Congressional Meetings Role-Playing Videos 

• Recorded at the Pre-Meeting Workshop, 2016 CGS Annual Meeting
  • Meeting: "Average" Type
  • Meeting: Rushed Member of Congress
  • Meeting: Distracted Staff
  • Meeting: Retiring Member of Congress
  • Meeting: Staff with No Background on Issue

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Receives ETS/CGS Award for Innovation in Promoting Success in Graduate Education

Today the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) and ETS presented The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) with the 2020 ETS/CGS Award for Innovation in Promoting Success in Graduate Education: From Admission through Completion. Dr. Suzanne Barbour, dean of The Graduate School, accepted the co-sponsored award on UNC-Chapel Hill’s behalf during a post-meeting event of the virtual CGS 60th Annual Meeting.

Susan Porter Receives Debra W. Stewart Award for Outstanding Leadership in Graduate Education

The Board of Directors of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has announced that Dr. Susan Porter, dean and vice-provost of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at the University of British Columbia (UBC), is the 2020 recipient of the Debra W. Stewart Award for Outstanding Leadership in Graduate Education. Dr. Porter received the honor at an awards ceremony held as a post-meeting event of the virtual CGS 60th Annual Meeting.

Jan Allen Wins Assistant and Associate Deans Leadership Award

The Board of Directors of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has announced that Dr. Jan Allen, associate dean of academic and student affairs of the Graduate School at Cornell University, is the 2020 winner of the Assistant and Associate Deans Leadership Award. Allen received the honor at a ceremony held as a post-meeting event of the virtual CGS 60th Annual Meeting.

Maryl B. Gensheimer Receives 2020 Arlt Award in the Humanities

The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has awarded the 2020 Gustave O. Arlt Award in the Humanities to Dr. Maryl B. Gensheimer, associate professor of Roman art and archaeology and director of undergraduate studies at the University of Maryland, College Park. The awards ceremony was held as a post-meeting event of the virtual CGS 60th Annual Meeting.

Winners of 2020 CGS/ProQuest® Distinguished Dissertation Awards Announced

The Council of Graduate Schools / ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards, the nation’s most prestigious honors for doctoral dissertations, were presented to Akhil Rao and Caroline Trippel during the Council’s award ceremony held as a post-meeting event of the virtual CGS 60th Annual Meeting. Dr. Rao received his PhD in economics from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2019; Dr. Trippel completed her PhD in computer science/computer architecture from Princeton University in 2019.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts: Katherine Hazelrigg  (202) 461-3888 / khazelrigg@cgs.nche.edu  and Gilia Smith, ProQuest (734) 707-2691 | gilia.smith@proquest.com

Washington, DC – The Council of Graduate Schools / ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards, the nation’s most prestigious honors for doctoral dissertations, were presented to Akhil Rao and Caroline Trippel during the Council’s award ceremony held as a post-meeting event of the virtual CGS 60th Annual Meeting. Dr. Rao received his PhD in economics from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2019; Dr. Trippel completed her PhD in computer science/computer architecture from Princeton University in 2019.

Bestowed annually since 1982, the awards recognize recent doctoral recipients who have already made unusually significant and original contributions to their fields. ProQuest, an international leader in educational technology and content – including dissertation archiving, discovery, and access – sponsors the awards and an independent committee from the Council of Graduate Schools selects the winners. Two awards are given each year, rotating among four general areas of scholarship. The winners receive a certificate of recognition, a $2,000 honorarium, and a travel stipend to attend the awards ceremony.

“Over the past 39 years, the Distinguished Dissertation Award winners have consistently demonstrated the significant impact young scholars have in their disciplines and the broader graduate education community,” said CGS President Suzanne T. Ortega. “The 2020 honorees, Dr. Rao and Dr. Trippel, continue this tradition through their innovative research and noteworthy contributions to their respective fields. Their work embodies the value and impact of graduate education to the world and merits recognition.”

“We are honored to sponsor and recognize these scholars, whose work in their fields will make contributions to future research in years to come,” said Angela D’Agostino, VP of Dissertations at ProQuest. “We celebrate their immense achievements and offer well wishes for their future successes. In support of their aspirations, we are pleased to include their research with ProQuest where it can be referenced and expanded upon by other researchers around the world.”

Dr. Rao received the 2020 Award in Social Sciences for his dissertation, The Economics of Orbit Use: Theory, Policy, and Measurement. Rao’s work investigates, “the nature of orbit-use externalities, classify existing policies, identify a category of optimal policies, consider the extent to which technological advances can mitigate orbital externalities, and calculate the time path of an optimal satellite tax and the gains from implementing it.” Dr. Rao is currently an assistant professor of economics at Middlebury College.

