Practical Training (OPT) as a bridge between student visa status and H-1B visa status, for temporary employment directly related to the student’s major area of study, which gives the student work experience and training, and the employer an opportunity to assess the student’s abilities in the workforce.

Increase the number of H-1B visas available to graduate degree-holders and highly skilled workers to enhance U.S. leadership in an increasingly competitive global economy.

• Expand the number of H-1B visas from the current level of 65,000 per year.
• Increase the number of H-1B visas available per year to those who have earned a master’s degree or higher in a STEM field from a U.S. institution of higher education.

Explore ways to renew academic visas efficiently, particularly with respect to the interview requirements, to minimize the interruption to student’s academic progress.

Enact a permanent legislative solution that allows recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to legally remain in the U.S. with a path to citizenship.

(Reprinted from the May 2013 issue of GradEdge)

Highlights from the 2013 CGS Pressing Issues Survey

Graduate student financial support tops the list of pressing issues for graduate deans in 2013. Recruitment, admissions, and enrollment management was the second most commonly mentioned pressing issue, and graduate program financing, dealing with budget cuts, and issues related to state economies and the national economy ranked third.

Background

Each year, CGS asks graduate deans at member institutions to identify the three most important or “pressing” issues or challenges they currently face in the annual CGS Pressing Issues Survey. The findings from the survey not only inform CGS about the concerns of graduate deans, but also help to shape sessions at the CGS Summer Workshops, Annual Meetings, and other forums. These insights also provide impetus for new best practice projects and research directions at CGS. Since 2004, this survey has been conducted annually as part of the CGS International Graduate Admissions Survey, Phase I: Applications, and through the CGS membership survey and other surveys in prior years. This year, the Pressing Issues Survey was conducted as a stand-alone online survey in order to streamline data collection.

The 2013 Pressing Issues Survey was sent to the 512 U.S. colleges and universities that were members of CGS as of January 2013. A total of 193 institutions responded to the survey, for a response rate of 38%. Responding institutions included 109 doctoral institutions, 69 master’s-focused institutions, and 15 institutions classified as baccalaureate or specialized in the 2010 basic Carnegie Classifications. Fifty-six private, not-for-profit institutions responded to the Pressing Issues Survey, along with 137 public institutions. By geographic region, 57 of the responding institutions were in the Midwest, 38 were in the Northeast, 26 in the West, and 72 in the South. Responses to the Pressing Issues Survey were coded into broad categories. Since respondents were able to contribute up to three pressing issues, the percentages sum to more than 100%.

Pressing Issues in 2013

The top pressing issue identified by more than half (54%) of all graduate deans was graduate student financial support (see Table 1). This category includes health insurance for graduate students, as well as direct support through assistantships, fellowships, etc. Respondents from master’s and specialized institutions mentioned graduate student financial support as a concern more often than graduate deans from doctoral institutions (57% vs. 52%), and respondents from public institutions indicated this pressing issue more frequently than those at private, not-for-profit institutions (59% vs. 43%).

Table 1.

Source:  2013 CGS Pressing Issues Survey

Recruitment, admissions, and enrollment management was the second most commonly mentioned pressing issue, with nearly half (45%) of all respondents indicating this as a concern. Within this category, respondents mentioned trying to increase current enrollment levels, managing declining graduate enrollment, competing for prospective graduate students, as well as handling challenges in attracting a diverse applicant pool, and recruiting quality graduate students, among other concerns. Graduate deans from master’s and specialized institutions indicated that recruitment, admissions, and enrollment management was a concern more frequently than those from doctoral institutions (48% vs. 42%). Respondents from public institutions and private, not-for-profit institutions mentioned this issue at approximately the same frequency (45% vs. 43%).

Graduate program financing, dealing with budget cuts, and issues related to state economies and the national economy ranked third (33%) among the most pressing issues of graduate deans in 2013. This category also includes planning for the consequences resulting from sequestration, attaining a balanced financial portfolio to distribute limited resources across the institution, developing sustainable funding streams, and providing high-quality graduate education with limited resources. Respondents from master’s and specialized institutions mentioned this issue more frequently than graduate deans from doctoral institutions (36% vs. 30%), and public institutions raised this concern more often than private, not-for-profit institutions (34% vs. 30%).

