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.

CGS data is referenced in an article that examines the rates of underrepresented minority participation in PhD programs.

The CGS announcement of research partners for the Enhancing Student Financial Education project is covered in MarketWatch.

Data from the 2013 CGS International Graduate Admissions report is cited in an op-ed by the president of the Consumer Electronics Association advocating the economic benefits of increasing student visas.  

A column in the Chronicle of Higher Education cites CGS attrition and completion statistics and considers thoughtful admissions practices that emphasize finding the right fit between students and programs.

The Asbury Park Press cites CGS data on graduate enrollment and degrees for its story on gender and household income trends.

As explained by Debra W. Stewart of CGS and Roger Ferguson of TIAA-CREF, graduate and undergraduate students are in a tougher financial position today than ever before: The Student Loan Debt Perfect Storm.

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

Robert Augustine of Eastern Illinois University to Serve as Chair of CGS Board
(12/13/2012)
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) Board of Directors has announced its officers for the 2013 term. The new board was seated at the 52nd Annual Meeting, December 5, 2012 in Washington, DC. Dr. Robert Augustine, Dean of the Graduate School, Research and International Programs at Eastern Illinois University (EIU), became the 2013 CGS Board Chair. Dr. Augustine has served as the graduate dean at EIU since 2000.

Winners of 2012 CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards Announced (12/13/2012)
The Council of Graduate Schools / ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards, the nation’s most prestigious honor for doctoral dissertations, were presented to Björn B. Brandenburg and Junjie Chen at an awards ceremony during the CGS 52nd Annual Meeting.

Monica Popescu Wins 2012 Arlt Award in the Humanities (12/13/2012)
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has awarded the 2012 Gustave O. Arlt Award in the Humanities to Dr. Monica Popescu, Associate Professor of English at McGill University. The Arlt Award is given annually to a young scholar-teacher who has written a book deemed to have made an outstanding contribution to scholarship in the humanities.

University of Illinois at Chicago Wins ETS/CGS Award for Innovation in Promoting Success in Graduate Education (12/13/2012)
The fourth annual “ETS/CGS Award for Innovation in Promoting Success in Graduate Education: From Admission through Completion” was presented to the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) during the 52nd Annual Meeting of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS). The award is sponsored by CGS and Educational Testing Service (ETS).

CGS and TIAA‐CREF Join Forces to Enhance Student Financial Literacy (11/27/2012)
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), a nonprofit organization devoted to graduate education and research, and TIAA‐CREF, a leading financial services provider, have announced a project to enhance the financial literacy of graduate and undergraduate students. Through the endeavor with TIAA‐CREF, CGS will make awards to colleges and universities across the country to develop innovative financial literacy programs that can be tailored to students with a range of financial circumstances and educational goals.

Media Alert: CGS Invites Media Participation at 52nd Annual Meeting (11/16/2012)
Higher education leaders and other stakeholders will convene to discuss new trends and important questions in graduate education. The conference theme, “Creativity and Innovation in Graduate Education” will inspire discussion across six plenaries and a diverse range of concurrent sessions.
 

First-Time Enrollment of International Graduate Students Up 8 Percent (11/8/2012)
The Council of Graduate Schools reported an 8 percent increase in the first-time enrollment of international students from 2011 to 2012, matching the 8 percent increase between 2010 and 2011, and representing the third straight year of growth in first-time enrollments. Total enrollment of international graduate students among responding institutions reached 197,000 in 2012.

CGS Announces Awards to Support the Assessment of Student Learning by Future Faculty (10/31/2012)
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has announced awards to seven universities to develop new approaches for enhancing graduate student skills and understanding in the assessment of undergraduate learning. Supported through grants to CGS from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the Teagle Foundation, the awardees will integrate learning assessment into programs that prepare graduate students for faculty careers.

Graduate Schools See Growth in Applications and Degrees, But Enroll Fewer New Students in 2011 (9/28/2012)
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) reported that U.S. graduate schools saw a 1.7% dip in enrollments of first-time graduate students between fall 2010 and fall 2011, marking the second consecutive year of slight decreases. Across the board, graduate school enrollments remain ahead of where they were a decade ago, but the latest figures reverse increases for the 2007-08 and 2008-09 academic years, when enrollments grew 4.5% and 5.5% respectively. These findings are the result of the CGS/GRE Survey of Graduate Enrollment and Degrees, an annual survey that has been conducted since 1986.

Employment Levels Remain High for Professional Science Master's Degree Holders (9/18/2012)
Recent graduates of Professional Science Master’s (PSM) degree programs are reporting strong rates of employment, according to the second annual PSM Student Outcomes Survey released by the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS). The report tracks initial hiring trends and perceived satisfaction among 2010-11 and 2011-12 graduates of PSM degree programs.

CGS Announces Awards to Support Research Ethics Education in International STEM Collaborations (9/14/2012)
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has made awards to five universities to integrate research ethics education into international collaborations in Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) fields. Supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF # 1135345), the project seeks to enhance the preparation of future scientists and engineers for the ethical challenges that often arise in global research.