The 2020 Award in Mathematics, Physical Sciences, & Engineering was presented to Dr. Trippel for her dissertation, Concurrency and Security Verification in Heterogeneous Parallel Systems. Trippel’s work, “combines hardware systems architecture approaches with formal methods techniques to support the specification, analysis, and verification of implementation-aware event ordering scenarios. The specific goal here is enabling automatic synthesis of implementation-aware programs capable of violating correctness or security guarantees when such programs exist.” Dr. Trippel is currently an assistant professor of computer science and electrical engineering at Stanford University.

This year several outstanding scholars received honorable mentions: Anna Grummon (nominated by the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill) and Cristina Gauthier Hernández (nominated by Michigan State University) for the Award in Social Sciences; and Daniel Gilman (nominated by the University of California, Los Angeles) and Kaveh Matinkhoo (nominated by the University of British Columbia) for the Award in Mathematics, Physical Sciences, and Engineering.

More information about the CGS / ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award is available at www.proquest.com/go/scholars or at www.cgsnet.org.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts: Katherine Hazelrigg  (202) 461-3888 / khazelrigg@cgs.nche.edu  and Alescia Dingle, ETS (609) 851-4913 | adingle@ets.org

Washington, DC – Today the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) and ETS presented The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) with the 2020 ETS/CGS Award for Innovation in Promoting Success in Graduate Education: From Admission through Completion. Dr. Suzanne Barbour, dean of The Graduate School, accepted the co-sponsored award on UNC-Chapel Hill’s behalf during a post-meeting event of the virtual CGS 60th Annual Meeting.

The ETS/CGS Award for Innovation in Promoting Success in Graduate Education recognizes promising, innovative proposals to enhance student success and degree completion at the master’s and doctoral levels while promoting inclusiveness. The winning institution is selected on the strength of its proposal to meet the award’s goals and to serve as a model for other schools. The winner receives a two-year, $20,000 matching grant.

This year’s winner, The Graduate School of UNC-Chapel Hill, will build on the work of its Diversity and Student Success (DSS) team which strives to create an environment where students are equipped to not only survive but to thrive during their tenure as graduate students. The current racial unrest, the Black Lives Matter movement, and COVID-19 have elevated the importance of DSS’s work. DSS/The Graduate School will pilot the development of intersecting learning communities for both graduate students and faculty/departments to continue building upon innovative diversity and equity efforts, to address various components of systemic racism, and to create an inclusive and welcoming climate for all graduate students.

The intersectional learning communities will build upon the existing DSS work, which includes five diversity initiatives and one recruitment initiative. Through the Carolina Grad Student F1RSTS, Global Grads, Initiative for Minority Excellence, Military-Affiliated Grads, and Queer Graduate and Professional Students efforts, DSS recognizes the intersectionality of identity and encourages students to join as many of the initiatives as appropriate. The Summer Undergraduate Pipeline (SUP) program, a DSS recruitment initiative, works directly with summer undergraduate research programs to create connections and provide the necessary tools for a successful transition into a graduate career.

“We are very grateful for the honor of this support, which will help us to realize our goal of ensuring that every UNC-Chapel Hill graduate student has a positive and productive experience during graduate school,” said Dr. Barbour. “Our project builds on the success of DSS in two crucial ways, by both better preparing graduate students to thrive in the cultures that they find in their departments and by providing departments with tools to assess and further strengthen their climates to better serve all graduate students.”

“Ensuring graduate students from traditionally underrepresented groups succeed is crucial to our future. I cannot emphasize enough that this is a top priority for CGS, and the work UNC-Chapel Hill is doing through its DSS project and under the leadership of Dr. Barbour prioritizes student success by placing the critical need for an inclusive environment at the center of graduate education,” said CGS President Suzanne T. Ortega. “We are so grateful to ETS for their support in recognizing this innovative way to promote best practices among graduate schools.”

“We are proud to recognize the outstanding innovation in diversity by UNC-Chapel Hill with the 2020 ETS/CGC Award for Innovation in Promoting Success in Graduate Education: from Admission through Completion,” said Dr. David Payne, vice president and chief operating officer of global higher education at ETS. “The efforts by the DSS team at UNC-Chapel Hill are a shining example of advancing equity by fostering a more inclusive school community to ensure that all graduate students are welcome, supported and have an opportunity to succeed.”

