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Member Engagement
Member Engagement
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CGS membership provides opportunities to engage with an active community of institutions and organizations that support graduate education. We invite you to explore our categories of membership and their distinct benefits, which include data analysis and best practice expertise, discounts on meetings and publications, and opportunities to exchange information and resources with fellow members.
Sponsored Webinar: Preparing Graduate Students for Effective Undergraduate Teaching
Thursday, April 23, 2020
Graduate students carry important teaching responsibilities in discussion sections, labs, and sometimes their own courses. This webinar introduces you to two new online short courses in effective teaching practices designed specifically for graduate students and offered by the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE). The 4- to 6-week online courses, "Promoting Active Learning" and "Promoting Active Online Learning" are offered during Summer 2020 and are open to individual graduate students or groups of students from a single institution. Graduate deans, directors of graduate studies and faculty members are encouraged to participate in the webinar to learn more about the courses. Webinar sponsored by ACUE.
As Coronavirus Closes Colleges, the Campus Tour Goes Virtual
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Graduate students are a different story. April 15 is a common deadline to accept financial support from a university the following academic year. These types of support include graduate scholarships, fellowships and assistantships. The Council of Graduate Schools, a national organization for graduate deans, hasn’t changed its deadline but cautions that individual colleges and programs could move theirs.
‘Academic’ Means More Than Tenure Track
Monday, April 13, 2020
If you are interested in a position like mine that supports graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, I would explore the resources of the Graduate Career Consortium and Council of Graduate Schools as a starting point. You can unearth more of these professional organizations by adding this question to the informational interviews that you’re conducting.
Pass/Fail? How Schools Are Handling Grades During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Friday, April 17, 2020
Students seeking to transfer to graduate schools could be at an even bigger disadvantage compared to regular applicants and other transfers. That being said, Suzanne T. Ortega, president of the Council of Graduate Schools, told Teen Vogue it’s “hard to imagine that any graduate school isn’t going to take the current circumstances into consideration when assessing future graduate applications.”
President's Office Hours
In response to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Council of Graduate Schools' President, Suzanne T. Ortega, will be holding office hours to support members of the graduate community. These office hours will be limited to 10-12 deans who are CGS members and will focus on specific topics ranging from supporting master's students to admissions and retention.
Invitations to participate in the first round of office hours have been sent to the primary dean at member graduate schools. For more information, please contact Anna M. Naranjo at anaranjo@cgs.nche.edu.
Navigating the COVID-19 Pandemic
CGS is providing information, networks, and a resource hub for member institutions as they work to support their students throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. A list of CGS resources for navigating the pandemic can be seen below. New resources and opportunities to connect with your colleagues and CGS leadership will be added, so check this page frequently.
- The Graduate Community’s Response to COVID-19: A Conversation with Graduate Deans
- President Suzanne Ortega’s Office Hours
- Dean’s Discussion Board
Institutional Initiatives and Examples
CGS members have responded to the COVID-19 by creating new resources and initiatives to support graduate students. Click here for a list of CGS member initiatives and examples submitted by the graduate education community.
Federal Regulatory and Legislative Updates
The linked page includes resources and summaries on federal legislative and regulatory actions related to COVID-19 as well as CGS-supported requests to Congress and the Administration.
International Students
International graduate students are among those most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. From issues with standardized testing to visas, the situation for international graduate students is continually evolving. Below is a list of resources to support international students as they navigate these challenging times:
- NAFSA maintains a hub of news and information on education abroad, international students and scholars, and regulatory information.
- Educational Testing Service (click here for GRE and here for TOEFL), Cambridge English, IELTS maintain web pages with updates to information for international English and GRE test takers.
- Department of Homeland Security provides FAQs for SEVP Stakeholders about the effects of COVID-19 and any additional SEVP adaptations in response to the pandemic for SEVP-certified schools and F and M students.
- USCIS updated Public Charge information to encourage all individuals, including immigrants seeking green card status, with symptoms that resemble COVID-19 to seek necessary medical treatment or preventive services. Such treatment or services will not negatively affect one’s future Public Charge analysis.
Financial Aid
Graduate student financial support remains a top priority for CGS and its members. Below is a list of resources on graduate student financial aid.
- National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) maintains information related to COVID-19 on their Today’s News page.
- Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid provides updated Coronavirus and Forbearance Info for Students, Borrowers, and Parents including Q&A on student loan payments, loan increases, distance learning, and agency and federal government responses.
Funding Opportunities
Research opportunities are of key importance to CGS and its members. Compiled below are resources on grant funding for federal and COVID-19 related research grants.
- National Institutes of Health provides information for NIH Applicants and Recipients of NIH Funding.