Student support and services and general management and administration issues tied as the fourth most pressing issue this year (16%). The student support and services category includes advising and mentoring, services for international students, mental health counseling, among other concerns. Respondents from doctoral institutions more frequently mentioned both issues (i.e., general management and administration and student support and services) than graduate deans from master’s and specialized institutions (17% vs. 14%). Respondents from public institutions indicated that general management issues were a pressing issue more often than those at private, not-for-profit institutions (18% vs. 11%); however, respondents from private, not-for-profit institutions mentioned student support and service issues more often than those at public institutions (27% vs. 12%).

In response to the increasing percentage of respondents raising concerns about specific topics, this year four new pressing issue categories were split out from existing categories: online education/massive open online courses (MOOCs); graduate-to-career transitions; underrepresented students; and research ethics. Previously, graduate-to-career transitions was grouped with the student support and services category, online education/MOOCs was part of the program delivery category (which was renamed this year to program structure), and underrepresented students and research ethics were part of multiple categories. Online education/MOOCs (15%) include the delivery of courses, issues of credits, and offering courses to students in different states. The issue of online education was essentially equally represented among all respondent categories.

The percentage of respondents who mentioned the remaining pressing issues are shown in Table 1. All issues related to program quality; the evaluation, assessment, or review of graduate programs; accreditation; and student learning outcomes were grouped together as program quality, evaluation, assessment, and review (13%). The category of leadership and advocacy (13%) includes responses related to promoting graduate education and communicating the value of graduate education to internal and external stakeholders, among other related issues. Issues pertaining to retention, completion, attrition, and time-to-degree (12%) are also grouped together, as are responses related to developing or eliminating programs (12%). The category of faculty and staff issues (11%) primarily includes responses about faculty workloads and salaries. Responses related to program structure, which in previous years was called program delivery, include concerns about interdisciplinary programs, including the creation and maintenance of joint and dual programs (9%). Issues related to job placement, preparing students for careers outside of academe, tracking of career outcomes of graduates, and preparation of future faculty were grouped in the graduate-to-career transitions category (5%). Underrepresented student issues included increasing the diversity of student and faculty populations through recruitment and retention efforts, mentoring of underrepresented students, and creating a culture of diversity and inclusiveness on campuses (4%). Finally, the category of research ethics included plagiarism, research integrity, and communicating research standards to international students (4%).

Pressing Issues by Geographic Region

Graduate student financial support was the top pressing issue identified by graduate deans at institutions located across all regions of the United States except the Northeast (where this issue ranked second), and ranged from 56% in the Midwest to 58% in the West (see Table 2). Recruitment, admissions, and enrollment management was the second most pressing issue for institutions in the Midwest (54%), South (38%) and West (38%); however, it was the top pressing issue for institutions in the Northeast (47%). Graduate program financing/budget/economy was the third most pressing issue for respondents from all regions. Additionally, respondents from the Northeast more frequently mentioned issues related to student support and services (26%) than respondents in other regions of the United States.

Table 2.

Source:  2013 CGS Pressing Issues Survey

Historical Comparison of Pressing Issues

Two broad topics, in particular, have been mentioned frequently by graduate deans since 2008: graduate student financial support and recruitment, admissions, and enrollment management (see Figure 1). For the past three years, these have been among the two most pressing issues faced by graduate deans. Graduate deans have also frequently mentioned over the past four years issues related to graduate program financing and budget cuts, including the ongoing effects of the economic recession, and most recently sequestration. Student support and services issues have also been cited as concerns in the last three years. Interestingly, this concern has remained a top pressing issue despite the fact that concerns regarding graduate-to-career transitions were split from this category in this year’s analysis.

Figure 1.

Conclusion

The results of this year’s Pressing Issues Survey reveal that the majority of graduate deans view graduate student financial support as their top concern, as they face issues related to providing competitive aid packages, student debt, and increased pressure to ensure the affordability of graduate education. They also remain concerned about the costs associated with recruiting applicants. In particular, ten percent of respondents in this category mentioned recruitment issues pertaining to underrepresented students. Graduate deans also indicated continued pressures to increase enrollment during an economic downturn. Finally, the results reveal graduate deans’ concerns about the future of federal funding amidst sequestration and budgetary cuts. At the heart of these concerns is the ability to continue to provide high-quality education and research experiences to equip graduate students with the knowledge and tools necessary to enter a globally competitive market.

By Jeannette Remington, Program Manager; Leila Gonazles, Manager of Surveys and Information Services and Jeff Allum, Director, Research and Policy Analysis, Council of Graduate Schools