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

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

Washington, DC – The Board of Directors of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has announced that Dr. Susan Porter, dean and vice-provost of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at the University of British Columbia (UBC), is the 2020 recipient of the Debra W. Stewart Award for Outstanding Leadership in Graduate Education. Dr. Porter received the honor at an awards ceremony held as a post-meeting event of the virtual CGS 60th Annual Meeting.

A passionate advocate for graduate education, Dr. Porter becomes the fifth Debra W. Stewart Award recipient for her invaluable contributions to the University of British Columbia and the international graduate education community. Dr. Porter has been integral to the work on “reimagining the PhD” at UBC and across the globe, including as a co-lead of a Canadian task force on the future of doctoral research and the dissertation. She created the UBC Public Scholars Initiative to support doctoral students across all disciplines by reconceiving concepts of scholarship to include collaborative, action-oriented research intended to make lasting contributions to the public good.

As dean, Dr. Porter led initiatives that supported scholarly approaches to mentorship development and assessment, and oversaw the creation of innovative and widely used online tools for recruitment and faculty networking. Under her leadership, UBC became the first university in Canada to make individual graduate programs’ data on student completion times and rates, on application and enrollment figures, and on doctoral career outcomes readily available to the public.

Dr. Porter has also been involved in many CGS projects, including Supporting the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Graduate Students and the Global Postgraduate Diversity Resource. She has served as president of the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies and is currently on the Graduate Record Exam Board of Directors. In addition, she was an expert panel member for the Council of Canadian Academies Report on Labour Market Transition of PhD Graduates, commissioned by the Canadian government.

“Susan is widely recognized on our campus for her ethical thought leadership, her sincere commitment to outstanding, transformative education, and her indefatigable championing of broadened conceptions of graduate education to better address the needs of the 21st century,” said Santa J. Ono, president and vice-chancellor, University of British Columbia. Recognizing her many achievements and her exceptional leadership in advancing graduate education is a wonderful message to all who, like us, share her passion for creating a better university and scholars ready to contribute fully to the complex world in which we live.”

“Dr. Porter’s innovative approaches and solutions to notions of transparency and scholarship and her unwavering commitment to supporting graduate students are just a few of the reasons the CGS Board of Directors is pleased to recognize her leadership and service to the graduate education community,” said Dr. Andrew G. Campbell, dean of the Graduate School at Brown University and chair of the Council’s Board of Directors. “Susan’s creative and strategic thinking make her an outstanding leader, and deserving of this award”.

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

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

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Washington, DC – The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has awarded the 2020 Gustave O. Arlt Award in the Humanities to Dr. Maryl B. Gensheimer, associate professor of Roman art and archaeology and director of undergraduate studies at the University of Maryland, College Park. The awards ceremony was held as a post-meeting event of the virtual CGS 60th Annual Meeting.

Bestowed annually, the Arlt Award recognizes a young scholar-teacher who has written a book deemed to have made an outstanding contribution to scholarship in the humanities. Dr. Gensheimer becomes the award’s 50^th recipient for her book, Decoration and Display in Rome’s Imperial Thermae: Messages of Power and their Popular Reception at the Baths of Caracalla (Oxford UP, 2018). She received her PhD in Classical art and archaeology from the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University in 2013.

In Decoration and Display in Rome’s Imperial Thermae, Gensheimer analyzes the decoration of the Baths of Caracalla (inaugurated 216 CE) and elucidates its critical role in advancing Roman imperial agendas. As Gensheimer notes, “This reassessment of one of the most sophisticated examples of architectural patronage in Classical antiquity examines the specific mechanisms through which an imperial patron could use architectural decoration to emphasize his sociopolitical position relative to the thousands of people who enjoyed his benefaction.”

“Elevating the exceptional work of early-career humanities faculty has never been more important, and Dr. Gensheimer’s brilliant work contextualizes the cultural significance of the two-thousand-year-old ancient Roman Baths of Caracalla and the role art and architecture plays in advancing the politics of imperialism. We are honored to present her with this year’s prestigious Arlt Award,” said Dr. Suzanne Ortega, president of the Council of Graduate Schools.

Created in 1971, the Arlt Award honors the first president of CGS, Gustave O. Arlt. The winner must have earned a doctorate within the past seven years, and currently be teaching at a North American university. Nominations are made by CGS member institutions and are reviewed by a panel of scholars in the field of competition, which rotates annually among seven disciplines within the humanities. This year’s field was The Arts (Art History/Criticism/Conservation and Music). The winner receives a $1,000 honorarium and travel to the awards ceremony.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Washington, DC – The Board of Directors of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has announced that Dr. Jan Allen, associate dean of academic and student affairs of the Graduate School at Cornell University, is the 2020 winner of the Assistant and Associate Deans Leadership Award. Allen received the honor at a ceremony held as a post-meeting event of the virtual CGS 60th Annual Meeting.