- A coalition of arts grantmakers launched Artist Relief, unrestricted grants to help artists in need of financial support due to COVID-19.
- National Science Foundation is accepting proposals to conduct non-medical, non-clinical-care research that can be used to understand the spread of COVID-19.
State-level Information and Resources
COVID-19 Response: Institutional Resources and Examples
- Colorado State University Webpage on COVID-19 - Submitted by Mary Stromberger
- Cornell University COVID-19 Updates Page
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Emory University Laney Graduate School page on COVID-19 response - Submitted by Lisa Tedesco
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transition to remote teaching, work, and learning
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academic progress
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research and training progress
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travel restriction guidance
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professional development support
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student funding
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- Howard University Graduate School's Response to COVID-19 - Submitted by Dana A. Williams
- Harvard University - Research Program and Laboratory Guidance: Coronavirus FAQ
- Montana State University Announcements Page
- University of California at Berkeley COVID-19 page
- University of Connecticut webpage on COVID-19 - Submitted by Kent Holsinger
- University of Delaware Graduate College COVID-19 Resource Site - Submitted by Steven M. Kendus
- University of Iowa COVID-19 Resources Hub and FAQ - Submitted by Katie McKibben
- University of Maryland Graduate School webpage on COVID-19 - Submitted by Brooke Fisher Liu
- University of Mississippi "In This Together" graduate resource - Submitted by Annette S. Kluck
- University of Washington Graduate School COVID-19 Information Hub - Submitted by Joy Williamson-Lott
- University of Washington: Education and Nursing - Submitted by Anne Rapp via Dean’s Discussion Board
- Virginia Tech COVID-19 Graduate School FAQ - Submitted by Karen DePauw
Webinar: The Graduate Community's Response to COVID-19: A Discussion with Graduate Deans
Wednesday, April 8, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges to graduate leaders. From the rapid implementation of online instruction to the delivery ...
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Please login to view the full content.
Navigating the COVID-19 Pandemic
CGS is providing information, networks, and a resource hub for member institutions as they work to support their students throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. A list of CGS resources for navigating the pandemic can be seen below. New resources and opportunities to connect with your colleagues and CGS leadership will be added, so check this page frequently.
- The Graduate Community’s Response to COVID-19: A Conversation with Graduate Deans
- President Suzanne Ortega’s Office Hours
- Dean’s Discussion Board
- April 15 Resolution
Institutional Initiatives and Examples
CGS members have responded to the COVID-19 by creating new resources and initiatives to support graduate students. Click here for a list of CGS member initiatives and examples submitted by the graduate education community.
Federal Regulatory and Legislative Updates for Institutional Operations
The linked page includes resources and summaries on federal legislative and regulatory actions related to COVID-19 as well as CGS-supported requests to Congress and the Administration.
- Department of Education page on COVID-19
- UPDATED Guidance for interruptions of study related to Coronavirus (COVID-19) (May 15, 2020) provides information that expands on the Department's March 5, 2020 and April 3, 2020 guidance.
- UPDATED Additional Learning Information: Department’s final rules for Distance Learning and Innovation.
- Office for Civil Rights posts Questions and Answers for Postsecondary Institutions Regarding the COVID-19 National Emergency including technical assistance for postsecondary institutions in meeting Federal civil rights laws.
- UPDATED Department of Education publishes third FAQ guidance on the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund
- Office of Postsecondary Education publishes revised public reporting requirements for Higher Education Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides updated guidance and communication resources for Colleges and Universities to Plan, Prepare, and Respond to the coronavirus disease.
- UPDATED Centers of Disease Control and Prevention guidance on Testing, Screening, and Outbreak Response for Institutions of Higher Education
- White House Office of Management and Budget issued a memo allowing federal funding agencies, including NIH, to provide continued flexibilities to research grant recipients impacted by COVID-19. The flexibilities allow grant money to cover operational and salary costs.
- White House issues precautions for all individuals, including those on college campuses.
International Students
International graduate students are among those most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. From issues with standardized testing to visas, the situation for international graduate students is continually evolving. Below is a list of resources to support international students as they navigate these challenging times:
- NAFSA covers who is and is not affected by the Trump Administration's April 22, 2020 proclamation limiting certain immigrants from entering the United States during the designated 60 day period. The original White House proclamation can be found here
- NAFSA maintains a hub of news and information on education abroad, international students and scholars, and regulatory information.
- Educational Testing Service (click here for GRE and here for TOEFL), Cambridge English, IELTS maintain web pages with updates to information for international English and GRE test takers.
- Department of Homeland Security provides FAQs for SEVP Stakeholders about the effects of COVID-19 and any additional SEVP adaptations in response to the pandemic for SEVP-certified schools and F and M students.