University Leaders Issue Statement on Preparing Graduate Students for Global Careers (9/6/2012)
Higher education leaders from 15 countries have agreed on a set of principles to guide the preparation of graduate students for the demands of the global workforce and economy. The statement was released following the Sixth Annual Strategic Leaders Global Summit, “From Brain Drain to Brain Circulation: Graduate Education for Global Career Pathways,” jointly hosted by the U.S.-based Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) and the Technische Universität München.

Media Alert for the 2013 CGS International Summit, From Brain Drain to Brain Circulation: Graduate Education for Global Career Pathways (8/28/2012)
From September 4-6, 2012, the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) and the Technische Universität München (TUM) will convene the Sixth Annual Strategic Leaders Global Summit on Graduate Education. The summit will address pressing questions for national economies and education systems.

Report Highlights Needs in Graduate Education for Research Integrity, Offers Best Practice Models for Institutions (8/27/2012)
The Council of Graduate Schools has released a new report highlighting the need for a more comprehensive approach to graduate education in research integrity. The report, Research and Scholarly Integrity in Graduate Education, provides recommendations for U.S. universities based on best practice research as well as data collected through a multi-year CGS initiative, The Project for Scholarly Integrity (PSI), supported by the U.S. Office of Research Integrity.

International Graduate Admissions Increase 9%: Admissions Offers Rise for China, the Middle East, and Brazil (8/27/2012)
The Council of Graduate Schools reported that offers of admission from U.S. graduate schools to prospective international students increased 9% from 2011 to 2012, following an increase of 9% last year. The new data marks the 3rd consecutive year of growth in international graduate admissions.

Research Universities and the Future of America: Ten Breakthrough Actions Vital to Our Nation’s Prosperity and Security (6/14/2012)
CGS President, Debra W. Stewart, issued the following statement on the National Research Council’s June 2012 report, Research Universities and the Future of America: Ten Breakthrough Actions Vital to Our Nation’s Prosperity and Security.

U.S. Must Close Gap Between Graduate Schools, Employers to Stay Competitive, Spur Innovation (4/19/2012)
By 2020, 2.6 million new or replacement jobs will require an advanced degree. Yet a new report warns that the nation will not be able to tap graduate students with high-level knowledge and skills unless university, business, nonprofit and government sectors team more closely — and innovatively — than they do now. The report, Pathways Through Graduate School and Into Careers, calls for such changes in graduate education’s link to the workforce.

CGS Launches Project to Prepare Future Faculty to Assess Undergraduate Learning (4/10/2012)
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has been awarded grants from the Alfred P. Sloan and Teagle Foundations for a new initiative to address the need for greater faculty expertise and engagement in the assessment of undergraduate student learning. CGS will collaborate with five U.S. universities to develop model projects for integrating learning assessment for the improvement of teaching into programs that prepare graduate students for faculty careers.

International Graduate Applications Rise for Seventh Consecutive Year; China, Mexico, and Brazil show largest gains (4/3/2012)
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) is reporting that the number of applications from prospective international students to U.S. graduate schools increased 9% in 2012, following an 11% gain in 2011 and matching the 9% growth seen in 2010.

Selection of Institutional Partners made for Doctoral Initiative on Minority Attrition and Completion (3/15/2012)
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has selected 20 proposals representing 21 universities to participate in a study to examine completion and attrition among underrepresented minorities in STEM doctoral programs.

Richard W. Linton Announced as CGS/NSF Dean-in-Residence (2/21/2012)
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), in collaboration with the National Science Foundation (NSF), has announced the appointment of the 2012-2013 CGS/NSF Dean-in-Residence, Richard W. Linton.

CGS responds to the Administration’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 Budget (2/15/2012)
We commend President Obama for the administration’s Fiscal Year 2013 budget which invests in education, research and innovation. The proposed budget reflects a strong commitment to the understanding that American competitiveness in a global economy depends on developing human talent.

Council of Graduate Schools Applauds President’s Call for Investment in Basic Research and Expanding Access to Education (1/25/2012)
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) strongly supports President Obama’s call for policies to increase job opportunities, support basic research, reform immigration, and expand access to education. In his 2012 State of the Union message, the president indicated his support for strategic investments to spur economic recovery while also streamlining government.

Keck Graduate Institute selected to administer PSM Affiliation process (1/25/2012)
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation announced that the Keck Graduate Institute has been selected to administer the Professional Science Master’s (PSM) Affiliation process.

Professional Science Master’s programs see strong growth in 2011 (1/18/2012)
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) released the results of its second annual Professional Science Master’s Enrollment and Degrees Survey documenting applications,  enrollments, and degrees awarded in Professional Science Master’s (PSM) programs. The PSM is an innovative graduate degree designed to allow students to pursue advanced training in science or mathematics, while simultaneously developing workplace skills highly valued by employers.

View 2011 Press Releases