The award was created by the CGS Board of Directors to recognize individuals who have shown exemplary commitment to graduate education by demonstrating creativity and innovation in response to institutional challenges and/or limited budgets or resources; building partnerships both internal and external to the graduate school; identifying and obtaining resources, both internal and external to the graduate school; effectively advocating on behalf of graduate education; fostering inclusiveness in the graduate community; and engaging student voices (including diverse voices).

Dr. Allen becomes the award’s second recipient for her valuable contributions to the Cornell University graduate community. Her many accomplishments include designing and implementing high-impact writing, professional development, and mentorship programs with little-to-no additional funding; partnering with Cornell’s teaching center, writing center, and research office to deliver high-quality graduate student programs; and chairing Cornell’s task force on supporting international graduate students, leading to the creation of the English Language Support Office staffed by three instructors and 15 peer tutors. Allen has served as president and an executive committee member of the Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools, where she is currently a senior advisor. In addition, she has presented at dozens of seminars and workshops on graduate professional development and leadership and work/family issues.

“Jan is known throughout the graduate education community, nationally and internationally, for sharing her professional expertise widely to help graduate students recognize and overcome common hurdles to writing and to implement best practices for writing productively,” said Dr. Kathryn Boor, dean of the Graduate School and vice provost for graduate education at Cornell University. “Her innovative writing programs, dedication to mentoring for professional development, and generosity of spirit are just a few reasons why Jan is so deserving of this award.”

“Dr. Allen’s 23 years of service as an assistant/associate dean across four institutions of higher education is a testament to her exemplary dedication to graduate education. The committee was particularly impressed with her conflict resolution work and her tireless commitment to collaboration whenever possible. She promotes respect for students by helping them learn to engage professionally in challenging situations, using skills to advocate for themselves and with their faculty advisors,” said Dr. Thomas Jeitschko, selection committee chair, and dean of the Graduate School and associate provost for graduate education at Michigan State University.

Nominees for the award must be a current assistant or associate-level dean at a CGS member institution (Regular or Associate) with primary administrative responsibility in graduate education. Assistant or associate deans whose graduate deans currently serve on the CGS Board are not eligible to be nominated for the award during the dean’s active years of board service. Nominations are made by CGS member institutions and are reviewed by a committee selected by the CGS Board of Directors. The winner receives a $1,500 honorarium and is invited to plan and participate in a session at the CGS Summer Workshop on a topic of their choosing.

CGS gratefully acknowledges Liaison’s financial support of the Assistant and Associate Deans Leadership Award.  Liaison, a higher education enrollment marketing and admissions management company, is a CGS Sustaining Member.

###

CGS Joins Comments on Sec. 117 Foreign Gift Reporting (12/14/2020)

On December 14, CGS joined community comments led by the American Council on Education in response to a Department of Education "notice of interpretation" on how institutions must report "foreign gifts."

CGS Joins CNSF Recommendations for the Biden Transition Team (12/04/20)

On December 4, CGS joined the Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF) in sending policy recommendations for the National Science Foundation to President-elect Biden and the transition team.

CGS Joins Letter to DHS Requesting Guidance on International Students and Exchange Visitors for Spring 2021 (12/04/20)

On December 4, CGS joined the higher education community on a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requesting guidance for international students and exchange visitors for the Spring 2021 semester.

CGS Joins Letter on NIH to President-Elect Biden (12/04/20)

On December 4, CGS joined the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research and 348 colleague organizations on a letter thanking President-elect Joe Biden for his support of scientific research and increased funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and sharing recommendations from the scientific community.

CGS Joins Community Letter to Department of Education Requesting Extended Flexibilities for Student Borrowers during the COVID-19 Pandemic (11/20/20)

On November 20, CGS joined the higher education community on a letter urging the Department of Education to extend the current suspension of payment and zero percent interest for federal student loan borrowers, as well as the suspension of collections on defaulted loans, through December 31, 2021.

CGS Joins Community Letter of Priorities for Higher Ed to President-elect Biden (11/18/20)

On November 18, CGS joined 45 other higher education organizations on a community letter to the Biden administration's transition team detailing regulatory priorities for higher education, including Title IX reform, preservation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, protections for international students, and more.

CGS Joins Community Letter to DHS on Amendments to the H-1B Nonimmigrant Visa Program (11/09/20)

On November 9, CGS joined a community letter to Department of Homeland Security leadership responding to the October 8 Interim Final Rule, Strengthening the H-1B Nonimmigrant Visa Classification Program.