- USCIS updated Public Charge information to encourage all individuals, including immigrants seeking green card status, with symptoms that resemble COVID-19 to seek necessary medical treatment or preventive services. Such treatment or services will not negatively affect one’s future Public Charge analysis.
- Congressional Research Service published a report, Recovery Rebates and Unemployment Compensation under the CARES Act: Immigration-Related Eligibility Criteria
- U.S. Citizens and Immigration Services (USCIS) Response to Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Financial Aid
Graduate student financial support remains a top priority for CGS and its members. Below is a list of resources on graduate student financial aid.
- IRS published FAQs: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund and Emergency Financial Aid Grants under the CARES Act covering how higher education institutions are to use Education Department funds to support students and institutions with expenses and financial needs related to the coronavirus pandemic.
- Century Foundation outlines how students can leverage the CARES Act Pandemic Unemployment Assistance through the Department of Labor summarizing how PUA differs from the traditional unemployment assistance program, what benefits are available, and which students qualify.
- Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education clarifies Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Reporting- Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students, the information institutions must report on their use of HEERF grants as mandated in the CARES Act.
- UPDATED Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid provides updated Coronavirus and Forbearance Info for Students, Borrowers, and Parents including Q&A on student loan payments, loan increases, distance learning, and agency and federal government responses.
- Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education clarifies Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Reporting- Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students, the information institutions must report on their use of HEERF grants as mandated in the CARES Act.
- Department of Education guidance on the CARES Act: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. Federal Register posted the interim final rule on 6/17/20. Comments close 7/17/20.
- COVID-19 Title IV Frequently Asked Questions
- Frequently Asked Questions about the Institutional Portion of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund
- Frequently Asked Questions about the Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students
- Department of Labor posted a press release on the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program.
- National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) maintains information related to COVID-19 on their Today’s News page.
- Department of Education reopens the application period for institutions to apply for aid through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) through September 30.
- Department of Labor published a news release answering questions about eligibility for paid leave and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.
Funding Opportunities
Research opportunities are of key importance to CGS and its members. Compiled below are resources on grant funding for federal and COVID-19 related research grants.
- National Institutes of Health provides information for NIH Applicants and Recipients of NIH Funding.
- National Endowment of the Humanities awards $40.3 million in new CARES Act grants to support operations and preserve jobs at museums, archives, historic sites, and colleges and universities across the U.S. A complete list of all 317 new NEH CARES grants is available here.
- A coalition of arts grantmakers launched Artist Relief, unrestricted grants to help artists in need of financial support due to COVID-19.
- National Science Foundation is accepting proposals to conduct non-medical, non-clinical-care research that can be used to understand the spread of COVID-19.
- National Endowment for the Humanities announced new grant guidelines designed to rapidly distribute CARES Act funding to cultural nonprofits affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
- National Science Foundation announced the Impact on Existing Deadline Dates and extends deadline dates for the solicitations or Dear Colleague Letters (DCLs).
- Institute of Museum and Library Services announced New Stimulus Funding for Communities Across America to award the first $30 million of $50 million appropriated to the agency in the CARES Act. The grants will be distributed to all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories, and the Freely Associated States based on population.
- Council on Governmental Relations created FAQs and Resources on COVID-19's Impact to Federal Awards and continues to update a host of resources.
- Department of Education announces Formula Grants to Outlying Areas from the Education Stabilization Fund through the CARES Act for use in response to coronavirus. Outlying Areas of the United States refers to the US Virgin Islands (VI), Guam (GU), the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), and American Samoa (AS).
State-level Information and Resources
- National Conference of State Legislatures: NCSL Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources for States, including education.
Tax
- NACUBO offers COVID-19 Employer and Tax Resources summarizing tax credits and deferral programs, SBA low-interest loans for small employers including Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loans, and other tax relief including options for international students.
Webinar: Becoming a Graduate Career Professional
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Graduate education administration as a profession is increasingly professionalized, particularly in career services. Attracting and supporting talente ...
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Pages
CGS is the leading source of information, data analysis, and trends in graduate education. Our benchmarking data help member institutions to assess performance in key areas, make informed decisions, and develop plans that are suited to their goals.
CGS Best Practice initiatives address common challenges in graduate education by supporting institutional innovations and sharing effective practices with the graduate community. Our programs have provided millions of dollars of support for improvement and innovation projects at member institutions.
As the national voice for graduate education, CGS serves as a resource on issues regarding graduate education, research, and scholarship. CGS collaborates with other national stakeholders to advance the graduate education community in the policy and advocacy arenas.
CGS is an authority on global trends in graduate education and a leader in the international graduate community. Our resources and meetings on global issues help members internationalize their campuses, develop sustainable collaborations, and prepare their students for a global future.