CGS Joins Letter Responding to the DOL IFR on the H1-B Prevailing Wage Issue (11/09/20)

On November 9, CGS joined the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources and colleague organizations on a letter to Department of Labor leadership responding to the October 8 Interim Federal Regulation (IFR) entitled Strengthening Wage Protections for the Temporary and Permanent Employment of Certain Aliens in the United States.

CGS Sends Comments to DHS for Proposed Rule on Duration of Status (10/26/20)

On October 26, CGS sent public comments to the Department of Homeland Security opposing the proposed rule and requesting the Department withdraw it. Also on October 26, CGS joined the higher education community in sending public comments to the Department with the same request.

CGS Joins Letter Urging White House to Withdraw EO 13950 (10/08/20)

On October 8, CGS signed a community letter requesting the White House withdraw an executive order "Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping" that would affect institutions' diversity, equity, and inclusion programming.

CGS Requests Extended Comment Period for Proposed Rule on Duration of Status (10/07/20)

On October 7, CGS penned a letter to the Department of Homeland Security, formally requesting the comment period for the proposed rule "Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admissssioon and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media” published on September 25, 2020 be extended to a minimum of 60 days. CGS also joined a community letter on October 6 with this request. 

CGS Joins Letter to the Department of Education on the Investigation of Princeton University (9/30/20)

On September 30, CGS joined a community letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos urging the department to end its investigation into whether Princeton University is in compliance with federal anti-discrimination law.

CGS Joins Letter to DHS Regarding the Establishment of a HSAC Academic Subcommittee (9/25/20)

On September 25, CGS joined the higher education community on a letter to DHS leaders offering to act as a resource for the Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC) Academic Subcommittee.

CGS Joins Letter to DHS Requesting Updated Guidance for Fall 2020 (7/22/20)

On July 22, CGS joined a community letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) seeking updated guidance for international students who will be participating in online education for Fall 2020 semester. DHS's July 15 FAQ document following the rescission of its July 6 guidance also creates some concerns, which are outlined in the letter. 

NAGPS-SAGE-CGS Send Joint Letter to DHS on July 6 Guidance (7/14/20)

On July 14, the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students (NAGPS), Student Advocates for Graduate Education (SAGE), and CGS sent a joint letter expressing concern over recent guidance restricting remote access learning for international students in Fall 2020.

CGS Joins Letter on Concerning ICE Guidance (7/10/20)

On July 10, a letter was sent by the higher education community to Department of Homeland Security Acting Director Chad Wolf requesting that guidance prohibiting international students from engaging in fully online education during the COVID-19 pandemic be revoked.

CGS Joins Letter to Sec. DeVos on CARES Act Interim Final Rule (7/2/20)

On July 2, CGS joined the higher ed community in submitting public comments in response to the Department of Education's IFR on eligibility requirements for CARES Act emergency grant aid for students. 

Community Letter Requests Fall 2020 Guidance from State, DHS (7/2/20)

On July 2, CGS signed a community letter to Dept. of State and Dept. of Homeland Security requesting updated guidance on international students for Fall 2020.

CGS Joins Community Letter to Agencies on Value of International Students (4/30/20)

On April 30, 2020, CGS joined 61 additional higher education associations on a letter to the Departments of Homeland Security, State, and Labor expressing the value international students bring to the United States. This letter follows President Trump’s executive order to temporarly suspend immigration.

Higher Education Community Requests Regulatory Relief from Dept. of Ed. (3/24/20)

CGS signed onto a community letter urging the Department of Education to temporarily halt further regulatory action with respect to Title IX and Sec. 117 foreign gift reporting. The letter acknowledges the challenges institutions would face in attempting to comply with additional regulations given the COVID-19 pandemic.

CGS Joins Community Public Comments Regarding Sec. 117 Reporting (3/11/2020)

On March 11, CGS signed onto public comments by the higher education community in response to the Department of Education’s proposed information collection request related to Foreign Gift Reporting (Section 117).

CGS Comments on the American Research Environment (1/28/2020)

On January 28, CGS submitted comments to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy in response to a Request for Information (RFI) regarding actions federal agencies can take to maximize the quality and effectiveness of the American research environment.

CGS Joins Community Public Comments Regarding Sec. 117 Reporting Requirements (11/5/2019)

On November 5, public comments were submitted by the higher education community in response to the Department of Education’s proposed expansion of foreign gift and contract reporting requirements (Sec. 117, Higher Education Act).

Community Letter in Support of NSF GRFP Awards (10/25/2019)

On October 25, CGS joined a community letter addressed to National Science Foundation Director France Cordova encouraging the agency to allocate at least as many fellowships through the Graduate Research Fellowship Program as it did last year.

CGS Joins Public Comments to IRS on Excise Tax (9/30/2019) 

CGS, along with nine other organizations, sent public comments to the IRS in response to a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the net investment income tax (endowment excise tax).

Coalition Letter on PSLF Implementation Concerns (6/24/2019)

On June 24, CGS signed onto a coalition letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos urging the department to waive the requirement that borrowers who qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF) must still be working in the public sector when granted loan forgiveness. This requirement has significantly slowed the administration of PSLF for qualified borrowers.

Community Letter on Overtime Regulation (5/21/2019)

On May 21, CGS signed onto a higher education community letter to the Department of Labor regarding its proposed rule updating the salary threshold for the “white collar” exemptions to the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) overtime pay requirements. The letter also includes previous comments the community had submitted—which CGS also joined—highlighting the potential impacts of the proposed rule on postdoctoral researchers and graduate research assistants at colleges and universities.

Community Letter on Dept. of Ed. Title IX Regulations (1/30/2019)

On January 30, CGS signed onto public comments submitted to the Department of Education regarding its notice of proposed rulemaking on Title IX campus sexual assault guidance. The comments note that the proposed rule is extremely complex in nature and highlights several concerns and questions.

CGS Comments on H-1B Visa Lottery Proposal (1/2/2019)

On January 2, CGS submitted public comments to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding its proposed changes to the H-1B visa lottery process. The comments acknowledge DHS’ efforts to increase the number of H-1B recipients who have graduate degrees from U.S. colleges and universities and also seeks clarification on potentially unintended consequences.

Community Letter to DHS on Public Charge Proposal (12/10/2018)

On December 10, CGS signed onto comments submitted by the higher education community to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on a proposed rule regarding inadmissibility of immigrants and non-immigrants on public charge grounds. Specific to higher education, the letter asks that the final regulation explicitly state that it does not apply to Title IV student aid programs or to F-1 and J-1 visas.

Community Letter to HHS on Proposed Definition of Sex (11/29/2018)

On November 29, CGS signed onto a higher education community letter to the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) voicing concerns around a potential proposal to establish a narrow legal definition of sex. The letter highlights the implications this would have on transgender and gender non-binary students, faculty, and staff at institutions of higher education and urges HHS to not proceed with this action. 

Community Letter on Proposed Visa Fee Increases (9/17/2018)

On September 17, CGS joined the higher education community on comments and feedback submitted to the Department of Homeland Security around its proposed fee increases for the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) calling attention to the potentially adverse impact on international students and faculty as well as U.S. institutions of higher education.

CGS Comments on SEVP Fee Increases (9/16/2018)

On September 16, CGS submitted comments to the Department of Homeland Security in response to a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding proposed fee increases for the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), voicing concerns around the potential unintended consequences of this proposal. The letter also addressing other recent changes to policies impacting international students, highlighting how in totality, these actions could impede the ability of U.S. colleges and universities to attract top international talent. 

Community Comments on Borrower Defense Rule (8/30/2018)

On August 30, CGS signed on to comments from the higher education community sent to the Department of Education around its proposed final rule on borrower defenses to repayment. The letter specifically addresses proposed changes to the process for granting borrowers relief due to the closure of, or misrepresentations by, their institution. 

CGS Comments on USAID Education Policy (8/2/2018)

On August 2, CGS submitted comments and feedback to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) around a set of questions posed at a discussion on the U.S. Government Basic Education Strategy and the impending USAID Education Policy. CGS provided several recommendations that USAID can implement with respect to this critical issue, including: strengthening the academic workforce; partnering with institutions to advance research; improving student support services; and bolstering connections with employers and industry.

Community Letter on Proposed Changes to Visa Applications (5/14/2018)

On May 14, CGS signed onto comments submitted by the higher education community to the State Department over its proposed changes to the application for nonimmigrant visas, including student visas, work visas, and tourist visas, which would require the reporting of five years of identifiers for social media platforms, previously used telephone numbers, email addresses, and international travel. The letter highlights the community’s concerns with the message this action would send to international scholars and the impact it would have on the ability of U.S. colleges and universities to attract the world’s top students and researchers.

Community Letter to FBI Director on Higher Ed National Security Issues (4/24/2018)

CGS signed onto a higher education community letter sent on April 24 to FBI Director Christopher Wray expressing concern over the disbanding of the National Security Higher Education Advisory Board (NSHEAB). The letter cites a recent congressional hearing regarding heightened security concerns around international students and theft of intellectual property. It also requests a meeting with relevant national security agencies to discuss national security issues that intersect with higher education.

Community Letter on DACA Renewal Process (4/13/2018)

CGS signed onto a higher education community letter sent on April 13 to the Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen expressing support for the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) effort to process renewal applications for current Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) registrants. The letter stresses the importance of expediting the process and encourages DHS to promptly review submissions that have recently expired or will expire in the coming days and weeks, to avoid a backlog of applications which may result in a loss of protections for DACA recipients whose status many soon lapse.

Coalition Letter on Fiscal Year 2022 Appropriations (1/24/22)

The Task Force on American Innovation, of which CGS is a member, sent a letter to appropriations leadership regarding the importance of federally funded research in the physical sciences and engineering. Given the urgent need to recommit our nation to prioritizing science and technology research and the increasing global competition we face in emerging technologies, we strongly encourage Congress to complete the FY22 appropriations process in a timely manner.

CGS Joins Coalition Letter on International Education (12/10/21)

CGS joined other higher education associations and social science organizations to support the inclusion of reauthorization provisions for international education programs in the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act.

CGS Joins Coalition Letter in Support of USICA (11/24/21)

On November 23, the Coalition for National Science Funding sent a letter of thanks to Congressional Leadership for their plans to move to conference the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (USICA) with House-passed authorization legislation for the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy's Office of Science.

Coalition Letter on Department of Veterans' Affairs Rounding Out Rule (11/19/21)

CGS sent a letter with 33 other organizations to Congress regarding the inclusion of rounding out language in legislation to ensure that more student veterans can maintain full-time benefits during the last term of their program. Without the 'rounding out’ fix to the recent Veterans' Affairs rulemaking, these students will be forced into making life-altering decisions, such as abruptly relocating, taking on additional work or a new job, or accumulating even more debt through student loans, that will undoubtedly impact their ability to complete their studies.

CGS Joins Coalition Letter in Strong Support of Robust Funding Levels for National Science Foundation (11/9/21)

On November 2, members of the Coalition for National Science Funding sent a letter to appropriators regarding support for National Science Foundation (NSF) funding in Fiscal Year 2022. NSF investments are key to bolstering U.S. innovation and competitiveness by funding highly meritorious curiosity-driven research; building and fostering U.S. STEM education and workforce programs; supporting cutting-edge facilities that enable the work of scientists and engineers; and addressing the most pressing issues of our time.

CGS and Higher Education Community Thanks Congress for their Support of Student Veterans (10/21/21)

On October 21, the Higher Education community sent thank you letters to Members of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs for their continued support of student veterans. Specifically, the community thanked Committee Members for the introduction of the Student Veteran COVID-19 Protection Act (H.R. 5509) and the Responsible Education Mitigating Options and Technical Extensions (REMOTE) Act (H.R. 5545). Here are the thank you letters for H.R. 5509 and H.R. 5545.

CGS Joins Letter Urging Flexibility in Travel Policies for International Students and Scholars (10/15/21)

On October 14, CGS joined other higher education associations in a sending a letter to the White House and the Centers for Disease Control concerning international students, scholars, and researchers. Specifically, the letter urges the Biden Administration to allow these students, scholars, and researchers, who are from countries where the COVID vaccine is not widely available, to enter the United States.

CGS Joins Letter in Support of Afghan Students and Scholars (9/24/21)

On September 23, CGS joined other Higher Education associations in sending a letter the House and Senate Leadership requesting their support for legislation to assist students and scholars displaced by the crisis in Afghanistan. 

CGS Joins Letter Urging Technical Corrections to Laws Concerning Veterans Benefits (9/23/21)

On September 22, CGS joined other Higher Education associations in sending a letter to the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees. Specifically, the letter urges technical corrections to the Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 and the Training in High-demand Roles to Improve Veterans Employment Act.

CGS Sends Letter to House Leadership on the Budget Reconciliation Act (09/13/21)

On September 13, CGS sent a letter to House Leadership on the FY22 Budget Reconciliation Act: Build Back Better Act. This letter urges the inclusion of legislative language that would provide income-eligible graduate students, who received Pell Grant support as undergraduates, the ability to apply remaining semesters of Pell support towards a graduate degree. 

CGS Joins Letter Urging Congress to Legislate Protections for DACA (08/04/21)

On August 4, CGS joined the higher education community on a letter urging Congress to enact permanent, legal protections for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients.

CGS Joins Letter of Support for the House Appropriations FY22 Labor-HHS-Education Bill (07/14/21)

On July 14, CGS joined a community letter supporting the House Appropriations Committee's legislation that provides FY 2022 funding for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.

CGS Joins Letter of Support for International and Foreign Language Studies (06/28/21)

On June 28, CGS joined the Coalition for International Education on a letter to the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee recommending Fiscal Year 2022 funding for HEA-Title VI and Fulbright-Hays programs.

CGS Joins Community Requests for FY22 Appropriations to Fund Higher Education Programs (06/11/21)

On June 11, CGS joined the higher education community on a letter to House Appropriators requesting fiscal year (FY) 2022 funding for programs of interest to graduate education and research, including $35 million for Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need.

CGS Joins Letter of Support for International Education and Foreign Language Studies (05/12/21)

On May 12, CGS joined the Coalition for International Education on a letter to the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee supporting Fiscal Year 2022 funding for HEA-Title VI and Fulbright-Hays programs.

CGS Letter Supporting NSF for the Future Act (05/03/21)

On May 3, CGS sent a letter to members of the House Science Committee endorsing the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the Future Act, which would make meaningful improvements to graduate STEM education and research training,

CGS Joins Letter in Support for International and Foreign Language Education (04/27/21)

On April 27, CGS joined the Coalition for International Education on a letter to Senate leadership supporting international and foreign language education through Title VI reauthorization in upcoming Senate competitiveness legislation.

CGS Joins Letters to Congress on Federal Student Loan Origination Fees (04/19/21)

On April 19, CGS joined community letters to congressional leadership and to leaders of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee in support of S. 847, the Student Loan Tax Elimination Act, which would eliminate costly origination fees on federal student loans disbursed on or after March 27, 2020.

CGS Endorses James Kvaal to serve as the Under Secretary in the Department of Education (04/14/21)

On April 14, CGS joined the higher education community on a letter to Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions leadership in support of James Kvaal who has been nominated to serve as the Under Secretary in the  Department of Education.

CGS Joins Request for $1.51B for HRSA in FY22 (03/31/21)

On March 31, CGS joined a community letter urging Congress to provide $1.51 billion for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Title VII health professions and Title VIII nursing workforce development programs for FY 2022. (03/31/21)

CGS Joins Request $35 Million for GAANN in FY 2022 Appropriations (3/17/21)

On March 17, CGS joined the Student Aid Alliance on a FY 2022 appropriations request letter to Congress, including $35 million for the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) program.

CGS Joins Letter to Congressional Leadership on the American Rescue Plan (3/15/21)

On March 15, CGS joined the higher education community on a letter thanking Democratic leaders for passing the American Rescue Plan Act (H.R. 1319) which provides significant assistance for postsecondary institutions and students.

CGS Sends Letters to House and Senate on the Supporting Early-Career Researchers Act (3/11/21)

On March 11, CGS sent a letter to leaders of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology endorsing the Supporting Early-Career Researchers Act (H.R. 144), which would establish a 2-year postdoctoral fellowship program through the National Science Foundation to support early-career scientists whose employment prospects have been affected by COVID-19. On February 23, CGS sent a letter to Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) endorsing the companion legislation in the Senate.

CGS Joins Letter to Senate Leaders Supporting the COVID-19 Reconciliation Budget Package (3/2/21)

On March 2, CGS joined the higher education community on a letter to Senate leaders voicing support for the reconciliation package that would provide $40 billion for students and institutions.

CGS Joins Letter in Support of the Dream Act (2/22/21)

On February 22, CGS joined the higher education community on a letter to Senate leadership in support of the bipartisan Dream Act (S.264).

CGS Endorses House and Senate RISE Act Reintroduction (2/9/21)

On February 9, CGS sent letters to the House and Senate cosponsors of the bipartisan Research Investment to Spark the Economy (RISE) Act, H.R.869/S.289, which would provide roughly $25 billion in additional support for the research enterprise in light of COVID-19.

CGS Joins Letter  in Support of COVID-19 Relief for Higher Education Students and Institutions (2/8/21)

On February 8, CGS joined a community letter to the leaders of the House Committee on Education and Labor in support of the $40 billion in emergency relief for institutions and students included in the FY21 budget resolution’s reconciliation instructions.

CGS Joins Letter to Congress on Emergency Relief for Science and Research (1/27/21)

On January 27, CGS joined the Coalition for National Science Funding on a letter requesting Congress include $3 billion in emergency relief funding for the National Science Foundation in future COVID-19 relief legislation.